The Mercy Foundation is excited to announce the 2025 Peace Through Art Competition. Secondary students are invited to creatively express their vision of peace. We encourage you to explore what peace means to you—whether it’s harmony within your communities, global unity, or inner tranquility. Through your artistic talents, you can convey messages of understanding, compassion, and hope for a more peaceful world.
1. Introduction
The Mercy Foundation Youth Awards is a competition open to high school students across Australia from Years 7 – 12. The competition will encourage you to learn more about social justice issues. This year the focus is Peace.
2. Competition Details
Your challenge is to:
a) Use your creativity and originality to craft pieces that reflect your perspective on peace.
You may submit artworks in the following mediums:
- Painting (Acrylic, Watercolor, Oil, etc.)
- Drawing (Pencil, Charcoal, Ink, etc.)
- Mixed Media
- Digital Art
- Photography
Take a photo of your creation and upload it with your entry form on our website
NB no faces in the photo.
b) Each entry must include a written paragraph (no longer than 100 words) that explains your photo.
c) Fill out the quiz on the online entry form.
3. Important Notes:
- Only one entry per person
- An entrant is an individual student
- Strictly no faces to feature in the image
- No brand names or logos
4. Judging
A panel of judges will evaluate submissions based on:
- Creativity & Originality – How uniquely the theme of peace is represented.
- Artistic Technique – Skill and execution in the chosen medium.
- Emotional Impact – The ability to evoke emotion and inspire.
- Relevance to Theme – How well the artwork conveys the message of peace.
- Short quiz.
5. Entries
- Entries must consist of a photograph uploaded with the online entry form. The online entry form is available on our website www.mercyfoundation.com.au
- Photographs should be a maximum of 2MB and in the format of a JPEG, GIF or PNG. JPEG is the preferred format. A PDF will also be accepted.
- Photos should be saved using student’s name and school e.g. SmithH_SydneyHigh.jpeg
- If for any reason they are unable to use the online entry form, please contact us by email youthawards@mercyfoundation.com.au or call 02 9911 7390.
- By submitting an entry, the student acknowledges that they have read and accepted the Terms and Conditions for the Mercy Foundation Youth Awards 2025. The Terms and Conditions are available on our website www.mercyfoundation.com.au
- The photo and entry must be the student’s original work created for the competition.
- The Mercy Foundation will acknowledge all entries received. It is your responsibility to ensure that we have received your entry.
- Photographs may be exhibited at a public event later this year. More information will be provided closer to the event.
- The closing date is 8 August 2025.
For more information, please call the Mercy Foundation on 02 9911 7390 or email youthawards@mercyfoundation.com.au
PRIZES
1st Prize: $1,000 to the winning entrant AND $1,000 to the winning school
2nd Prize: $500 to the winning entrant AND $500 to the winning school
3rd Prize: $250 to the winning entrant AND $250 to the winning school
AND
$100 vouchers will be awarded to 10 highly commended entries AND $250 will be awarded to the school that submits the most entries.
Schools are requested to spend their money on social justice resources and/or activities to promote social justice in your school and/or a charity addressing social justice issues in Australia.
Note that more than one winner may be awarded in each place. If this is the case, the prize money will be shared between the winning entrants and the winning schools.
The total Prize pool is $4,750
