The animation sector has a long tradition of bold curiosity, care and imagination. We are inviting artists to submit original artwork for the official cover design of our Sustainable Animation Toolkit — a first-of-its-kind resource supporting environmentally-responsible animation production across Canada. The Toolkit is supported by the Shaw Rocket Fund.
CONTEST THEME: Animation + Climate Action
We are looking for imaginative, bold, and visually striking concepts that exemplify the relationship between animation, storytelling, and care for the world around us. Interpret the theme broadly! Diverse styles, approaches, and perspectives are encouraged.
Enter Here!
CONTEST DETAILS
Designs will be assessed using the following criteria
- relevance to the theme of animation and climate action
- artistic quality and originality
- suitability for use across print and digital for
- reflection of Canada’s animation industry
Your design might reflect
- sustainability in animation production (behind the scenes, not just on screen)
- the intersection of creativity, technology, and environmental responsibility
- animation as an act of world-building and stewardship
- a resilient, responsible future for the Canadian animation industry
Prizes
Two designs will be selected:
1. Grand Prize: $1,000 CAD, consisting of:
- A cash prize, and
- A license fee for use of the artwork.
- Featured as the official cover of the Toolkit
- Credit as the cover artist in the Toolkit
2. Second Place: $500 CAD, consisting of:
- A cash prize, and
- A license fee for use of the artwork.
- Featured inside the Toolkit
- Artist credit in the Toolkit
Who Can Enter
Open to: Canadian residents (excluding Quebec)
- Individuals who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory
- Independent animators, designers, and visual artists working or residing in Canada
- Teams and collaborative submissions are welcome. Additional requirements for team submissions apply and are outlined in the Contest Rules.
Submission Requirements
Each submission must include:
- One original cover design (JPG or PNG for judging, max 5MB for judging)
- A title for the work
- A written description (maximum 300 words) describing the concept
- Names and contact information for all contributing artists
- Optional: portfolio or website link
All submitted artwork must be entirely original and must not include characters, designs, or imagery from prior or existing works.
Key Dates
- Contest opens: February 16, 2026 at 9:00am PT
- Submission deadline: March 16, 2026, at 6:00pm PT
- Winners announced: April 15, 2026
📥 How to Enter
Submit your entry via https://form.jotform.com/260406753123248
Questions may be directed to: info@producingfortheplanet.com Please use the subject line “Animation Toolkit Contest”
CONTEST RULES
1. Sponsor
This contest is administered by Producing for the Planet Society (P4P), a Canadian non-profit society based in British Columbia. The Toolkit is developed by P4P in partnership with The Shaw Rocket Fund and (collectively, the “Contest Parties”)
2. No Purchase Necessary
There is no fee to enter the contest and no purchase is required.
3. Eligibility
The contest is open to:
- legal residents of Canada, excluding Quebec
- individuals who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence at the time of entry
Employees, officers, directors, board members, independent contractors, agents, or representatives of the Contest Parties and their immediate family members or household members (whether related or not), are not eligible to enter.
P4P shall have the right to request valid proof of identity and eligibility and can disqualify any Entry where this isn’t provided to P4P’s satisfaction.
4. Contest Period
The Contest begins on February 16, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. PT and ends on March 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. PT.
Entries received outside the Contest Period will not be accepted.
5. How to Enter
To enter, entrants must submit via the designated online form (each, an “Entry”):
- one (1) original artwork file (JPG or PNG, maximum 5MB)
- a title for the work
- a written description (maximum 300 words)
- full name and contact information for the entrant
- names and contact information for all contributing artists (if applicable)
Limit: one (1) entry per individual or team.
If submitting on behalf of a team, one individual must act as the Authorized Representative and represents that they have obtained all necessary permissions from collaborators and have authority to bind them to these Rules.
6. Judging Process
This is a skill-based contest. No element of chance is involved.
Entries will be judged by a panel appointed by P4P based on:
- relevance to theme – 30%
- artistic quality and originality – 50%
- suitability for print and digital use – 10%
- reflection of the Canadian animation industry – 10%
Decisions of the judges are final and binding.
7. Prize
Grand Prize: $1,000 CAD
Second Place Prize: $500 CAD
Each prize includes a cash component and a license fee for use of the artwork contained in the Entry.
Prizes must be accepted as awarded and are non-transferable. Where a winning entry is submitted by a team, the prize will be shared equally among collaborators.
P4P reserves the right not to award a prize if no suitable Entries are received and is under no obligation to use any part of any winning Entry.
Chances of winning will depend on the number of entries.
8. Winner Notification
Potential winners will be contacted by email within ten (10) business days of judging.
P4P will make at least two (2) reasonable attempts to contact the potential winner or Authorized Representative.
Winners (including all listed collaborators) must sign and return the Winner’s License & Release within the time period specified in the notification email. Failure to do so may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate Entry.
