PROMEMORIA — International Exhibition for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament in Geneva
Geneva — a city of international diplomacy and humanitarian law — will become the venue for a collective art exhibition in May 2026, dedicated to the themes of peace and nuclear disarmament. The project brings together artists working with memory, historical responsibility, and visual statements against war.
The initiative is organized by the non-profit association Colorier l’Avenir (Color the Future), founded in Geneva in 2025. The association operates at the intersection of art, peace education, and human rights, collaborating with ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) — Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2017 — and the cultural institution ICAM – L’Olivier.
The exhibition PROMEMORIA – War, What Should Never Be Done will take place from 6 to 30 May 2026 and marks the 80th anniversary of the first international initiatives on nuclear disarmament.
Participation Format
A selection of 35 works is planned for the physical exhibition in Geneva.
Works that align with the project’s values but cannot be included in the offline display due to space limitations will be presented in the online gallery and published on the project’s social media platforms.
This is not a competition with a monetary prize, but a curatorial selection for an international public exhibition in a symbolically significant context.
Eligible Techniques and Main Participation Conditions
Works are accepted in the fields of painting, drawing, collage, and mixed media.
Dimensions: from 30 × 30 cm to 80 × 80 cm.
Theme: peace, rejection of war, remembrance of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear disarmament, non-violence, hope.
Participation is free of charge, no entry fee is required, and no financial prize is provided; selection is based on alignment with the project’s values, artistic quality, and clarity of the artistic statement.
Who This Format Is For
This open call is intended for artists for whom art is a form of public expression, not merely an aesthetic practice. It is particularly suited to those working with themes of memory, peaceful coexistence, humanitarian responsibility, and social reflection.
What to Consider Before Applying
Participation is open to adult artists — both professional and emerging — from Switzerland and other countries. Children and teenagers may participate through educational partnerships in Geneva. Submitting an application implies full acceptance of the exhibition regulations.
The participant covers transportation and insurance costs for the artworks. Organizers take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the works but do not assume liability for loss or damage, except in cases of gross negligence.
Works may be offered for sale; proceeds are transferred to the artist minus a 30% venue commission.
Copyright remains with the artists; however, organizers retain the right to use images of the works for communication and promotion of the project, with mandatory credit to the author.
The deadline for submitting applications is 31 March 2026.
