1. Eligibility
1.1 Age Requirement Participants must be at least 16 years old at the time of entry.
1.2 Residency Open to residents of the UK, EU, and USA only. Additional regions may be added at Rakuten or CANVVS’s discretion.
1.3 Eligible Creators Applicants must work within sneaker customization, sneaker art, or design-adjacent fields (e.g., street art, illustration, graphic design, tattooing) where skills are transferable to sneakers.
1.4 Original Work Entries must be the entrant’s own original creation. AI-generated, plagiarized, or copied designs are not permitted.
2. Application & Submission
2.1 How to Apply Creators must apply via the artofthegame.co website by completing the application form and portfolio upload.
2.2 Deadlines Applications must be submitted by the 30th October deadline.
2.3 Withdrawal Applicants may withdraw by written notice to support@canvvs.com before the application deadline.
2.4 Guidelines Compliance Participants must follow all guidelines and instructions provided by the organizers.
3. Selection & Judging
3.1 Initial Screening A Design Committee will review all eligible applications for minimum quality standards.
3.2 Top 100 Selection The Top 100 Shortlists are determined solely by the scores assigned by the Design Committee and must be a registered member of Rakuten Rewards at the time of selection. Participants who are not Rakuten Rewards members will not be eligible to advance to the Top 100, regardless of their Design Committee score.
To become a member, participants can register for free at https://www.rakuten.com/partners/canvvs. Membership must be active and verifiable before shortlists are announced.
3.3 Package Distribution The Top 100 receive a Rakuten x CANVVS Package containing Curry 1 Low Flotro White sneakers, pen and sealant. Only these sneakers may be used – no swaps or replacements.
3.4 Shortlisting & Final Judging Returned customized sneakers are scored and shortlisted down to the Top 6 Finalists, which will be deliberated at the Finale, and determine the overall winner by majority vote. All judging decisions are final.
3.5 Finale Attendance Top 6 finalists’ travel and reasonable accommodation will be covered. Remote participation is possible if travel is not feasible. Finalists must sign NDAs regarding Finale details.
4. Shipping & Returns
4.1 Outbound Shipments Packages are shipped via DHL (UK/EU from CANVVS UK facility; US from Rakuten US facility).
4.2 Returns Completed sneakers must be returned by the 19th November deadline using the pre-paid label. Failure may result in disqualification and liability for replacement costs.
5. Platform Participation
5.1 Creator Page By signing up, entrants agree to have a creator page on the CANVVS Platform.
5.2 Approval for Sale If approved by CANVVS and Rakuten, entrants’ sneakers will be listed for sale as part of the Top 100 Originals or future drops.
5.3 Revenue Share Creators will receive an agreed revenue share on sales or pre-orders.
5.4 Ongoing Opportunities CANVVS may invite creators to feature additional works or collaborations on the Platform beyond this competition.
6. Intellectual Property & Commercial Rights
6.1 Ownership Artists retain ownership of their original artwork and designs submitted.
6.2 Prohibited: You may NOT use copyrighted characters (e.g., Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man), trademarked logos (e.g., the NFL shield, the Coca-Cola logo), or other protected IP in your designs without explicit, written permission from the rights holder. Simply creating the art yourself does not grant you the right to sell someone else’s IP. Permitted: You CAN create designs based on general themes, concepts, or artistic styles. For example:
DO NOT – A shoe with the official Star Wars™ logo and a photorealistic painting of Darth Vader.
DO: A shoe with a “galaxy” or “space battle” theme, using your own original spaceship designs and cosmic art style.
DO NOT: A shoe featuring the official logos of the Golden State Warriors.
DO: A shoe inspired by the team’s colours with abstract patterns or an original design that evokes the spirit of the city.
Your Originality is Your Strength: We encourage you to develop and showcase your unique artistic style. Your custom work should be a transformation, not a reproduction. We celebrate 1-of-1 creations and limited drops (under 20 units) to maintain the exclusivity and artistic value of the work on CANVVS.
6.3 License By submitting, artists grant CANVVS, Rakuten, SC30, and partners a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use submitted images, videos, and content for:
6.4 Winner’s Design Production The winning sneaker becomes jointly licensed for production by CANVVS and Rakuten under the campaign. The winner receives 20% royalties on sales and a $10,000 design fee. CANVVS and the winning creator retain exclusive rights to reproduce and sell through CANVVS and Rakuten storefronts.
