The Community Art Initiative invites members of our community (particularly children and youth) to design the artwork that will appear on the front of the 2026 swim cards. Members are invited to submit original proposals that showcase the significance and attachment they feel toward their summer pool, the NAA Community, and Competitive Swimming.

From all proposals, NAA Competitive Swimming will select one (1) submission which will be featured on this year’s swim cards. However, even if a design isn’t selected, all submitted artworks will be featured on the Competitive Swimming site and social media over the 2026 season.

Why are we doing this?

This initiative is about more than designing a card. It’s about giving our members a voice, celebrating local creativity and strengthening the connection between sport, art, and community spaces.

Our swim cards are used by hundreds every summer. Having them designed by our members sends a powerful message: this is your pool, this is your team, this is your space.

Show off your creativity, talent, and pride for our community!

Deadline:

April 4, 2026.

Who Can Submit?

To submit an artwork, members must:

• Have swum or volunteered at a NAA Competitive Swimming event in 2025; and
• Have been registered with an NAA member pool in 2025.

Members may only submit one (1) artwork each.

What Can be Submitted?

Submitted artworks must be original, unpublished and created by the participant submitting the proposal. In the case of younger children, participants may seek assistance of adults, provided the majority of the artwork was completed by the child.

Submitted artworks may be created by hand or digitally, or a combination of the two. The use of artificial intelligence is prohibited.

Exclusion of Submissions

Submissions must not:

• Make use of artificial intelligence.
• Contain any offensive, derogatory or discriminatory message, whether explicit or implicit.
• Contain a symbol which represents a specific team, either in the NAA or elsewhere.
• Contain content which is copyrighted, or unavailable for public use or reproduction.
• Contain the photo of any real and identifiable person.
• Make reference to specific NAA events which are not readily known by all members (i.e., no ‘inside jokes’).
• Include names or signatures on the artwork itself. Artist credit will be handled separately on the swim card.
• Have been previously published or submitted for another open call/contest.

Furthermore, artworks must be suitable for all ages and respect the values, regulations and policies of the Association.

The NAA reserves the right to exclude any submission from the Open Call.

Format of Submissions

Submitted artworks must be digital. If created by hand, a clear digital scan must be provided.

Accepted file formats: JPG, PNG, PDF

Ratio of submitted artworks: Artworks should have a ratio of approximately 6 x 7 (portrait). Artworks may be scaled up or down as needed, and a portion of the borders may be cut. Avoid small details and small text, as this would not render adequately on the card.

NAA Competitive Swimming will review all artworks following the end of the submission period.

What we’re Looking for

• Artworks which demonstrate lots of creativity;
• Artworks that promote and are relevant to the NAA community and Competitive Swimming.
• Artworks that are encourage swimming and that make us proud of our community.
• A particular interest will be attributed to artworks completed by youth under the age of 16.

The selected artwork will appear on the 2026 Competitive Swimming card.

Example of a Swim Card

All artists will be credited when their artwork is published, either on the card, on the website or on social media.

By submitting artwork:

• The artist (and parent/guardian) grants permission for the Association to:
  • Reproduce the artwork on swim cards.
  • Use the artwork for related promotional or community purposes.
• The artist retains ownership of the original artwork.

No artwork will be altered without permission, except for resizing or formatting for print.

To submit an artwork, please fill out the following form. Please note that you must sign into a Google account in order to upload your artwork.