CH4rt Competition

CH4rt Competition

Ready to use your art for climate action?

Environmental Defense Fund Europe invites EU citizens aged 18-30 to enter the CH₄rt Competition and create bold, original work that makes methane visible, and impossible to ignore.

Part of the Time For CH₄nge campaign

How to Enter

Start here

Artist Information Pack

The full brief, timeline, eligibility, judging criteria and submission spec in one download. Everything you need before you enter.

Download Info Pack

Upload a clear photograph or copy of your art piece as a JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or EPS file (max 20MB) by the closing date. Artworks can be drawn or painted with a range of materials including collage, photo montage, illustration, or designed on a computer.

By entering the competition, you agree to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

How Will It Be Judged?

We're looking for artistic quality, a strong response to the brief, originality and impact, and a positive message.

Our expert panel scores every entry against the four formal criteria below. Pre-shortlisted entries go to the full Jury, who convene to agree on the shortlist, finalists, overall winner, and runners-up. Winning and shortlisted artworks will be exhibited in Brussels, September 2026.

01

/04

Artistic Quality

Technical execution, craft, and visual impact

02

/04

Conceptual Strength

How effectively the work engages with the brief

03

/04

Communicative Power

Ability to reach and resonate with a non-specialist audience

04

/04

Originality

Freshness and distinctiveness of approach

Meet the Judges

Tips and inspiration from our judging panel.

Helen Spence-Jackson headshot

Helen Spence-Jackson

Executive Director Europe

Environmental Defense Fund Europe

Lena Schilling headshot

Lena Schilling

Member of the European Parliament

Ali-Maeve FitzGerald headshot

Ali-Maeve FitzGerald

Representative

European Youth Parliament

Nadieh Bremer headshot

Nadieh Bremer

Data Visualisation Artist

Visual Cinnamon

“My personal favourite avenue to explore when working on data art is thinking about metaphors, especially in colours, layout and shape… And if the data and medium allow, try to make it personal; make it relatable to the audience, make it about them, their connection to the data and the impact it might have on their lives. I'd love to see artworks where the creator has put a real effort into crafting the concept, the idea behind it all, not solely the execution. And finally, be bold!”

Bec Newman headshot

Bec Newman

Creative Director

TopMast

“The act of making something is itself a process of discovery, a way of deepening our understanding of the ideas we're exploring. So, as you approach your entry for the CH₄rt Competition, I suggest asking yourself first: what do I want to understand about methane's role in the climate crisis? Start from that place, and the work you create will likely help others find their own understanding too.”

Simon Clark headshot

Simon Clark

Science Communicator & YouTuber

“I know from years of experience as a science communicator that the facts are not enough on their own. To convince a viewer of the need for action on climate change, you need to tell them a story. Through your chosen medium you must reach out your hand and connect with them as a human being. In this competition I will be looking for pieces that do this. I'll be drawn to bold use of colour and form, but fundamentally I will be looking for pieces that make me feel the opportunity methane represents in climate mitigation.”

Watch the Trailer

Making the Invisible Visible

Art can inspire and motivate climate action.

Methane is one of the most powerful, yet invisible, drivers of climate change. We're on a mission to change that.

The CH₄rt Competition invites young European creatives to use your imagination, skills, and talent to bring methane into focus through bold, original and thought-provoking works of art. Whether you're an artist, designer, photographer, illustrator, or passionate climate communicator, this is your chance to make the invisible visible and impossible to ignore.

This is your chance to get your art in the places where climate decisions are being shaped, and make sure you're in the room where it happens.

Make methane visible in a whole new way

Orange pill with drifting yellow droplets

Challenge indifference and delay

Red four-point star

Spark public attention and political pressure

Purple vertical pillar

Help decision-makers understand why methane action cannot wait

Violet diamond-patterned lattice

Encourage or highlight positive action in your community

Green and cyan stepped form

Inspire others through creative activism

Orange and pink stacked stripe shape

Maybe this seems like a subject for scientists? Or people who know more than you?

Nope. We want creative types to bring their own vision to the subject. We only ask that you:

  • Be bold, imaginative and ambitious
  • Choose a medium that excites you, even if you haven't used it before. Now is the time for courage and optimism!
  • Don't get bogged down in technical details or scientific precision. This is a creative challenge, not a technical exam

Your work can be literal, symbolic, abstract or experimental. For example: an expressionist collage revealing what methane molecules might look like, an impressionist painting of methane as an animal or texture, a poster demanding action you might see on a climate march, or a photograph of what methane might look like as a person. There are no limits to what you can imagine, but we are looking for artworks that respond to the issue of man-made methane from oil and gas production, so please avoid making cows and waste the subject of your piece.

Prizes

Winning and shortlisted artworks will be displayed in a CH₄rt exhibition in Brussels, September 2026.

€1,000

Overall Winner

Cash prize + exhibition + publication

€1,000

MEP Prize

Selected by MEP Lena Schilling

€500

Runners-Up (x2)

Cash prize each + exhibition + publication

Key Dates

22 April 2026

Entries Open

14 June 2026

Entries Close

June 2026

Finalists Notified

September 2026

Winners Announced + Exhibition & Awards

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Make Your Mark?

Entries open 22 April 2026. Pick up your tools and join the CH₄rt community.