6.5 Attribution Creators will be credited wherever reasonably possible.
7. Content Usage & Conduct
7.1 Promotional Obligations Entrants agree to:
7.2 General Rules of Conduct
7.3 Behind-the-Scenes & Finale Content All footage captured during judging, studio shoots, and finalist calls is owned by CANVVS, with usage rights granted to Rakuten, UA, and judges for promotional purposes. Artists must sign consent forms permitting use of their likeness.
8. Prizes
8.1 Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
9. Legal Protections
9.1 Compliance All content use will comply with intellectual property law to protect and credit artists’ work.
10. Suspension, Liability & Indemnity
10.1 Organiser Rights CANVVS and Rakuten may disqualify entrants for rule violations or misconduct.
10.2 Liability Limitation Organisers are not responsible for technical issues, lost shipments, or events beyond their control.
10.3 Indemnity Entrants indemnify organisers against claims arising from rule breaches.
11. Governing Law
These terms are governed by English law, with UK courts having jurisdiction unless local laws require otherwise for US entrants.
Four-time NBA Champion, Two-time NBA MVP
Stephen Curry is an American professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. Playing as a point guard for the Golden State Warriors, Curry revolutionized the game with his deep three-point shooting, quick release, and ability to stretch defenses far beyond the arc.
A two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016) – including the league’s first-ever unanimous MVP – Curry has led the Warriors to four NBA championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022). He is a 10-time NBA All-Star and the league’s all-time leader in career three-pointers made.
Off the court, Curry is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and cultural icon. Through his Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, co-founded with his wife Ayesha, he supports education, nutrition, and physical activity for underserved children. He has also become a prominent figure in sports media, business ventures, and charitable initiatives, embodying leadership, humility, and innovation.
Custom Sneaker Artist and Designer
Daniel Gamache better known as “Mache” has become seen as pioneer in the custom sneaker world. With over 20 years of experience Mache has amassed a client list and a reputation that has become the prime example of what can be done through custom sneakers. Mache has worked with major brands such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, Nike, adidas, WWE, NFL, MLB, NBA, new balance, and under armour to name a few. In 2020 Mache launched his own independent “Mache” sneaker brand where he has 4 original sneaker silhouettes including a model made for golf. Mache has been showing us for awhile now what is possible through sneakers.
Sneaker Designer & TV Host of Fresh Pair
Katty Customs is a renowned celebrity shoe customizer and innovator who has taken the world of custom sneakers by storm. She is based in Torrance, California, where she runs her flagship store that offers custom shoe designs for clients. Katty is widely recognized for her unique and artistic approach to customizing shoes that have attracted a wide range of clients, including celebrities. Katty is not only a talented customizer but also an innovator who has partnered with a paint company to develop her exclusive paint line. Her paint line offers a wide range of colors and shades that enable her to create unique and personalized designs for her clients. In addition to her custom shoe designs, Katty is also the co-host of the popular show Fresh Pair, alongside Grammy award-winning Just Blaze. The show features the career life stories of celebrities that are told through a pair of custom sneakers. Fresh Pair has gained a massive following, with the first season featuring a wide range of celebrity guests. Katty’s work has not gone unnoticed as she has partnered with mega companies and brands such as Microsoft Surface, Dunkaroos, Puma, Adidas, JD Sports/Finish Line, Overtime Paint Wars, MTV Wild n Out Sneaker Wars, and many more. Her custom designs have been featured globally, cementing her position as one of the leading celebrity shoe customizers in the world.
Overall, Katty Customs is a force to be reckoned with in the world of custom sneakers, and her unique approach to design and customization has set her apart from her peers. With her flagship store and her exclusive paint line, Katty continues to take the custom shoe industry by storm, and her work is in high demand globally.
Multi-Platinum Hip Hop Artist - Black Eyed Peas
Jaime Luis Gomez, better known by his stage name Taboo, is a Mexican-American and Native American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor and DJ, best known as a member of the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas. In addition to being a multi-platinum American hip hop artist as well as a devoted husband and loving father to three sons and a daughter.