[BC]² Artwork competition

The theme of the competition is "Visions of the future in bioinformatics: imagine your work in 2043". Participants are encouraged to think creatively about the potential of their research area and communicate this through art.

Artworks can be created using any technique or media (or using a wide range of creative expressions), from paintings and sculptures to skits, digital art, data visualizations and interactive installations. However, please note that for display in the virtual exhibition, we require high-resolution images of the artwork.

The competition is open to scientists from all backgrounds who are actively engaged in the field of bioinformatics and computational biology and are registered to attend [BC]². Participants can enter as individuals or as teams. Individual participants may submit one artwork, while teams have the option to present both individually and as a group.

Submit your artwork by 18 August 2023 using this link. Please provide all the required information, including your contact details and a brief description of your artwork. If necessary, you can upload several high-quality photos of the work via the submission form. The digital copy will be used for online exhibition and promotional purposes.

Print or bring your submitted artwork to the conference on Tuesday 12 September at 09:30 at the latest, for the exhibition. If your artwork is not printable, please contact the conference organizers.

The winner/winning team of the competition will receive a cash prize of 500 CHF.

The winning artwork will be announced during the [BC]² Basel Computational Biology Conference. All applicants are requested to participate in the closing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday 13 September 2023. The prize will be given in person to the winner of the competition.

The submitted artworks will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Originality: the demonstration of unique and innovative ideas, concepts, or approaches.
• Artistic merit: the ability to effectively convey a message or evoke emotions.
• Technique: the skills and proficiency demonstrated in the execution of the artwork. This includes the mastery of artistic techniques, use of materials, and/or the overall technical excellence.
• Scientific relevance: the extent to which the artwork relates to the field of bioinformatics and effectively represents the bioinformatics of tomorrow. This includes the exploration of scientific concepts, societal implications, and/or the ability to raise relevant problems or questions through artistic means.

The judging panel will assess all submitted artworks based on these criteria to determine the winners of the competition. Their first assessment will be done based on the pictures submitted online and confirmed once at the conference with the artworks brought at the exhibition.

• Submissions open: 15 June 2023
• Deadline: Friday 18 Thursday 31 August 2023 at 17:00
• Winner announcement: Wednesday 13 September during the closing lecture

By submitting your artwork to this competition, you acknowledge and agree that SIB and Roche (the sponsor of this competition) may exhibit your artwork on their communication channels and in the physical exhibition at the conference. Proper recognition will be given to the artist(s).

More information on the Terms and Conditions (LINK TO PDF DOC).