Forget pumpkin carving—it’s time to carve out your masterpiece in the lab! If petri dishes and pipettes are your tools of choice, then Microbiologics’ annual Creepy Cultures agar art contest is your time to shine (or glow, or crawl…).
Every October, we invite microbiologists everywhere to suit up in their lab coats and get creative by crafting Halloween-themed agar art. Whether you’re inspired by haunted labs, mutant microbes, or some ghostly agar specters, this competition is all about letting your imagination run wild—within the safety of your lab, of course.
If you’re new to this wickedly wonderful art form, agar art is created by using sterilized applicators to “paint” with live microorganisms on a “canvas” of nutrient-rich agar. Think of it as microbiology’s answer to painting, where each species of microbe adds a unique hue or texture to your eerie creation.
How to Participate
Whether you’re aiming for ghostly, ghastly, or just plain gory, we can’t wait to see your Creepy Cultures in action. Here’s how you can join the fun:
- Gather your PPE, inoculating loops, cell spreaders, and some agar plates.
- Choose your microbial “paint”—mix and match species to achieve the desired colors and effects.
- Start sketching! Use sterilized applicators to bring your spooky vision to life, one microbe at a time.
- Once your creation is done “brewing,” snap a photo, and upload it using the submission form linked below.
- Winning art is chosen via voting by Microbiologics employees.
Official Contest Rules
- Your art must be created using only live microorganisms cultured on agar media.
- Entries must be original and created specifically for the Creepy Cultures contest.
- Each person can submit up to two plates, so make them count.
- Prizes will be awarded per artist, not per submission.
- Entries must be received by 11:59 pm CST Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, to be eligible.
Winners will be announced Wednesday, November 6th, 2024, right here on the Microbiologics blog, so be on the lookout!
Click the button below to submit your creepiest creations if you dare!
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