Arte Laguna Prize 2026 — international contemporary art competition with an exhibition in Venice and a €10,000 prize.
Every year, one of the world’s leading international contemporary art competitions offers artists from around the world the opportunity to exhibit their work in Venice — a city where the history of art has been shaped over centuries.
It is an opportunity to showcase their work to a wide professional audience — curators, galleries, collectors and representatives of the international art industry.
What the Competition Is About
Arte Laguna Prize is an international art award aimed at supporting contemporary artists and fostering international cultural exchange.
The competition is open to artists working in various fields of contemporary art, including: painting, sculpture and installation, artistic photography, video art, performance art, digital art, graphic art and illustration, environmental art, street art and art design.
Entries are judged by an international jury, which selects 120 finalists to participate in the exhibition in Venice.
The competition is open to artists from any country in the world.
Participants may submit up to five works created using various contemporary art techniques.
Finalists’ Exhibition
The competition finalists will present their works at the Arsenale Nord – the North Arsenale in Venice.
Today, this historic complex is one of the key venues for international art projects and large-scale exhibitions.
The Arsenale’s spaces include large-scale pavilions, each covering around 1,000 m², which allows for the creation of major exhibition projects and the presentation of artists’ works in an international context.
Prizes and Opportunities
The competition’s main prize is €10,000.
In addition to the cash prize, participants gain further professional opportunities:
participation in an international exhibition in Venice,
collaborations with art galleries,
participation in artist residencies,
special prizes from international partners,
publication of their work on the Arte Laguna World platform.
Special prizes may include exhibition projects, residencies and professional collaborations.
Art Residencies
The competition offers international residencies for artists, including:
Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Shanghai (China);
MoCA Residency, Venice (Italy);
BigCi Residency, Billings (Australia);
NY20+ Residency, Chengdu (China).
These residencies allow artists to work within an international artistic environment and develop new projects.
How to apply
To apply, applicants must register on the competition website and complete the online form.
Your application should include images of your work, details about the piece, a brief description and the artist’s details.
The registration fee is €97 for artists under 35 and €122 for artists over 35.
The deadline for applications is 1 June 2026.
The final exhibition will take place from 6 to 29 November 2026 in Venice.
