Competition Description

InterConnections: The Art of Cancer Research Competition is intended to transform scientific research images into powerful conversation starters about cancer biology and research. This contest seeks images that stem from cancer research in all fields of study including but not limited to pathology, radiology and bioinformatics. The competition is open to all cancer researchers, including individuals or groups who carry out cancer research in not-for-profit institutions in Ontario. The competition opens September 2, 2025 and submissions are due October 17, 2025.

By entering this contest and submitting an image, the Entrant (as defined below) is agreeing to these terms and conditions:

Entrant Criteria

• Any individual or principal investigator representing a group of individuals performing cancer research in the public sector in Ontario may enter this contest and submit an image (an “Entrant”).
• The Entrant’s institution must be located in Ontario. For Entrants who are providing a group submission, the group leader and the majority of the group members must be located in Ontario.
• Submissions may be made by an individual or a group, but each submission must identify a single lead Entrant (the “Lead Entrant”) who will serve as the primary point of contact. An individual may act as the Lead Entrant on only one submission; however, they may participate as a group member on multiple submissions.
• Any image that is not among the 10 finalists selected in the contest may be submitted again in a future contest.

Note: OICR reserves the right to reject any submission in its sole discretion including where a submission depicts or could be perceived to depict any conduct/practice which violates standards and norms for the ethical conduct of research and/or images which may be considered to depict an act of violence, harassment, discrimination, or similar. 

Image Criteria

• Images must be original material/data of the Entrant and come from any field of cancer research in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities or health sciences, but not from research in the arts (defined to include visual arts, media arts and research on artistic creation).
• Images must not include any confidential information or personally identifiable information. 
• Images must be directly related to and have been created in the context of the Entrant’s cancer research.
• Images must come from actual observations made or data produced in the course of research. Images may not be created or assembled by fictitious means, such as artificial intelligence or other software.
• Various methods and technologies may be used to create the images (for example, photography/microscopy using natural light or other spectra, images produced by optical or electronic instruments, images generated from models, drawings, diagrams, graphs, etc.).
• Colourization and graphic processing associated with the technology may be used to generate the image; whereas software such as Adobe Photoshop may be used in a limited fashion to clarify and process the image, not to produce the image itself. 
• Only high-resolution images will be accepted. Images should be submitted in PNG or JPG file format. It is recommended that the images be between 2-10 MB and at a minimum resolution of 3000x3600px. If you are unsure about whether your image meets these requirements, please submit and we will work with you to best display it.

Text to Accompany Submission

Images must be submitted with a five-part text description: i) a catchy title, ii) a plain-language explanation of the research presented in the image, iii) an artist statement, iv) a description of the technique or technology used to create the image and v) image credit(s). All five parts must be written in English and submitted online along with the image as follows:

i) Catchy title

• Maximum of 60 characters, including spaces
• Non-science oriented title

ii) Plain-language description of the research

• 600 to 900 characters, including spaces
• Briefly introduce the research topic or problem in question
• Describe what is seen in the image—include cues for the reader (e.g., in the top right corner of the image; the cells in red…), spell out any acronyms and define specialized terms
• Explain your research and make the connection between the image and the research being conducted. 
• Give examples of concrete research applications or describe the expected benefits of the research

NOTE: The plain-language text is intended for a non-expert audience of scientifically curious adults.

iii) Artist Statement

• Maximum of 200 characters, including spaces
• An artist statement gives insight into the entrant’s creative decision. It can also explain the theme, ideas and vision of the image, an initial introduction to yourself, your image and its context.
• Example:  John Doe 
  “Cells reveal a hidden, vibrant world that fills me with wonder despite their imperfections. Nevertheless, I feel I must recognize and honour the story that has unfolded.”

iv) Technique or technology used to create the image and of any changes made to the image

• Maximum of 300 characters, including spaces
• Example: We used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to capture the fluorescent signals, and the image was then colourized.

v) Credits

• Number of characters as needed to identify Entrant(s) details including name, role, institution and location.

How to Make Your Submission

• Read and agree to the contest’s terms and conditions. 
• Fill out all fields on the submission form that will become available when the competition opens on September 2, 2025 and upload your image and required written text  .
  NOTE: By submitting an image, you are giving OICR permission to use it for promotional purposes which may include being displayed on OICR websites, OICR social media, OICR publications and potentially printing and displaying. Images may be provided to government, media and other promotional partners.

