ART Award 2026 – International Art Award – Global Call for Artists – $50,000+ in Total Prize Value
The .ART Award 2026 is a global art award celebrating the 10th anniversary of the .ART domain registry. The award brings together artists and artist collectives from around the world and is open to a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Unlike a traditional art competition that focuses primarily on a single finished artwork, the .ART Award places particular emphasis on the artist’s identity, the work itself, and the creative story and process behind it.
Artists are invited to present their practice through a .ART domain that functions as a living digital archive of their work. The submitted .ART address may lead to a dedicated website, an existing portfolio, an artist platform profile, or a qualifying social media page.
The award offers a $15,000 Grand Prize, two one-month artist residencies, international editorial exposure, and a $10,000 premium .ART domain. The total prize package is valued at more than $50,000.
Grand Prize and Awards
The .ART Award 2026 offers a combination of financial support, artist residencies, international media exposure, and long-term digital visibility.
Grand Prize
$15,000 cash prize
The Grand Prize is awarded to one artist.
Artist Residencies
The prize package also includes:
- A one-month artist residency at Château du Fresne, France
- A one-month artist residency at Anfitrion.art in Marbella, Spain
These residencies provide opportunities for artists to develop their practice in an international cultural environment.
International Publication
The winning artist will receive editorial coverage in one of the leading international art media outlets.
Premium .ART Domain
The prize also includes a premium .ART domain name valued at $10,000, providing the winning artist with a recognizable and lasting digital presence.
Overall, the prize package is valued at more than $50,000.
Application Timeline
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | May 11, 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | November 1, 2026 – 12:00 UTC |
| Semi-finalists Announced | November 6, 2026 |
| Finalists Announced | November 20, 2026 |
| Winners Announced | December 3, 2026 |
The winners will be announced during Art Basel Miami.
Who Can Enter?
The .ART Award 2026 is open internationally.
Eligible applicants include:
- Individual artists aged 18 or older
- Artist collectives
- Collaborative artistic projects
There is no upper age limit.
There are also no restrictions based on:
- nationality,
- country of residence,
- cultural background,
- gender identity,
- ability,
- or artistic discipline.
Artists from all geographic regions are welcome.
What Types of Art Are Eligible?
The award is intentionally broad and is open to all art forms.
Eligible practices may include, but are not limited to:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Sculpture
- Photography
- Digital art
- Visual art
- New media
- Poetry
- Music
- Performance
- Mixed-media practices
- Interdisciplinary projects
- Collaborative artistic projects
This makes the award particularly interesting for artists who work across different media or combine traditional and contemporary approaches.
Is There an Entry Fee?
No. There is no submission fee.
However, every submission must be associated with a unique .ART domain name.
The cost of registering or renewing a .ART domain, if applicable, is separate from the award submission itself and should not be confused with an entry fee.
How Does the Application Work?
The .ART Award uses a different application model from a conventional art competition.
Instead of simply uploading an artwork to a standard competition form, the artist submits a .ART domain URL that represents their artistic practice.
The application takes place in three basic steps.
Step 1 – Claim Your .ART Domain
Register a .ART domain that reflects your artistic identity or use an existing .ART domain.
For example:
yourname.art
or another .ART address connected to your artistic practice.
Step 2 – Connect Your Domain
Your .ART domain can be connected in several ways.
It can point to:
- a website hosted directly on a .ART domain;
- an existing website hosted on another extension such as .com or .net;
- an artist portfolio;
- Hug.art;
- ID.art;
- OpenSea;
- Instagram;
- or another qualifying artist/social media profile.
The destination does not necessarily have to be a completely new website. However, wherever the .ART domain leads, the destination must contain all of the required application content.
Step 3 – Submit Your .ART URL
Once the domain and content are ready, submit your .ART URL through the official online entry form.
Applications are accepted online only.
Entries cannot be submitted by email or regular mail.
All application materials must be submitted in English.
Three Required Elements of the Application
Every submission must contain three fundamental components.
1. Artist Identity
The application must include a biography of the artist or artist collective.
