​CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo is pleased to announce the second edition of CREA OPEN, an International Free Contemporary Art Award, an initiative dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of contemporary art globally.
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RECIPIENTS
The award is open to all artists, of any nationality, who work in the field of visual arts.
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CATEGORIES AND MEDIUM
The award is divided into the following categories and mediums:
✔️ Painting
✔️ Sculpture & Textile Art
✔️ Installation & New Media
✔️ Video art
✔️ Photography
✔️ Performance (with presentation of a documentary video)

THEME
The theme of the edition is free, offering artists the opportunity to express their artistic vision without constraints.
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PARTICIPATION
To participate, artists must submit their application by February 9, 2026, via the CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo website. Each artist may submit a maximum of 1 (one) work.

The following must be attached to the application:
Completed application form
✔️ High-quality digital images of the work

(JPG format)
✔️ Short biography or portfolio of the artist
✔️ Any links to videos or other digital materials
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SELECTION AND EXHIBITION
The 20 finalists will be selected by an international jury composed of professional figures that make up the jury, for example: art critics, curators, art historians, gallery owners]. The jury will evaluate the works based on the following criteria:

✔️ Originality and innovation: The ability of the work to present a new and original approach to contemporary artistic language, exploring innovative themes and techniques.

✔️Artistic quality: The technical mastery, formal coherence and ability of the work to convey an emotion or a message.
✔️Exhibition potential: The ability of the work to adapt to an exhibition space and to create an engaging visual experience.
✔️Visual impact: The expressive power of the work and its ability to capture the viewer's attention.
✔️ Relevance in the contemporary artistic context: The ability of the work to dialogue with the most current trends and themes of contemporary art.
✔️Quality of the artistic project: In the case of works that require an explanation or in-depth analysis, the clarity and coherence of the artistic project presented by the artist.

The selected artists will be required to deliver or ship the selected works to CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo in Venice at their own expense by the indicated time. The costs of packaging and shipping at the end of the exhibition will be borne by the artist.
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PRIZES
The 20 finalists will be offered the opportunity to exhibit their works in a group exhibition at the spaces of CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo in Venice. 

The winner will be awarded with a solo exhibition at CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo in 2027.
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PARTICIPATION COSTS
CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo decided to allow

FREE ADMISSION for the artists!
No cost is going to be asked for CREAOPEN 2026!
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CALENDAR​

✔️ Call for proposals opening: 7 January 2026
✔️ Deadline for submitting applications: 9 February 2026
✔️ Announcement of finalists: 1 March 2026
✔️ Exhibition opening: 20 March 2026
✔️ Exhibition Closing: 5 April 2026

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