9. Copyright & Intellectual Property
By submitting an Entry, entrants represent and warrant that:
- the artwork is original and created entirely by the entrant and collaborators (if any)
- the entrant has all rights necessary to submit the work and grant the license described herein. If an Authorized Representative is submitting on behalf of a team, they have been granted the rights to do so by any and all collaborators of the artwork, have the right to share the collaborators’ names and contact information, and shall cause all such collaborators to sign the Winners License & Release
- the artwork does not infringe any third-party rights (including privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights)
- the artwork was not created in whole or in part using generative artificial intelligence
- all personal information submitted has been provided with proper consent
- The artwork does not contain the likeness of identifiable third parties
- The Entry does not violate any laws
If selected as the winner:
- The winners shall agree to grant the Contest Parties an exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license, with the right to sublicense, to reproduce, distribute, display, adapt, create derivative works from, and otherwise use any portion of the Entry, including any and all artwork, designs, writing, notes, names and biographies contained in the Entry, in connection with the Toolkit, related activities and promotion, in any media now known or later developed.
- Copyright in the artwork remains with the creator unless otherwise agreed in writing.
- P4P may request high-resolution or layered source files
- As a condition of receiving the Prize, winners must sign a Winner’s License and Release provided by P4P.
Non-winning Entries:
Entrants retain all rights.
By entering this Contest, you grant the Contest Parties, for a period ending December 31, 2026, a non-exclusive, royalty-free and worldwide license to reproduce and display the artwork contained in the Entry in connection with the Contest and the promotion thereof unless otherwise agreed.
11. Publicity Consent
Winners consent to the use of their name, likeness, affiliation, and winning artwork (including title and descriptions) for promotional purposes of the Toolkit in any media, worldwide and in perpetuity, by the Contest Parties.
12. Disqualification
P4P reserves the right to disqualify any Entry or entrant that:
- does not comply with these Rules or any portion thereof
- contains illegal, offensive, discriminatory, inappropriate, crude, obscene, explicit, disparaging, political, plagiarized, or otherwise unsuitable language, depiction, activity or other content
- was created using generative AI
- Disparages the Contest Parties and / or any programs thereof
- Conflicts with the core values of the Contest Parties (as determined in their sole discretion)
- Is incomplete or late
- Contains any content that violates any law or third party’s rights (including privacy, personality and intellectual property rights);
- Contains works that have been submitted to any other website, challenge or contest
- Attempts to disrupt the contest in any way including tampering with or attempts to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest by cheating, deception or other unfair practices
13. Limitation of Liability
Entrants release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Contest Parties from any claims arising out of: (i) technical issues affecting submissions; (ii) loss or damage to submissions including artwork files; (iii) any claims arising from participation, judging, or prize acceptance; or (iv) the participation, submission, or use of the artwork in accordance with these Rules and the Winner’s License & Release.
This contest does not create an employment, partnership, or contractor relationship.
P4P WILL BEAR NO LEGAL LIABILITY REGARDING THE USE OF YOUR ENTRY (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION USE OF YOUR ARTWORK) AND SHALL BE INDEMNIFIED AND HELD HARMLESS BY YOU IN THE EVENT IT IS SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE DEPARTED FROM OR NOT FULLY COMPLIED WITH ANY OF THESE RULES.
THE CONTEST PARTIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO AN ENTRANT (OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE) FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHALLENGE OR THESE RULES.
EACH ENTRANT (AND AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, AS APPLICABLE) HEREBY RELEASES AND AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS P4P, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES FROM ANY AND ALL DAMAGES, INJURIES, CLAIMS, CAUSES OF ACTIONS, LIABILITY OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING ACTUAL LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES), NOW OR IN THE FUTURE ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO: (A) THE ENTRANT’S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THESE RULES; (B) ANY MISREPRESENTATION THE ENTRANT MAKES UNDER THESE RULES OR OTHERWISE TO ADMINISTRATOR; (C) THE ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE; OR (D) THE WINNER’S RECEIPT, USE OR REDEMPTION OF ANY PRIZE, OR HIS/HER/ITS INABILITY TO RECEIVE, USE OR REDEEM ANY PRIZE.
14. Privacy
Personal information collected for this contest will be used solely for:
- Administering the contest
- Contacting entrants
- Announcing the winners
- Publicity as set out in these Rules
Information will not be shared or sold. Personal information will be collected, used, and disclosed in accordance with P4P’s Privacy Policy
By participating in this Contest, you expressly consent to P4P storing, using and disclosing your personal information (or if you are an Authorized Representative, you consent on your own behalf and on behalf of your corporation, organization, or artistic collaborators, as applicable, and all individuals whose personal information is included in the entry) for the purposes of administering the Contest and for the other purposes described in these Rules and in accordance with the P4P Privacy Policy https://www.producingfortheplanet.com/legal. This section does not limit any other consent(s) that an individual may provide P4P or others in relation to the collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal information.
15. Force Majeure
P4P reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest in the event of technical failure, tampering, unauthorized intervention, legal requirements, or other circumstances beyond its reasonable control that impairs or affects the administration, security, or fairness of the Contest. In the event of a cancellation or suspension of the Contest, P4P shall have the right to judge Entries and award prizes from among the Entries received up to the date of the impairment.
16. Compliance with Laws
This contest is governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the laws of Canada applicable therein.
All disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the contest, prizes, these official Rules and/or the Winner’s License & Release will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court of the Province of BC, Canada.
17. Contact Information
Questions may be directed to: info@producingfortheplanet.com
