YOUR DESIGN
COULD CHAMPION MENTAL HEALTH NATIONWIDE
This campaign was born from a deep, personal place - a genuine desire to get people talking more openly about mental health. I’ve seen the power of simple, honest conversations to break through shame and silence. And I believe, with all my heart, that if we can normalise talking about mental health, we can help people reach out for support earlier and feel less alone.
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I wanted to create something that feels warm, welcoming and real - something that brings people together, no matter their background or experience. A space that is inclusive, accessible, creative and, most of all, human. Because the truth is, we all have mental health. And we should all feel able to talk about it.
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This isn’t just a poster competition. It’s a chance to connect, to be part of something meaningful, and to spark change - in our workplaces, in our communities, in our country. When we lift the lid on these conversations, we create room for empathy, understanding and hope. And that’s where real change begins.
A note from Barbara Brennan on this campaign
We’re looking for a new national poster design for
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
2025
2024 Winning Designs
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Nua Healthcare Services
Our Headline Sponsor
for this exciting campaign:
Presenting Sponsors:
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Our judges:
Brought to you by:
Submissions welcomed under the following categories:
*Individuals or groups can apply (Anybody, of any age, from anywhere in Ireland, of any background).
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Workplaces (if you work, whether you are applying under your workplace or as yourself)
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Universities (If you are of university going age, whether you attend or not)
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Schools (If you are of school going age, whether you attend or not)
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Disability (If you have a disability and would like to apply as an individual or with a group)
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Community (If you have a passion to support your community, OR if you don’t identify with any of the above you can apply under this category. Community also offers a space for underrepresented voices, including Neurodiverse Networks, LGBT+, Black & Ethnic Minority, Traveller & Roma communities, and more)
Submissions open May 1st
Closing Date: June 27th 2025
Why to get involved
Mental health affects us all. It intersects with every aspect of our lives, regardless of where we're from, who we love, what we look like, our age, or whether we work or not. Just like IKEA’s slogan “all life is here,” mental health is a universal part of being human, and we all have the potential to struggle at some point.
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This is why we need to take action. We all need to be the change we want to see in the world.
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As a suicide survivor, I know firsthand that no one should have to reach a crisis point before they receive the help they need. Becoming an accidental activist, I realised the importance of starting this conversation and getting people from all walks of life to join in.
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Raising awareness about the support available is crucial. Mental health is a vital part of our overall well-being, yet it often doesn't receive the attention it deserves. By participating in the National Poster Competition for World Mental Health Day 2025, you can play a vital role in changing that.
Here’s why mental health awareness matters:
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Breaking the Stigma: Open conversations about mental health help reduce the stigma and discrimination many people face. Sharing experiences and supporting one another fosters a more inclusive and understanding society.
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Promoting Early Intervention: Awareness encourages people to seek help early, leading to better outcomes. Early intervention can prevent mental health issues from becoming more severe and difficult to manage.
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Educating People: Raising awareness educates individuals about the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and the importance of seeking help. Knowledge empowers people to take action for themselves and others.
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Supporting Each Other: Understanding mental health enables us to better support our friends, family, and colleagues, creating a stronger, more compassionate community.
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Join us in this important cause by submitting your poster design.
Your artwork can amplify public voices, spark vital conversations, and create a lasting impact.
What will you win
​The top winning designs from each category will be celebrated as national resources in poster form, available to the Irish public, communities, and workplaces across Ireland for World Mental Health Day.
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An Post will be making the winning designs into postcards and distributing them nationally
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The winning designs will be celebrated at a national launch event in September 2025, where you will have the opportunity to share your inspiration for your design with a wide audience.
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In addition your design will gain recognition from Mental Health Reform and numerous mental health charities.
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Prizes will also be given at the launch event for the top 5 winning designs, to the value of €250.
This is your chance to make a significant difference and inspire positive change in mental health awareness nationwide.
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Terms and Conditions
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Entrants must be resident in the Republic of Ireland.
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Submissions can be made by posting the hard copy, or submitting good quality photos of the finished piece (details below on where to submit).
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Paintings must be created in physical media (no digital "paintings")
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Acceptable media would include oil, watercolour, pastel, acrylic, pencil, pen, etc. Note – this explicitly states, “No Photography”. Experimental and mixed techniques are also acceptable, as long as 75% of the work uses some sort of paint, pen or pencil.
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Art Calls are open to all Amateur and Professional artists.
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Your art must be your own original concept and not a copy of anyone else’s copyrighted material.
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You may only submit your own artwork that you, personally created.
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The judges have the sole right to refuse submissions based on quality of the image, failure to meet competition requirements, poor quality, inappropriateness of content, and/or concerns regarding copyright infringement in the original work.
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The graphic designer for the national Mental Health Matters (Barbara Brennan) poster campaign may colour correct your images in order to enhance the overall presentation.
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Mental Health Matters (Barbara Brennan) may crop your images for formatting purposes for use in their slideshow presentations, other off-site slideshows, YouTube presentations, other presentations and for other areas of the website or social media platforms if your images are chosen.
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The judge’s decision is final.
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The winners’ prizes are given at the discretion of the judges.
Accepted Mediums for Artwork
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Media Paintings must be created in physical media (no digital "paintings"or poster designs are accepted).
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Acceptable media would include oil, watercolour, pastel, acrylic, pencil, pen, etc. Note – this explicitly states, “No Photography”. Experimental and mixed techniques are also acceptable, as long as 75% of the work uses some sort of paint, pen or pencil.
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Artwork completed no more than 1 year ago
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Artwork must be your own original design.
How to get involved:
Email your submissions to:
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info@mentalhealthmatters.ie​​
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OR
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Post your hard copy submissions to:
Mental Health Poster Competition
PO Box 13751
Freepost FDN7701
Dublin 1
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All entries must include:​
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Your name,
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Age
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Address
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Eircode
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Phone number
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Email Address
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The category you are entering under
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Information about the medium used​
*If you'd like to include details about your design, we'd love to hear your 'why'.