YICCA 26/27 – International Contest of Contemporary Art

Navigating the modern art world often requires breaking out of traditional creative silos, which is exactly where the YICCA 26/27 – International Contest of Contemporary Art differs from photography-only calls. By placing lens-based media alongside sculpture, painting, performance, installation and digital work, the international competition evaluates photography within a wider contemporary art context. For photographers regularly consulting this photo contest directory to find expansive opportunities, the open call offers a route into a multidisciplinary exhibition.

Accepting submissions until October 8, 2026, YICCA is open to artists, groups and professionals from any country, with no special qualifications required. Four monetary awards provide €5,500 in total cash prizes: €3,000 for First Prize, €1,000 for Second Prize, €500 for Third Prize and a separate €1,000 Student Prize. An international selection process will identify 18 finalists whose work will be shown in the final physical exhibition in Venice.

Prizes

YICCA 26/27 offers four monetary prizes together with a physical exhibition and publication opportunities for the 18 selected finalists. Beyond financial support, the structure is intended to put participating artists in contact with critics, curators, galleries and art institutions.

• First Prize: The top selected artist receives a €3,000 direct cash prize.
• Second Prize: The second-place artist receives €1,000.
• Third Prize: The third-place artist receives €500.
• Student Prize: A separate €1,000 prize is reserved for students.
• Finalist Exhibition: A total of 18 artists will be selected to present their accepted works in a physical exhibition at New Art Space, Cannaregio 883, Venice, Italy, from November 14 to 28, 2026.
• Catalogue Publication: The selected artists’ works will be published in the official YICCA catalogue. Copies are distributed free of charge to finalists and made available to professionals and institutions invited to the exhibition opening.
• Advertising Campaign: The competition promotes the selected artists through an advertising campaign covering the different stages of YICCA.

Categories or Themes

The YICCA 26/27 – International Contest of Contemporary Art does not divide submissions into thematic categories. Instead, it operates as an international open call for contemporary art across different media.

Drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, graphics, mixed media, video, installations and performances are all accepted. Because the selection is multidisciplinary, photographic entries can move through fine art, experimental techniques or conceptual narratives without being separated into photography-specific sections. For lens-based artists, the important distinction is that the work will be considered for its place within contemporary art rather than against a prescribed photographic genre.

The broad format effectively creates an open theme environment, although every submitted work must be available for the final exhibition if selected.

Dates and Entry Fees

The 26/27 edition has a relatively compact schedule between the application deadline, finalist notification and the physical exhibition in Venice.

The live YICCA application system currently lists the following entry fees for both Public and Private Applications:

• 1 artwork: €55
• 2 artworks: €85
• 3 artworks: €115
• 4 artworks: €135
• 5 artworks: €150
• 6 artworks: €165

Artists can choose between a Public Application, where the entry is visible on the website’s Artists page, and a Private Application, where the submission does not appear in the public gallery. Both options allow up to six artworks and currently use the same fee structure.

How to Enter

Applications must be completed through the official online registration system; entries submitted by email or postal mail are not accepted. Artists can submit up to six works and choose either the Public or Private Application option.

About the Jury

The jury members for YICCA 26/27 have not yet been published. The official rules state that the composition of the jury will be announced on the YICCA website before the application deadline.

The selection mechanism itself is already defined. The jury first identifies the 18 artists who will participate in the Venice exhibition. The monetary prize winners are then determined using a 10-point scoring system with three equally weighted components: one-third of the final score comes from the jury, one-third from A.p.s. Moho Association and one-third from the gallery hosting the exhibition. Each juror scores the artworks from 1 to 10, and the average jury score forms its one-third share of the final result.

Why Enter YICCA 26/27?

The strongest distinction in this edition is the final exhibition. The 18 selected artists will show their work in Venice rather than participate only in an online presentation, placing photographic work alongside a wider selection of contemporary media. Catalogue publication and the competition’s stated outreach to critics, curators, galleries and institutions add another layer beyond the four monetary awards.

There is also a practical consideration for finalists. Selected artists are responsible for transporting their works to the exhibition, and any insurance during the exhibition period is also at the artist’s expense. For photographers working with large, framed or otherwise costly pieces, those expenses are worth factoring into the decision to enter.

For creatives evaluating the best photography challenges online, YICCA is most relevant when the photographic work has a clear relationship with the contemporary art field. Its international eligibility places it alongside international photography contests, but its multidisciplinary selection and Venice exhibition give it a different context from competitions devoted exclusively to photography.

Rules and Copyright

We reviewed the official rules of the YICCA 26/27 – International Contest of Contemporary Art to summarize the key participation requirements, copyright terms and image usage conditions. Before entering, we recommend checking the complete rules published by the organizer.

Rules

• There are no special qualifications required for entry. Artists, groups of artists and professionals may participate from any country.
• All types of contemporary artworks are accepted, including photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, graphics, mixed media, video, installations and performances.
• Entrants may submit up to six artworks.
• Works may previously have participated in other competitions or currently be exhibited elsewhere, provided they remain available for the YICCA final exhibition and are the property of the submitting artist.
• The maximum physical dimensions of an entered artwork are 3 x 3 meters.
• Participation fees are non-refundable, including when an artist is not selected.
• Once an application has been submitted, it cannot normally be modified.
• Selected artists are responsible for the cost of delivering and collecting their work from the exhibition venue.
• Any insurance covering an artwork during the exhibition period is also the responsibility of the artist. The organizer states that it is not responsible for damage, theft or loss during the competition and delivery period.
• No specific policy concerning AI-generated imagery is currently published in the competition rules.

Copyright and Image Usage

The published rules require submitted works to be the property of the artist, but they do not expressly state whether copyright is retained or define a conventional copyright license for submitted artwork images.

By completing the application, artists authorize A.p.s. Moho Association to process submitted images and personal data for purposes concerning the YICCA competition. Images may therefore be used in connection with competition presentation, including publication on the YICCA website and, for selected artists, in the official catalogue.

The rules explicitly state that participants’ data and images of their artworks will not be sold to third parties or published for commercial purposes. No specific duration for the organizer’s image usage rights is stated.

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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.