Art competitions with no application fee

All open calls here: 128

1. 15 Dec 2026

   Budva Coastal Zone Urban & Architectural Concept Competition (Montenegro) — €42,000 First Prize, Free Entry

   Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property of MontenegroBudva, Montenegro

   CompetitionFree to apply€42k / €27k / €16k + 2 × €7k

2. 18 Dec 2026

   Fondazione Carifol Call for Art Under 35, Foligno — €7,000 Commission for Umbrian Artists

   Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di FolignoFoligno, Umbria, Italy

   CompetitionFree to apply€7,000 gross

3. 20 Dec 2026

   Concours International de Photo Nature 2027 (Réserve des Marais de Séné) — Free, €500 Prizes + Exhibition

   Réserve Naturelle des Marais de SénéSéné, Brittany, France

   CompetitionFree to apply€500 / €350 / €250 + exhibition

4. 22 Dec 2026

   NewImages Festival 2027 Virtual Worlds Competition — Free Entry, €3,000 Award (Paris)

   NewImagesParis, France

   CompetitionFree to apply€3,000 Virtual Worlds Award

5. 31 Dec 2026

   Muntra Musikanter 150 Years — Male Choir Composition Competition (€30,000 Prize Pool)

   Muntra MusikanterHelsinki, Finland

   CompetitionFree to apply€30,000 prize pool + premiere

6. 31 Dec 2026

   Zaunergroup Art Award 2027 — Painting and Graphic Art, Austria

   ZaunergroupBad Schallerbach, Upper Austria

   CompetitionFree to apply€20,000 + selling exhibition

7. 31 Dec 2026

   DOK.fest München 2027 — Call for Documentary Films (42nd Edition)

   DOK.fest MünchenMunich, Germany

   CompetitionFree to applyVIKTORIA awards €5,000–10,000

8. 31 Dec 2026

   Animayo Gran Canaria 2027 International Poster Competition — €500 to Design the Official Image of the 22nd Edition (Free, No Generative AI)

   AnimayoLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain (online entry)

   CompetitionFree to apply€500 gross; optional €250 runner-up

9. 31 Dec 2026

   Anifilm 2027 — Free Call for Animated Films, VR and Video Games, Oscar-Qualifying Festival in Liberec

   AnifilmLiberec, Czech Republic

   CompetitionFree to applyCash prizes (amounts on separate page)

10. 31 Dec 2026

    Kunstpreis des Landkreises Haßberge 2027 "Wurzeln und Weite" — €2,000 + Special & Audience Prizes

    Landkreis HaßbergeHaßfurt, Bavaria, Germany

    CompetitionFree to apply€2,000 + €500 special + €500 audience

11. 31 Dec 2026

    Preziosa Young 2027 — Free International Contest and Touring Exhibition for Jewellery Artists Under 35 (Florence)

    Le Arti OrafeFlorence, Italy (exhibition in spring 2027, then touring)

    CompetitionFree to applyTouring exhibition, catalogue, residency and fair prizes

12. 31 Dec 2026

    Africa in Frame Photo Awards 2026 — Sony Camera Prizes in Three Categories for Photographers Across Africa (Free)

    Sony Middle East and AfricaAfrica (online)

    CompetitionFree to applySony α7R VI + FE 24-70mm GM II per category

13. 1 Jan 2027

    Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition 2027 — A Contemporary Look at Architecture

    Luis Ferreira Alves Photography AwardPorto, Portugal (online submission)

    CompetitionFree to apply1st €10,000; 2nd €4,000; 3rd €1,500 voucher

14. 4 Jan 2027

    Video Mapping Awards 2027 — Screening to Jury and Public at Video Mapping Festival Lille

    Rencontres AudiovisuellesLille, France

    CompetitionFree to apply

15. 5 Jan 2027

    Sony World Photography Awards 2027 — Single Image and Youth

    World Photography OrganisationInternational (London exhibition and touring shows)

    CompetitionFree to applySingle Image: $5,000 + Sony equipment; Series: $25,000

16. 8 Jan 2027

    XIII Concurso de Artes Plásticas Dcoop 2027 — €11,000 in Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking Prizes (Free Entry, Spain Residents)

    DcoopAntequera (Málaga), Spain

    CompetitionFree to apply€3,500 painting, €3,500 sculpture, €4,000 printmaking

17. 10 Jan 2027

    Animayo Gran Canaria 2027 Official Competition — Free Call for Animated Shorts, VFX, Music Videos and Game Cinematics (€3,000 Grand Jury Prize, Oscar- and Annie-Qualifying)

    AnimayoLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    CompetitionFree to applyGran Premio del Jurado €3,000 gross

18. 11 Jan 2027

    2027 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize "Conversations about end of life" — $30,000 Prize Pool, Free Entry

    Palliative Care AustraliaAustralia

    CompetitionFree to apply$30,000 prize pool across categories

19. 11 Jan 2027

    Premio Marca Corona 2026–2027 "Segni Comuni" — Under-35 Ceramic Art & Design Award, €1,500 + Residency

    Marca CoronaSassuolo / Bologna, Italy

    CompetitionFree to apply€1,500 + residency + production

20. 12 Jan 2027

    ANIMATOR 2027 Call for Films — 20th International Animated Film Festival, Poznań: Four Free Competitions incl. Oscar-Qualifying Golden Pegasus (€11,000)

