Inner Landscapes: Enter a Free International Art Competition for Painters, Photographers & Digital Artists (2026)

Curatone.art is excited to announce "Inner Landscapes" — a new international online art competition open to visual artists worldwide. Whether you work in painting, photography, illustration, digital art, or mixed media, this is your chance to exhibit your work alongside artists from around the globe, get reviewed by a professional jury, and win a $100 cash prize.

Initial submission is completely free. Submit your artwork here →

What Is "Inner Landscapes"?

While our previous competition, Light & Shadow, explored the external world of contrast and illumination, Inner Landscapes turns the lens inward. We invite you to explore the geography of the soul — emotions, memories, dreams, and personal visions that form your internal world.

How do you visualize your thoughts? What do your dreams look like when translated into art? What emotions shape your creative process?

Any style and any medium are welcome. There are no restrictions on technique — we want to see your inner world, expressed your way.

Who Can Participate?

This open call is for:

• Painters (oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and more)

• Photographers (fine art, conceptual, documentary, street)

• Illustrators (traditional and digital)

• Digital artists (3D, generative art, AI-assisted art, digital painting)

• Mixed-media artists

The competition is open to artists of all levels and nationalities. Whether you are an emerging artist building your first portfolio or an established professional looking for international exposure — you are welcome.

Register and submit your work →

How Does It Work?

Step 1. Submit for free. Upload up to 3 artworks — no entry fee required at this stage. Submissions are open until April 5, 2026.

Step 2. Expert jury review. Your work is reviewed by an international panel of award-winning artists, curators, and art directors from New York, Berlin, and Toronto. Every artwork is scored independently on a 10-point scale. Jury members do not see each other's scores, ensuring a fair and unbiased selection.

Step 3. Get selected. If your work is chosen for the final exhibition, a one-time Finalist Fee of $25 applies. This covers digital exhibition hosting, publication in the official catalog, and a personalized finalist diploma.

Step 4. Win prizes and build your CV. The Grand Prize winner receives $100 cash. All finalists receive official diplomas, an extract from the jury evaluation protocol, and a feature in the digital exhibition catalog.

Why Enter This Competition?

Build Your Exhibition History

Every finalist receives official documentation — diplomas, jury evaluation extracts, and a catalog publication. These documents are valuable for your professional portfolio and can strengthen applications for artist residencies, grants, and talent visas (such as the O-1 or EB-1 visa in the US).

Get Reviewed by International Experts

Your work will be evaluated by professionals who have won Red Dot Awards, been jurors at the Genoa Biennale, received Presidential Awards, and are members of organizations like the College Art Association (CAA) and AIGA. This is not a popularity contest — it is a professional peer review.

Featured Artist Spotlight

Selected finalists and winners are featured on the Curatone.art website and across our social media channels, giving your work additional exposure to collectors, curators, and fellow artists.

Exhibition Catalog on Amazon

All selected works are published in a professionally designed digital catalog — a permanent record of the exhibition that you can share with galleries, clients, and institutions.

Meet the Jury

Each artwork is thoughtfully reviewed by a distinguished panel:

• Qichao An — Visual designer and creative director with over 15 years of experience and nearly 100 international design awards, including Red Dot, A' Design, and Graphis.

• Mosaz (Zijun Zhao) — New York-based artist, recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci and Premio Firenze awards, juror for the Genoa Biennale.

• Irina Naumycheva — Creator of the AI-Art & Design Flow methodology, recipient of the Presidential Award of the Russian Federation, juror for Apexart.

• Josephine Florens — Professional oil painter, member of the College Art Association (CAA) and the Union of Marine Painters of Odesa.

See the full jury list →

Key Dates and Details

How to Submit

1. Go to the submission form.

2. Fill in your name, email, country, and medium.

3. Upload up to 3 artworks in JPEG format (max 4 MB each).

4. Submit — you will receive a confirmation email.

That's it. No account registration, no hidden fees, no complicated process.

Enter the Inner Landscapes competition now →

About Curatone.art

Curatone.art is a global online platform for curated art exhibitions and creative competitions, based in Berlin, Germany. We offer artists around the world a fair, transparent space to share their work, gain recognition, and grow professionally. Our competitions are judged by an international panel of award-winning professionals, and every participant receives official documentation of their involvement.

In addition to competitions, Curatone.art publishes the Curatone Art & Research Journal — an international peer-reviewed publication for artists and scholars. Learn more about publishing opportunities →

Have questions about the competition? Contact us at info@curatone.art