Frequently Asked Questions

Who can enter the competition?
Lilly Oncology On Canvas invites people from the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada—aged 18 or older—who are diagnosed with any type of cancer—as well as their families, friends, caregivers and healthcare providers—to express, through art and narrative, the life-affirming changes that give their cancer journeys meaning.

What can I express in my artwork?
Themes and inspirations that give your cancer journey meaning are everywhere—from a caring friend or healthcare professional, to a landscape or a moment of self-discovery or another special moment—and so much more. Get inspired by viewing previous entries at www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com.

What art medium can I use to create my artwork?
The six categories for submission are: watercolor, oil, pastel, photography, acrylic and mixed media. Mixed media is a technique involving the use of two or more artistic media—such as ink and pastel or painting and collage—that are combined in a single work of art. For inspiration on getting started with your entry, you may wish to view our four "Getting Started" videos on www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com.

What are the size requirements for my artwork?
Your original art must be at least 9 inches x 12 inches and no more than 18 inches x 24 inches. The artwork must be flat.

Do I have to submit a narrative with my artwork?
Yes. Each entry must be accompanied by a narrative that describes how the journey depicted in the artwork is an inspiring one and/or puts the artwork in context. An artwork received without a narrative will not be judged.

What are the guidelines for submitting narratives?
The narrative should be a maximum of 125 words in length and submitted in English and preferably typed. Do not include in the narrative: the names of any individuals, such as patients, doctors and/or nurses; or the names of hospitals or drugs. Narratives should not contain quotations from religous texts or copyrighted materials.

How do you define original art?
Original art is defined as artwork that is not an exact replica of—or very similar in appearance to—any existing art or other work created by someone else, such as a photograph, painting, drawing, sketch, or advertisement—and does not infringe upon any other artist’s copyright or other property or ownership rights. The artwork must be submitted in the medium in which it was initially created—so a watercolor must be submitted as a watercolor, and not a print or photograph. A reproduction of the artwork will be disqualified.

Can I put my name on and/or sign my artwork or narrative?
For privacy reasons, do not write on or sign your artwork or add your address or any other personally identifiable information anywhere on the artwork.

Who selects the winners? What do judges look for?
Winners are selected by an independent panel of judges, typically including the Art Competition Director, past winners, cancer survivors and representatives from media and patient advocacy groups. Judges seek artwork that best portrays an inspiring cancer journey and narratives that illustrate the journey, such as how an individual with cancer has made life-affirming changes.

What are the judging categories?
In addition to the overall 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners, there are best-of-category winners (i.e., Best Artwork by a Person Diagnosed with Cancer) and winners in the various media (i.e., Best Acrylic by a Family Member, Friend or Caregiver). In total, winners in 24 categories will be chosen.

What are the prizes?
Prizes consist of contributions made to cancer-related charities chosen by the winners.

What criteria must be met by a charity before it can receive a donation?
The charity must be classified by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization and must submit a copy of the IRS letter confirming this designation. In addition, a significant portion of the charity’s work must be related to cancer.

If I choose to receive competition updates, how often will I receive these updates? How do I “opt out” or unsubscribe?
You will receive periodic updates by mail or email, depending on the option you chose. If you do not wish to receive this information, please call us at 1-800-LillyRx or write to us at Eli Lilly and Company, P.O. Box 6245, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6245 USA to request to be removed from our mailing list. Please note that, if you decide to “opt out,” you will not receive any unsolicited information from Eli Lilly and Company.

How do I ask questions about the competition or learn about competition updates?
You may direct questions about the competition to the Art Competition Director by mail, email or telephone (see contact information below). You can also receive updates on the competition by registering as soon as possible, but no later than April 30, 2012. The competition submission deadline is June 29, 2012. Complete information is also available at www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com.

What happens to my art after the competition? Will my artwork be returned to me?
Following the announcement of winners, the artwork and narratives will not be returned to entrants. Much of the artwork will embark on a tour, including cancer centers, hospitals and patient advocacy group events. Artwork and narratives may be televised and/or featured on the Internet, in print and other types of media. Entries may also be used for any of the following purposes and related materials (print and electronic): public relations; training and education; advertising; research and/or sales and marketing. In addition, some of the entries will be featured in the Lilly Oncology On Canvas art book, should one be produced, on the website and in other media designated by the competition presenters. Following the tour, some of the artwork may be donated to cancer centers, individual and multi-physician’s offices, hospitals and nonprofit cancer-related organizations. In addition, nonprofit cancer-related organizations, including NCCS, may use the artwork as part of their fundraising efforts, without any payment to you or any financial benefit to Lilly.

If the exhibition comes to my city or town, will my artwork be part of the exhibit?
Since, at any given time, there can be many exhibits occurring simultaneously, we cannot guarantee that your artwork will be on display at a Lilly Oncology On Canvas exhibition near you.

Can my artwork be donated to the cancer center, hospital or other healthcare facility of my choice?
Should artwork be donated to a hospital, cancer center, other healthcare facility or cancer advocacy group, the competition presenters will solely determine the recipient organizations.

Will my artwork be included in the Lilly Oncology On Canvas art book?
If the presenters decide to create a 2012 Lilly Oncology On Canvas art book, they will assess all entries to determine which to include. While art created by the winners will likely be incorporated, presenters cannot commit to including any artwork beyond the winners’ entries.

What does it mean to give up my rights to my art?
As with some other art competitions, by submitting your artwork, you are transferring to Lilly Oncology On Canvas full ownership of and all rights you have to the artwork and narrative, such as all copyrights and the right to use, reproduce, display or publish all or any portion of the art and text in: any medium (including, but not limited to, online, print, television, electronic displays at medical meetings, or any other public forum); collateral materials (including, but not limited to, media materials, brochures, art books, postcards, websites); and exhibits. In addition, nonprofit, cancer-related organizations, including NCCS, may use Lilly Oncology On Canvas artwork as part of their fundraising efforts, without any payment to you or any financial benefit to Lilly.