12 art competitions in 2026 – international awards, exhibitions and professional exposure

This selection is a quick way to figure out where to apply right now, without wasting time on a haphazard search. We’ve hand-picked competitions with different entry requirements: from single works to full-scale series, and from online formats to exhibitions and biennials.
The competitions are listed by deadline — from the nearest to the longer-term opportunities. This allows you to immediately plan your submission strategy and not miss out on real opportunities.
It is important to understand that a competition is not just about the prize. It is a gateway to the professional community, publications, exhibitions and visibility.

Bourse du 1er livre photo
A grant for the creation of a photobook as a fully-fledged artistic and publishing project. The programme supports not individual images, but a body of work that forms a coherent sequence and constitutes a self-contained statement. It includes collaboration with a French publisher and covers the entire process—from concept to print.
Prizes: €5,000 for production + publication of a photo book with a print run of 500 copies.
Suitable if the project can be structured as a book and you have a coherent concept for the publication.
‘Not suitable if you are not prepared to work with the publishing process’ — this is also an important criterion.
Deadline: 17 May 2026

Global Peace Photo Award
An international photography competition focusing on the theme of peace as a lived experience – in people, relationships and social processes. The competition assesses not only visual impact, but also the ability of the work to address complex themes through photography. Entries may consist of either individual images or series.
Prizes: up to €7,000 + international exhibitions and attendance at the awards ceremony in Vienna.
Suitable if you work in documentary, social or investigative photography.
Not suitable if your work lacks context or is based solely on aesthetics.
Deadline: 24 May 2026

Young Generation Art Award 2027
An international award for artists aged 35 and under, designed to facilitate entry into the professional contemporary art scene. It is not just the outcome that matters, but the process itself: the selection process, publications and exhibitions shape the artist’s future career path.
Prizes: €10,000 + exhibition + publication and professional visibility.
Suitable if you already have an established practice and are ready for a professional presentation.
Not suitable if you are over 35 or are at an early stage and are only just building your portfolio.
Deadline: 30 May 2026

Artes Mundi 12
One of the most prestigious contemporary art awards in Europe, to which artists are invited not through an open call but via nomination and professional recognition. Participation entails inclusion in an international biennial and an institutional art context.
Prizes: £40,000 + participation in the biennial and an exhibition in the UK.
Suitable if you are already working internationally and are established in the professional field.
Not suitable if you are looking for an open call with a self-submission process.
Deadline: 31 May 2026

Arte Laguna Prize 2026
One of the largest international contemporary art competitions, featuring an exhibition of finalists in Venice and direct access to the professional art world. Entries are judged by an international jury, and taking part offers the opportunity to showcase your work to curators, galleries and collectors.
Prizes: €10,000 + exhibition in Venice + professional opportunities and international visibility.
Suitable if you want to break into the European and international scene.
Not suitable if you are not ready for international submission and competition.
Deadline: 1 June 2026

COPIC Award 2026
An international illustration competition with a straightforward entry process, where visual expressiveness and technical skill are the primary criteria. This is one of the most accessible formats for entry: a single piece created using Copic markers is sufficient.
Prizes: up to $1,500, plus an exhibition of finalists’ work and international exposure.
Suitable if you work in illustration or graphic design and have a confident command of the technique.
Not suitable if the project requires a complex conceptual explanation or is not related to illustration.
Deadline: 30 June 2026

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026
One of the world’s best-known wildlife photography competitions, where humour becomes a way to tell stories about animals and the natural environment. Finalists receive international media exposure, publications, and opportunities to participate in exhibitions worldwide.
Prizes: the title of Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year, a Kenyan safari, Nikon photography equipment, ThinkTank prizes, and international media exposure.
Suitable if you photograph wildlife, animals, travel, or emotionally engaging documentary stories.
Not suitable if your work uses AI, excessive digital manipulation, or depicts animals in captivity.
Deadline: June 30, 2026

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2026
A major international contemporary art competition with strong media coverage and a focus on realistic and imaginative realism.
Prizes: total prize fund of $76,000 + publications + exhibitions and international exposure.
Suitable if you have a distinctive visual style and work in a realistic or imaginative manner.
Not suitable if your practice is not yet established or lacks visual expressiveness.
Deadline: 17 July 2026

International Digital Art Contest 2026
An international open call for artists working with digital art, animation, digital photography, and experimental moving image works. Selected projects will be presented simultaneously in a physical exhibition in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Spatial virtual gallery.
Prizes: Grand Prix, special jury awards, a digital catalogue, participant certificates, and two international exhibitions.
Suitable if you create artworks directly within a digital environment and work with contemporary digital media.
Not suitable if your work is primarily generated using AI or belongs to commercial design and advertising.
Deadline: August 1, 2026

British Art Prize 2026
An international competition featuring an online selection process and an exhibition in London, offering a clear pathway from submission to publication and public display. The format combines digital submission with a physical exhibition.
Prizes: £10,000 prize fund + exhibition + publication and professional visibility.
Suitable if you are ready to have your work publicly displayed and enter the exhibition circuit.
Not suitable if you are not prepared to handle the logistics, dispatch and return of your work.
Deadline: 7 August 2026

Eurostars Grand Marina Photography Award
An international photography competition in Barcelona dedicated to architecture, urban environments, and visual explorations of space. Participants are invited to create an original photographic triptych focused on contemporary architecture and urban identity.
Prizes: €5,000, the competition trophy, finalist exhibition opportunities, and accommodation within the Eurostars hotel network.
Suitable if you work with architectural photography, urban landscapes, visual storytelling, and photographic series.
Not suitable if your project includes AI-generated content or consists of a single image without a series concept.
Deadline: October 20, 2026

Larnaca Biennale 2027
An international contemporary art biennale in Cyprus inviting artists to explore the theme “Metatopias: Geography in Motion” through projects addressing memory, migration, identity, climate change, and space.
Prizes: 13 international awards and honorary titles, including the Biennale Grand Prize and the WAVA “Artist of the World” and “Artist of the Mediterranean” awards.
Suitable if your artistic practice engages with social, cultural, environmental, or political transformations in the contemporary world.
Not suitable if you are not prepared for an international competition process and the required registration fee.
Deadline: March 31, 2027.

We hope you’ve already found the competitions that are right for you and aren’t wasting time on random applications. If not, save this list and come back to it later.
Also, take a look at our article on 12 art residencies – this is a different kind of opportunity where the process, the environment and the development of your practice are what matter most.