NCCR SPIN Art and Science contest 2026
"Quantum Confinement of a Rainbow" by Jibin N SUNIL (University of Basel), which won the Public Prize for the category "Scientific Object of Study" in the 2025 NCCR SPIN Art & Science Competition.
We are excited to announce the NCCR SPIN Art and Science Contest 2026! The competition is meant to demonstrate the importance of visual art in science communication. Young researchers working on projects that are part of NCCR SPIN are invited to submit their images. To enter, please send your artwork including a title and a caption/short description to kaila.yallum@unibas.ch before May 12, 2026.
This year, there are three categories:
Scientific Object of Study: An image or photograph from your research project, such as a beautiful data set or a microscopy image. The emphasis in this category is on the artistic or aesthetic quality of the image itself.
People, Places of Science & Scientific Art: observations in the lab, situations in the life of a researcher, humorous illustration or comic strip, 2D and 3D artwork, etc. (photograph, drawing, illustration, comic strip, sculpture, etc.). The emphasis in this category is on the human and community aspects of science, as well as on creative interpretations inspired by scientific work.
Visual Representation of a Scientific Concept (New Category): This category was created to recognize creative visual work that is increasingly important in research and science communication, not only to show science but also to explain it.
A creative visual designed to explain a scientific idea, method, mechanism, or process related to your research. This may include graphical abstracts, charts, data visualizations, diagrams, conceptual illustrations, schematics, or other original visual formats. The emphasis in this category is on explanatory power and visual communication rather than on the artistic or aesthetic quality of the work.
Rules:
The image for the category “Scientific Object of Study” can be a photograph or have been taken with any type of instrument (must include a scalebar).
Participation in the competition is free of charge.
Images should be sent in a .jpg format in a resolution of at least 300 dpi (please make sure your picture is not too small as it will be printed and exhibited). If you made a 3D artwork, please send up to 3 pictures of your artwork.
The following persons may not take part in the competition: professional photographers, employees of the communication departments of research institutions, senior researchers.
Outreach & Exhibition of Images
By submitting your image, you grant NCCR SPIN the right to use your picture/artwork for the promotion of the NCCR SPIN. The NCCR SPIN may use the submitted entries on the internet as well as on social media and may resize/crop them for this purpose. Submitted images may also be put on display at one or more exhibitions, e.g. at the Annual Meeting. The submitted text may be adapted and published by the NCCR SPIN.
Image rights
The participants in the competition guarantee that they have produced the entries themselves and that they hold all the necessary rights and authorizations. They remain the owners of the copyright relating to their entry. They give their permission for the entries to be published by third parties under a CC-BY-NC-ND license: the entries may also be freely used for non-commercial purposes, provided they remain unaltered, and the author is duly credited.
The works submitted must respect image ethics and must have been authorized by the persons concerned. Any representation of a physical person must be subject to that person’s consent to dissemination of his/her image. The NCCR SPIN refuses to accept any liability in this respect.