Submission Deadline

All Submissions for the 2025 contest must be submitted no later than October 17, 2025, at 11:59 pm (ET) via the via the submission form (available September 2).  

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be considered in two stages, as necessary, described below. The following guidelines will be used by the judges in their evaluations:

Initial Submission Screening

• Submissions will be evaluated by judges who are at arms length and independent of OICR.
• Submission screening will be based on how effectively the image and text convey meaning to the public. Rankings will be based on:
  • How well the narrative describes the artistic nature of the image
  • Emotional response to narrative and image

Final Assessment

Evaluation criteria

• The overall winner will be selected from the finalists by an external panel of judges. The finalists will be scored according to the following criteria: 
  • Artistic/aesthetic appeal of the image 
  • Impact of the Artist Statement: The image’s creativity/ability to spark curiosity
  • Clarity and creativity of the plain-language description and title in conveying the impact of the research 

• Mean scores will be calculated for each submission and the highest score will be declared the winner.
• The images of the 10 finalists will be posted on the OICR website and showcased by various means, including public exhibitions at locations to be determined by OICR. Images may be provided to government media or other promotional partners.

All rankings, scores, and decisions provided by the judges are final. Individual results and/or feedback will not be provided to Entrants.

Entrant Submissions and Finalist Recognition

All submissions may be showcased on OICR’s website and/or social media pages and in marketing materials. Finalists selected by OICR may be asked to participate in additional activities to discuss their images.

The overall winner (Entrant, Lead Entrant or delegate) will be invited to discuss their art at an OICR celebration event on December 11 (travel and accommodation, for one individual, may be covered in line with OICR Travel Policy) and will receive a single framed copy of their winning piece.

Publication Rights and Copyright

• Entrants must have created the image, and they or their institutions must own all rights to the image and Entrants must have the legal right to submit the image for the purposes herein. The copyright in the submitted images shall remain with Entrant or their institution as applicable. The Entrant or their institution as applicable will retain all rights, title, and interest in the Entrant’s submitted image subject to the license granted to OICR as outlined in these terms and conditions. By submitting an image to the competition, the Entrant represents and warrants that they are the copyright owner of the submitted image and have the necessary rights, permissions, and/or licenses to submit the image to the competition, for use by OICR.
• By submitting an image to this contest, Entrants are granting OICR a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable license to use, reproduce, display, distribute, and publicly exhibit the submitted images in any media format (including but not limited to print, digital, and online) for the purposes set out herein including research communication and promotion (“Permitted Purpose”).  The Entrant further agrees and acknowledges that OICR may, at its discretion, crop, resize, or otherwise modify the Entrant’s submitted image for Permitted Purpose and, in this regard, Entrant waives any moral rights in the image. OICR reserves the right to publish submitted images in any media and in any format to promote the contest, finalists, award-winner or research.
• OICR intends to acknowledge the Entrant in all publications and presentations of the image, unless circumstances prevent it. The Entrant agrees and acknowledges that Entrant will not receive monetary compensation, however, OICR will make every effort to give image credit whenever it is used, but reserves the right to use the image without credit when and wherever it deems appropriate in its sole discretion.

Other Conditions – General Terms

• By submitting an image to the contest, Entrants agree to follow the contest’s official rules as set out herein.
• Decisions made by OICR, and/or judges about any aspect of the contest, including its determination of contest winners, the eligibility or disqualification of Entrants, descriptions or images, are final and cannot be appealed.
• Entrants, whose images are selected, agree that, without compensation, OICR may, further to the Entrant’s grant of license in the “Publication Rights and Copyright” section above, edit, reproduce, publish, transmit and disseminate the Entrant image and any information they provide, in any publication or promotion activity, to promote the contest, the finalists, the winner or the research.
• All Entrants release OICR, their respective personnel, and any party acting on their behalf from any liability for damage of any kind resulting directly or indirectly from the Entrants’ participation or attempted participation in the contest. By submitting an image to this contest, Entrants agree that OICR is not responsible for any copyright infringements that might arise in any jurisdiction or for any litigation that might ensue from such infringements.
• These terms and conditions will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the parties attorn to the jurisdiction of Ontario courts.

Other Conditions – Changes to rules, suspension or cancellation of the contest

OICR reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to make changes to the contest rules, to suspend or to cancel the contest at any time and without prior notice, without having to justify their decision and without being held accountable for it to anyone in any way. No damages or compensation may be claimed.

For more information contact info@oicr.on.ca