The biography must contain a minimum of 100 words and should provide meaningful context about:
- who you are,
- your artistic practice,
- your background,
- your approach,
- and your development as an artist.
2. The Work
The application must present high-quality visual documentation of the artwork or artworks.
Accepted documentation can include:
- high-quality images,
- video,
- 3D models.
Technical information should also be provided, including where applicable:
- medium,
- materials,
- dimensions,
- tools,
- software used.
The goal is to allow the jury to understand both the artwork and the way it was created.
3. The Story
The third element is the story behind the work.
Applicants must provide either:
A written narrative of at least 100 words
or
A video between 30 seconds and 1 minute
explaining the creation, concept, inspiration and creative process behind the work.
The narrative may also include personal, cultural or conceptual influences that shaped the artwork.
Can You Submit More Than One Entry?
Yes.
Multiple entries are permitted.
However, each submission must be presented on or linked to a separate .ART domain.
Only one entry can be associated with each .ART domain name.
This means that an artist planning multiple independent submissions should prepare a separate .ART domain for each submission.
Can Previously Exhibited Artwork Be Submitted?
Yes.
The award does not require artwork to be newly created.
Artists may submit:
- new work,
- previously exhibited work,
- previously published work,
- or ongoing projects,
provided that the submission meets all three required content elements.
AI-Generated Artwork
The competition does not simply prohibit all use of artificial intelligence.
However, works that are judged to have been generated by AI without substantial human authorship or creative input are prohibited.
Artists should therefore be able to demonstrate meaningful human creative authorship and contribution to the submitted work.
Language of the Application
All submissions must be made in English.
This includes:
- artist biography,
- narrative/story,
- captions,
- and other written application material.
Jury
The .ART Award brings together an international jury of professionals from different areas of the art world.
The 2026 jury includes:
- Jerry Saltz – Senior Art Critic at New York Magazine and 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism.
- Dean Phelus – Associate Vice President of Learning and Editor in Chief of Museum magazine at the American Alliance of Museums.
- Akanksha Ballaney – Senior Director of Business Development at Artsy and Artnet.
- Regina Harsanyi – Media Arts Curator at the Museum of the Moving Image and specialist in variable media conservation.
- Gijs Stork – Dutch curator, producer and co-founder of Château du Fresne artist residency.
- Laurent Moïsi – Co-Publisher and Editor-at-Large of Whitewall Magazine, curator and writer.
- Shlomi Rabi – Founder of Bridgewell Arts.
- Leo Crane – Strategic advisor and creative producer working across art and emerging technologies.
- Sasha Stiles – Kalmyk-American poet and artist working at the intersection of poetry, technology and generative art.
- Irina Tarsis – Founder and Director of the Center for Art Law.
The jury is selected and managed by UKCI and is instructed to act without bias or favoritism. Jury decisions are final.
Important Restrictions
Entries must not contain:
- false or misleading material;
- abusive, harassing or defamatory content;
- obscene material or content promoting violence;
- material that violates the law;
- third-party copyrighted material or trademarks without permission;
- unauthorized names, likenesses or voices of identifiable people;
- substantially derivative works without the necessary permission;
- AI-generated works without substantial human authorship or creative input;
- stock or commercial material without permission from the rights holder.
Artists should make sure that they have the necessary rights to every component included in their submission.
Official Application
Applications must be submitted online through the official .ART Award website.
Deadline: November 1, 2026 at 12:00 UTC
Official website and application:
.ART Award 2026 – Official Website & Application
The .ART Award 2026 is particularly relevant for artists who want to combine artistic visibility, a professional online identity, international exposure and career development rather than simply compete for a cash prize.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This competition announcement is provided for informational purposes only.
The competition dates, eligibility requirements, prizes, and other rules may be changed by the official organizer. Therefore, before submitting an application, applicants should always check the official competition website for the latest information and requirements.
For applications and the most up-to-date competition information, please use only the official website and submission page.
👉 CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE & APPLICATION
.ART Award 2026 – Official Website & Application