Calls for entries

Competitions & Festivals

Competitions and festivals for calligraphers of every age and tradition. Each page sets out the call for entries, eligibility, rules, deadlines, judging and — once announced — the winners and selected works.

Upcoming competitions and festivals

No competitions or festivals are announced at the moment.

Calls for entries will be published here with their rules and deadlines.

To identify talent, encourage artists, raise the quality of submitted work and connect artists from different countries, the World Association of Calligraphers organizes national and international competitions and festivals. These can be held in person, virtually or in a hybrid format, and can bring together different groups across calligraphy, calligraphic painting, the written arts, handwriting and letter design.

Goals of our competitions and festivals

  • Identify and support the talent of children and teenagers.
  • Encourage students to strengthen their handwriting and writing skills.
  • Support students and amateur artists.
  • Introduce professional artists and distinguished masters.
  • Create healthy, constructive competition among artists.
  • Present the different styles and traditions of calligraphy around the world.
  • Build cultural connections between countries.
  • Explore themes such as love, kindness, friendship, humanity and peace through art.

Grouping participants

To keep judging fair, participants are placed in separate groups by age, experience and artistic level — for example:

  1. Children
  2. Teenagers
  3. Students
  4. Beginning learners
  5. Amateur artists
  6. Semi-professional artists
  7. Professional artists
  8. Masters and distinguished artists

Children and beginning learners are not judged alongside professional masters; each group is considered at its own level. This grouping exists to give every participant a fair chance and to encourage everyone taking part — it does not diminish any group.

Disciplines and themes

  • Traditional and classical calligraphy
  • Calligraphic painting and contemporary lettering
  • The written arts and letter design
  • Handwriting and creative writing
  • Calligraphy in different alphabets and scripts of the world
  • Group and international submissions
  • Work exploring love, friendship, kindness, humanity and peace

Each competition's theme, format, work size, materials and submission deadline are announced in the association's official call for entries.

Eligibility

Entrants must submit original work of their own, along with the work's full details, the artist's name, age, country, discipline, technique and contact information. Every entry must match the theme and rules of that competition.

Work that has been copied from others without permission, previously registered under someone else's name, or that infringes another person's intellectual property rights will be disqualified.

Use of artificial intelligence

In competitions meant to strengthen handwriting, human creativity and artistic skill, the expectation is that an entry is the entrant's own genuine work. Full or extensive use of artificial intelligence to generate the work, without disclosing it, is not permitted.

Where the use of digital tools or artificial intelligence is allowed, entrants must disclose the extent and nature of that use on the entry form. The rules on artificial intelligence for each competition will be stated clearly in its call for entries.

Judging

Work is reviewed by a jury or specialists appointed by the association. Judging criteria for each section are set to suit the age and level of its participants.

  • Technical quality and execution skill
  • Composition and aesthetics
  • Creativity and originality
  • Fit with the competition's theme
  • Authenticity of the work
  • Effort and progress, particularly in the children's and students' groups
  • Compliance with the rules and the work's artistic independence

Awards and recognition

  • A trophy or medal
  • A certificate of honor
  • An official certificate from the association
  • Being featured on the website and in the Digital Archive
  • Having the work shown in a selected exhibition
  • The opportunity to take part in workshops and international programs
  • An introduction to galleries and cultural institutions

A number of entrants may also be recognized with a distinction such as "honorable mention" or "emerging talent."

Showcasing selected work

With the artist's permission, winning and honored works are featured in in-person exhibitions, virtual exhibitions, the website and the association's official media. Ownership of the work remains with the artist throughout.

Our commitment

The association works to hold competitions and festivals with transparency, fairness, respect for artists' rights, and attention to age differences and appropriate grouping. Its competitions are not only about choosing a winner: they are an opportunity to learn, gain experience, be seen, build friendships among artists and spread the art of calligraphy and writing around the world.