COLIBRI VISUAL ARTS CONTEST 2026 “DREAMS WITHOUT BORDERS”
RULES & SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
The Colibri Visual Arts Contest invites young artists from around the world to share their imagination, creativity, and dreams through visual art.
The 2026 theme, “Dreams Without Borders,” celebrates hope, friendship, cultural diversity, and the power of art to bring people together.
IMPORTANT DATES
Submission Deadline
October 14, 2026
Competition Day (Judging)
October 24, 2026
Nominations Announcement
The international panel of judges will evaluate all submitted artworks.
Final results will be published within few days after the contest date.
The list of nominated participants will be published online within a few days following the judging.
Colibri Art Excellence Gala & Exhibition
Nominated participants will be invited to the Colibri Art Excellence Gala & Exhibition, where selected artworks will be presented in a public exhibition and outstanding young artists will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony.
Saturday, November 7, 2026
12:00 PM
Plummer Park – Great Hall
7377 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Age Categories
Participants will be divided into the following age groups:
5 to 6 years old
7 to 8 years old
9 to 12 years old
13 to 15 years old
16 to 18 years old
Age is determined by the participant’s age on the date of the contest.
Accepted Art Forms
The contest is open to original works in the following categories:
Painting
Graphics
Decorative Arts and Crafts
AI-generated artwork are not accepted.
Content Guidelines
Colibri is an international arts contest for children and teenagers.
To keep the contest welcoming and respectful for all participants, artworks must not contain political, religious, military, conflict-related, or otherwise divisive messages, symbols, slogans, or references.
The goal of the contest is to celebrate creativity, imagination, kindness, and respect through art.
Originality
All submitted artworks must be original and personally created by the participant.
Artwork copied from another artist, photograph, published image, online source, character, logo, or copyrighted material will not be accepted.
Artworks must not be created by AI or substantially based on AI-generated images.
The organizers may request proof of authorship, such as sketches, process images, or work-in-progress photographs.
Submission Rules
All submissions must be made through the official competition website.
Email submissions will not be accepted.
Each participant may submit up to three artworks.
Submitted artworks must have been created during the 2026 calendar year.
Image Requirements
Please upload a clear, high-quality JPEG image of each artwork.
Requirements:
JPEG format only
Maximum file size: 10 MB per image
Recommended size: at least 3000 pixels on the longest side
Clear photo or scan, without distracting background, glare, or heavy shadows
Please name each file using this format:
FirstName_LastName-Title.jpg
Example:
John_Doe-Springtime.jpg
Judging Criteria
Artworks will be judged within each age category. The jury may consider:
Originality and imagination
Connection to the theme “Dreams Without Borders”
Composition and visual impact
Use of color, line, form, texture, and space
Technical skill appropriate to age
Expressiveness and overall artistic impression
The decision of the jury is final.
Registration Fee
The registration fee is non-refundable.
$10 for one artwork
$20 for two artworks
$30 for three artworks
Awards
Awards may include:
Certificate of Achievement
$100 Cash Prize for the First Place winner in each age category
Honorable Mentions or Special Recognition, at the discretion of the jury
Publication
All accepted entries, not only winning artworks, may be displayed on the official competition website and become part of the public historical online archive of the Colibri Visual Arts Contest.
By entering the contest, the participant and parent/guardian grant the organizers permission to reproduce and display images of the submitted artwork for competition-related purposes, including websites, newsletters, social media, press materials, and promotional publications.
Artists will be credited whenever their work is displayed. Copyright remains with the artist.
Agreement
By submitting artwork, the participant and parent/guardian confirm that they have read and agreed to these Rules & Submission Guidelines.