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Deakin Life Student news and insights

1 August 2025

Express yourself and inspire others – here’s your chance to join the Mind Matters Student Art Exhibition!

How have you been enjoying Mind Matters Week? At Deakin, we take your mental health and wellbeing seriously and put it at the centre of all we do.

Mental health exists on a broad spectrum, encompassing both challenges and strengths.  While mental illness can significantly impact a person’s cognitive, emotional and social functioning, mental health is also about helping you to feel your best, managing stress and engaging meaningfully with your community, whatever your personal circumstances.

With research showing that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from low moods, stress and depression, dedicating some regular time to activities you enjoy can really help to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

That’s why we make creativity a main feature of Mind Matters. Did you have the chance to check out our incredible student art exhibition on campus during Mind Matters Week? If not, remember you can still view the artworks at any time via our digital gallery.

You can submit your own artwork for our next exhibition!

We’re now calling for submissions for our 2026 student art exhibition. We’d love to showcase your work, whether your piece is inspired by:

Art can be a powerful tool to process emotions, share joy or pain, or simply connect with others through creativity. Don’t be intimidated if you don’t paint or draw – we know that creativity comes in many forms. It might be a digital piece you’ve created, a poem you’ve written, a photo you’ve taken or even a performance – we’re interested in any piece that inspires you to think about mental health and wellbeing, or brings comfort or hope.

It might take you a few weeks to complete an artwork that’s deeply personal, or two minutes to snap a scene that speaks to you without you even knowing why – we want it all!

When maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing, it is important that you build a stockpile of constructive coping strategies. ‘Imprinted Growth’ illustrates my evolving tapestry of these mechanisms, and how it is drawn upon every day.
– Meg Daniels, Bachelor of Education (Primary)

How to submit your artwork

Ready to share your creativity? It’s easy:

  1. Take a photo or video of your artwork.

  2. Head to the Mind Matters Student Art Exhibition webpage.

  3. Complete the entry form and upload your piece.
    (You’ll also find the terms and conditions, selection criteria, and artwork specs there.)

Remember support is always available ❤️‍🩹

No matter where you’re at, please remember you’re never alone. Please reach out for help if you need support or would like to talk to someone. You can access a range of services, both here at Deakin and in the community.

Banner image credits (left to right)
Ajali by Kratik Soni, Mental Turmoil by Vineet Suresh, Deep Impact by Chris Tomkins

Body image credits (left to right)
Flood by Chris Tomkins, Untitled by Natasha Anderson, Circa-20 by Uyen Truong, Captivity by Cazz Clarke, Absorbed by Jessica Wiseman
Imprinted Growth by Meg Daniels



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