The Peer Art Calendar is a new annual fundraising initiative designed to highlight the creativity and perspectives of peers with lived experience in mental health. Each year, we will showcase original artwork submitted by peers across the state, creating a full-sized wall calendar that celebrates artistic expression, community and empowerment.

Calendars will go on sale November 2025. They will make the perfect gift for the Holiday season and a beautiful addition to any office, home, or public space! Keep updated on submission deadlines and when the calendars go on sale on our website and social media channels.

We are excited to announce that this year’s calendar will feature six peer centers across the state, with one calendar month reserved for each.

If you are a member of one of the six peer centers and would like your artwork considered for your center’s featured month, you’ll have the option to identify your center when submitting your artwork. Please indicate which Peer Center in your application.

All submissions – including those representing a peer center – will be considered for the full calendar. If your artwork is selected for your peer center’s feature month, it will still be considered for inclusion in another available month.

Peer Center representation will be noted in the final calendar.

  • Artwork must be created by individuals (minimum age of 18) who identify as peers in mental health in Maine
  • If you are a member of one of the size recognized peer centers, you’ll have the opportunity to represent your center by selecting it on the submission form
    • Artwork will be considered for the separate selection pool for peer center’s designated months AND in the general artist pool of applicants for other calendar months
  • Artwork is accepted by digital and physical submission
    • Digital submission is recommended
    • If submitting by physical submission, a submission form is still required
      • If submitting a physical submission (i.e. a sculpture), please still include a photo of the art in the submission. If selected we will work with you to get a high quality image for the calendar.
  • All artwork must be original, human-made, and without AI assistance
    • If AI elements are detected, submission will not be considered
  • Artwork mediums accepted: paintings, digital art, illustrations, and others*
    • *for any questions regarding accepted mediums of artwork, please email at [email protected]
  • Photography itself as an art form is not accepted (photographing a physical artwork for submission is required)
  • Size and Resolution Requirements
    • When submitting photos of your art via submission form online, make sure the image is clear and shows the whole art piece you wish to submit for the calendar
      • Artwork will be printed in size 8.5″ x 11″
      • File types accepted are JPG and PNG
      • Minimum DPI is 300
  • Each submission must include an artist statement on their piece and how it resonates with the theme, “Using Your Voice”
  • Entry does not guarantee selection for the calendar. A panel of artists and volunteers will be selecting the entries that will be showcased in the calendar. Each artist submission will receive notification on October 1st if their artwork was selected or not.
  • There will be 13 total final selections made (one for each month and one for the cover). There will be 6 selections from Peer Center members and 7 selected from peers in the community.
  • Calendars will go on sale on the CCSM website starting November 1st through January 30th.
  • Only ONE submission per artist will be considered.
  • By submitting your artwork you agree to grant CCSM permission to reproduce and use your artwork for the 2026 Peer Artwork Calendar and related promotional materials.
  • The artwork selection committee will consist of CCSM staff, peer volunteers and peer artists.
    • If you are interested in being on the selection committee please reach out via email.
    • If you are on the selection committee you are ineligible to submit artwork.
  • The artists whose artwork is selected by the committee for the 2026 calendar will be contacted via email on October 1st, 2025.

For all questions please email [email protected]

Logo for the Consumer Council System of Maine

The Consumer Council System of Maine (CCSM) is an independent public instrumentality and provides a nonpartisan or nonbiased perspective on any topic we speak on. Our goal is to represent the voice of people with lived experience with mental health challenges in public policy and legislative matters.

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