JRS launches 2026 Refugee Week Student Creative Competition!
20 April 2026
Calling student artists! Join our Refugee Week Creative Competition for 2026
To mark Refugee Week 2026, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia invites school students to take part in our Creative Competition, inspired by this year’s theme: ‘A Million Stories’.
Background:
Since 1947, Australia has welcomed one million people through its humanitarian program. That’s one million people who fled danger and found safety here. One million journeys of courage and hope. One million new beginnings in Australia.
But this isn’t really about a number. Behind each protection journey is a person with a story: someone who left everything behind to find safety, who showed incredible strength, and who has helped build the Australia we know today.
Be part of this story…
Our Refugee Week Creative Competition invites students to engage creatively with refugee stories through art, writing, and video.
This is an opportunity to creatively reflect on the journeys of refugees and people seeking asylum, celebrate their contributions to Australian society, and consider how we can continue to build a compassionate and welcoming future for everyone.
Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 are encouraged to participate, either individually or in small groups. Submissions can take the form of visual artworks, written pieces, or short videos, responding to the theme “A Million Stories.”
Competition Details: The full competition guidelines, including submission categories, requirements, judging criteria, and key dates, can be downloaded here. You can use this poster to advertise the creative competition at your school.
Key Dates
Exhibition & Awards Event: In the week beginning 22 June
Contact schools@jrs.org.au for more information.
