Toronto Through our Eyes ends 17 October 2025

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Deadline: 5 November 2023. Toronto Through Our Eyes is a citywide photography contest that celebrates Toronto’s capacity for belonging, beauty, hope, and unity. Presented by SeeingHappy and the Canadian Positive Psychology Association (CPPA), Canada’s national organization dedicated to advancing the science and practice of positive psychology, the contest invites residents, visitors, and anyone who has spent time in the city to share photographs that highlight its spirit of kindness, beauty, resilience, and connection. Whether it is a mural bursting with color, a moment of compassion between neighbors, or a joyful cultural gathering, submissions will help create a living archive of optimism.

Selected photographs will be honored with prizes and featured at a Community Exhibition in partnership with The Bentway on November 18, 2025. There is also the potential for pop-up exhibitions across Toronto that will extend the reach, inviting communities to pause and reflect on the moments that make their city shine. By reframing everyday experiences through photography, the contest fosters civic pride, sparks dialogue, and contributes to mental well-being.

This initiative is deeply connected to SeeingHappy’s mission. As a global nonprofit, SeeingHappy has collected over 10,000 photos and reflections of happiness from around the world, creating a powerful archive of how beauty, hope, and joy are present in daily life. SeeingHappy uses photography to promote positivity, mindfulness, and human connection, helping people notice beauty and create shared narratives of hope. Importantly, photographers retain full rights to their images, and submissions are only used by SeeingHappy to further its charitable mission. Through Toronto Through Our Eyes, SeeingHappy and CPPA bring this mission to life in one of the world’s most diverse cities, reminding us that flourishing begins with noticing the good around us.

Prizes:

1st Place: $200 Amazon Gift Card + feature in CPPA and SeeingHappy newsletters, social media, and PR campaigns. Winner may also receive a free membership to CPPA.

2nd Place (two winners): $100 Amazon Gift Card each + feature in CPPA and SeeingHappy newsletters.

Exhibitions: Selected photographs to be featured in potential pop-up community exhibitions across Toronto, with a major community exhibition in partnership with The Bentway. Prizes will be presented at the Winners’ Award Ceremony at The Bentway on 18 November 2025.

Photo Contest Website: https://seeinghappy.org/collections/toronto-through-our-eyes/