Call for Entries: "Spaces We Shape" Art Competition

Reflecting Autistic experience, identity and sensory expression through art

We’re inviting members of the Autistic community to help design the outside of South Australia’s new mobile sensory bus!

This bus will visit community events across South Australia, offering a welcoming space—and proudly displaying artwork that reflects Autistic identity, experience, and sensory expression. This is your chance to help shape how the bus looks on the outside, with your own artwork featured on the sensory bus for thousands of people to see.

Two pieces of artwork will be selected (one from each category) to be featured on the exterior wrap of the Sensory Bus.

This is your space. Your story. Your design. Let’s shape it—together.

How to enter

You can submit your entry in one of two ways:

  1. Online submission form – Upload your artwork and description directly.
  2. Paper form – Contact the Office for Autism for a printable version of the application form. Deliver it with a printout or copy of your artwork to:
    Office for Autism
    State Administration Centre
    200 Victoria Square, Adelaide SA 5000

Competition overview

Overview

  • The design must reflect the theme: "Spaces We Shape" – reflecting Autistic experience, identity and sensory expression through art.
  • Artwork must be original, not generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, and must not infringe any copyrights.
  • Include a short description (up to 50 words) about what your artwork means to you, or what inspired it.
  • Submissions must be a minimum size: A3 (297 mm × 420 mm), Portrait or landscape; with a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) for digital files.

Who Can Enter?

  • Artists must reside in South Australia
  • Children’s Category – Autistic children aged 5 – 17 years
  • Adults’ Category – Autistic adults aged 18 + years

Competition rules

  1. The organiser of the competition is the Office for Autism.
  2. Information on how to enter as published on this Competition website forms part of these rules. Entry in to the Competition is deemed acceptance of these rules.
  3. Entry in to the Competition is open to all persons except staff and immediate family of the Office for Autism and people involved in the administration of the Competition.

Submission of entries

  1. Persons (Entrants) may only enter artwork in the Competition (Entries) between 9.00am Tuesday 29 July 2025 and 5:00pm (ACST) on Monday 25 August 2025 (Competition Period).
  2. Entries may be lodged online via the entry form on the Office for Autism website, OR in hardcopy to Office for Autism, 200 Victoria Square Adelaide. A completed consent form must accompany the submission. Consent forms are available via the Office for Autism website, or by emailing officeforautism@sa.gov.au
    1. Entries delivered via post must be postmarked on or before  25 August 2025 and Office for Autism accepts no responsibility for non-delivery of mail.  Registered mail is recommended.
  3. Hardcopy artwork will not be returned to the artist.

Competition terms

  1. Entrants will retain ownership of their original artwork.
  2. By entering the competition, entrants grant the Office for Autism a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt and transform submitted artwork solely for the purposes of:
    1. Creating and displaying the final Bus Wrap on the Mobile Sensory Bus;
    2. Promotion of the Bus Wrap and/or the Sensory Bus through digital or print formats including social media, websites, communications materials, and media engagement.
  3. By submitting an entry to the competition, the entrant acknowledges that they retain moral rights in their submitted artwork under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), including the rights of attribution, against false attribution, and of integrity.
  4. The Entrant consents to the Office of Autism, its agents, contractors, licensees, and assigns engaging in any acts or omissions that may otherwise infringe the Entrant’s moral rights in the artwork, including but not limited to:
    1. Not attributing the Entrant as the creator of the artwork in all instances of use or display;
    2. Modifying, relocating, adapting, or removing the artwork (including destruction, if necessary);
    3. Using the artwork in contexts or formats that may not align with the artist’s original intent or reputation.
  5. This consent is granted to enable the Office of Autism to manage, display, reproduce, adapt, or remove the artwork as required for the purposes of the competition, including public exhibition, promotional use, and long-term display or deinstallation.
  6. The Entrant confirms that this consent is given voluntarily and with full understanding of its implications, and that they have had the opportunity to seek independent legal advice prior to entering the competition.
  7. The Office for Autism will own the final Bus Wrap, which may be altered, removed, or replaced at any time without notice.
  8. The Office for Autism accepts no responsibility for the condition of the artwork once applied to the vehicle (e.g. damage, graffiti, or unauthorised reproduction by third parties).
  9. The first name of the artist may appear on the Bus Wrap.
  10. No other personal information about the artist will be published or shared without prior consent.
  11. Entry is open to South Australian residents only.
  12. Only one entry per person will be accepted.
  13. Entries must reflect the theme “Spaces We Shape” and must align with the values of the South Australian Autism Strategy, including a neuroaffirming perspective that values Autistic identity and lived experience.
  14. Any government employee who is selected as a winner must comply with their agency’s requirements for declaring gifts, benefits, or prizes.
  15. Entries must be the entrant’s original work and must not infringe on any copyright, privacy or intellectual property rights.

Competition prizes

  1. One winner from each category will receive a $500 Visa gift card
  2. Winning artworks featured on the exterior of the Mobile Sensory Bus
  3. Artist’s first name displayed next to their design
  4. Professional print & certificate for winners

Judging of entries and award of prizes

  1. Each valid Entry received will be submitted for judging. Entries will be shortlisted by the Office for Autism, and the shortlist will be judged by a panel of judges appointed by the Organiser.

Key dates

Competition opens: Tuesday 29 July 2025

Competition closes: 5:00pm (ACST) Monday 25 August 2025

Winners notified: mid-September 2025