    ANIMATOR International Animated Film FestivalPoznań, Poland

    CompetitionFree to applyGrand Prix €11,000 gross; best feature €8,000

21. 12 Jan 2027

    Sony World Photography Awards 2027 — Series (Professional)

    World Photography OrganisationLondon, United Kingdom (exhibition) / online submission

    CompetitionFree to apply$25,000 + solo exhibition + Sony equipment

22. 15 Jan 2027

    Roland Gräfe Foundation Art Prize 2027 — €7,500 for Painters of the Vogtland (Germany and Czech Republic)

    Roland Gräfe StiftungVogtland (Thuringia, Saxony, Bavaria and the Czech Vogtland); foundation seat in Radebeul, Germany

    CompetitionFree to apply€7,500 prize, catalogue and exhibition

23. 15 Jan 2027

    gamescom latam BIG Festival 2027 — Free Worldwide Indie Game Competition in São Paulo (90 Finalists, Award Categories, BIG Starter Showcase for Brazilian Games)

    gamescom latamSão Paulo, Brazil (gamescom latam, 22–25 April 2027)

    CompetitionFree to applyAward categories + kiosk at gamescom latam 2027

24. 18 Jan 2027

    Calabria Movie Creative Contest 2027 — Design the Official Poster of the 8th Calabria Movie Film Festival, Reimagining Medusa (€300 Prize, Free Entry)

    Calabria Movie Film FestivalCrotone, Calabria, Italy (applications online)

    CompetitionFree to apply€300 gross, festival accreditation, official 2027 poster

25. 18 Jan 2027

    73rd International Short Film Festival Oberhausen — Call for Entries 2027

    International Short Film Festival OberhausenOberhausen, Germany

    CompetitionFree to applyNearly €45,000 in prizes across five competitions

26. 20 Jan 2027

    LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 — Free, 14 Categories with £500 Vouchers and £2,500 Overall (Prizes for UK Residents)

    London Camera ExchangeOnline / ExCeL London

    CompetitionFree to apply£500 vouchers per category; +£2,500 vouchers overall

27. 25 Jan 2027

    Eurostars Madrid Tower — Photography Prize

    Eurostars Hotel CompanyMadrid, Spain (international)

    CompetitionFree to apply€5,000 first prize

28. 30 Jan 2027

    Orfeó Català International Choral Composition Competition (6th Edition) — Free, Premiere at the Palau de la Música Catalana

    Orfeó CatalàBarcelona, Spain

    CompetitionFree to apply

29. 31 Jan 2027

    Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize 2027 — $1,000 for a U.S. Poet's Poem Evoking Place (Free Entry)

    Zócalo Public SquareLos Angeles, USA (online)

    CompetitionFree to apply$1,000

30. 31 Jan 2027

    VI Dolors Alberola Poetry Prize — Free Worldwide Contest for a Poetry Collection in Any Language, Bilingual Publication

    Editorial DALYASpain (online)

    CompetitionFree to applyBilingual publication + royalties

31. 31 Jan 2027

    Hong Kong Photobook Dummy & Photozine Award 2027 — Up to HKD 20,000, Free Entry

    Hong Kong Photobook FestivalHong Kong (by post)

    CompetitionFree to applyUp to HKD 20,000 (dummy); HKD 3,000 (zine)

32. 1 Feb 2027

    The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2027 — USD 10,000 Public Art Commission for UAE-Based Students & Recent Graduates

    Abu Dhabi Music & Arts FoundationUAE

    CompetitionFree to applyUSD 10,000

33. 3 Feb 2027

    iF Design Student Award 2027 — €50,000 Prize Fund, Free Entry

    iF Design FoundationInternational (final jury in Berlin, ceremony in New York City)

    CompetitionFree to applyShare of a €50,000 prize fund

34. 3 Feb 2027

    Earth Photo 2027 — Free International Call for Photographers and Filmmakers on the Planet (£1,000 Award, RGS Exhibition)

    PhotoworksLondon, UK + touring

    CompetitionFree to apply£1,000 Earth Photo Award + category awards

35. 28 Feb 2027

    A' Computer Graphics and 3D Model Design Award

    A' Design Award & CompetitionOnline / Como, Italy

    CompetitionFree to apply

36. 28 Feb 2027

    Premio de Fotografía San Agustín 2027 “Espera” — €2,000 Photo Series Prize on Coffee Origins (Free Entry)

    Café San AgustínPanama (online)

    CompetitionFree to apply€2,000

37. 28 Feb 2027

    Eileen Lewenstein Prize for Critical Writing 2027 — £4,000 + Ceramic Review Publication + Paid BCB Commission

    Ceramic Art LondonLondon, UK

    CompetitionFree to apply£4,000 first prize

38. 1 Mar 2027

    Diessener Förderpreis junge Keramik 2027 — €2,500 International Award and Exhibition for Ceramists Aged 35 or Under

    Diessener TöpfermarktKulturzentrum Blaues Haus, Dießen am Ammersee, Bavaria, Germany

    CompetitionFree to apply€2,500 prize + exhibition

39. 3 Mar 2027

    Prix Ars Electronica u19 – create your world 2027

    Ars ElectronicaAustria

    CompetitionFree to applyGolden Nica €3,000; prizes over €6,500 in total

40. 12 Mar 2027

    14th International Senefelder Award 2028 for Artistic Lithography — Prizes and an Exhibition in Offenbach am Main

    Internationale Senefelder-StiftungOffenbach am Main, Germany

    CompetitionFree to apply€2,000 in prize money + exhibition