The 2024 Canadian Art Inspiration
Student Challenge

Who are your personal heroes? What is our responsibility to the planet? What is your earliest memory? How do you connect with your culture? We asked, and students across Canada answered with remarkable creations inspired by the nation’s greatest artists. Now in its fourth year, the ACI student challenge received submissions from young makers in Grades 7 through 12 from coast to coast. They looked to the work of visionaries like Edward Burtynsky (b.1955), Helen McNicoll (1879-1915), and Karen Tam (b.1977), engaging with themes of community, courage, and connection that promise to resonate across generations. The work featured here is a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of young Canadians—and the invaluable contributions of visual arts teachers who mentor and cultivate the artistic talent of tomorrow.

The Art Canada Institute gratefully acknowledges Canadian Geographic as the media sponsor for this year’s student challenge.