Take the challenge
Explore the SunSmart Student Studio challenge and think about how you could get other students thinking about sun safety.
Your entry should communicate a clear and accurate SunSmart message. Click the button below for all the details!
Choose your format
Bring your idea to life as a poster, story, comic or character design.
We’re looking for an idea that gets people thinking, not professional production. You don’t need fancy equipment or specialist skills. Choose the format that works best for your idea.
What we’re looking for
Judges will be looking for:
- A clear and accurate SunSmart message
- A strong response to the challenge
- Creativity and originality
- Relevance and potential impact for other students
- A clear, easy-to-understand idea
Your idea and message matter more than how polished your entry looks.
Get Creative
Use your own ideas, creativity and voice to make sun safety relevant to other students.
Your entry should be based on one or more of these SunSmart messages:
- When the UV Index is 3 or above, use sun protection
- Slip on covering clothing
- Slop on SPF50 or SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen
- Slap on a broad-brimmed hat
- Seek shade
- Slide on sunglasses
Think about how you could turn these messages into something your friends would stop, think about and remember. Humour, storytelling, characters and unexpected ideas are all welcome.
Every entry should include a title. Choose one that captures your idea and helps bring your SunSmart message to life. Check out our SunSmart Key Messages to help you get started.
At a minimum, your entry should
- Explain that sun protection matters when the UV Index is 3 or above.
- Reference all five forms of sun protection: Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.
- Treat sun protection as a regular, everyday habit, not just something for hot or sunny days.
Example: “When the UV is 3 or above, remember to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.”
Submit your entry
Once you’ve completed your entry, a parent or guardian will need to submit it on your behalf via the online entry form before 08 November 2026.
If you complete your entry using one of our templates, you’ll find a QR code that you can take home with your finished work. Your parent or guardian can scan the QR code to access the online entry form and submit your entry.
Each entry format has its own file type and size requirements, so check the format-specific instructions before getting started.
If your parent or guardian has trouble submitting your entry, they can contact Cancer Council NSW at [email protected] for support.
Prizes to be won
There is a total prize pool valued at $10,000, shared across the Primary School and Secondary School competition streams.
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded separately in each stream. For first and second place, the main prize will be awarded to the school of the winning student, with an additional prize awarded directly to the student.
Prizes for each competition stream:
- 1st place: $3,000 gift voucher for the winning student’s school + $250 gift card for the winning student
- 2nd place: $1,500 gift voucher for the winning student’s school + $150 gift card for the winning student
- 3rd place: $100 gift card for the winning student
(All prizes are subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the relevant gift card or voucher provider.)
School prizes
- Winning schools will receive their prize in the form of a gift voucher. Schools will be able to choose their preferred voucher from the following retailers; Hart Sports, QBD Books, Scholastic.
Student prizes
- Winning students will receive a Woolworths & BIG W Essentials Gift Card for the value of their individual prize. The Essentials Gift Card can be used online or at more than 1,000 Woolworths supermarkets and has no expiry date. It does not allow purchase of alcohol, tobacco, lottery products or other gift cards.