How to enter: Whenever a contest hashtag name is written below without punctuation, prefix it with the hash sign when making your actual public social-media post. The exact standard contest hashtag appears in the Topics line at the end of this article. CELSYS, the Japanese maker of CLIP STUDIO PAINT, has opened its 49th International Illustration Contest with the theme 'Spooky Creatures'. Illustrators from around the world can share original drawings of ghosts, cryptids, mischievous spirits and imaginary monsters through the specified social platforms. The entry window is 15 October to 4 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC, and the grand prize is US$2,000 plus a three-year Clip Studio Paint EX dual-device activation code or 10,000 GOLD. There is no submission fee in the organiser's social-media submission process. An especially important rule: generative AI is prohibited, even when it contributes to only part of the final artwork. What the judges are seeking The theme covers spooky, strange, cute, humorous, shy or legendary creatures; entrants are free to invent characters rather than draw existing franchise monsters. The judging criteria emphasise visual quality, originality and relevance to the theme. CELSYS says the number of social reactions may be considered as a reference but will not determine the result. You can work in any painting application, with traditional pens and paints, or on a smartphone. Traditional-media drawings should be photographed before posting. Deadline and three official ways to enter X: post the original illustration publicly using the exact hashtag cspcontest49 from your own account. Follow the official @clipstudiopaint account and keep direct messages available for winner contact. Instagram: post the work publicly with cspcontest49 AND mention @clipstudioofficial. The organiser advises limiting the post to five hashtags total, including the contest tag. Facebook: join the contest's dedicated Facebook group, publish the work there with cspcontest49, then share that group post to your own timeline. Posting only on a personal timeline does not qualify. Entries sent only by private or direct message on X, Instagram or Facebook will NOT be accepted. The deadline is Wednesday 4 November 2026, 23:59 UTC; check your local timezone rather than assuming your midnight. Cash prize breakdown Grand Prize: US$2,000 cash, plus Clip Studio Paint EX dual-device three-year licence or 10,000 GOLD. Second Place: US$500 with the EX licence or GOLD option. Third to Fifth Places: US$200 each, plus a one-year EX licence or GOLD. Sixth to Tenth Places: US$100 each, plus a one-year PRO licence or GOLD. Honourable mentions and selected random entry prizes provide software licences or GOLD, rather than extra guaranteed cash for all entrants. Two extra lottery categories Smartphone artists can also enter a special prize draw if at least half their work was created with a smartphone drawing app. Include BOTH cspcontest49_smartphone and cspcontest49. Artists who document their process in an approximately one-minute MP4 or MOV timelapse can enter the Timelapse Prize drawing by posting it with BOTH cspcontest49_timelapse and cspcontest49. Each drawing has five randomly selected winners. On Instagram, keep the organiser's @clipstudioofficial mention and avoid exceeding five hashtags. These software prizes are not the same as the competition's US$2,000 top award. Strict originality and AI restrictions CELSYS excludes fan art, existing copyrighted fictional characters, commercial brands, images depicting real people, tracings of other people's pictures, and art made with generative AI even partially. The restriction applies regardless of whether the AI-produced element seems minor. Works created in any software or by hand are otherwise permitted. Already publicly posted works may be entered, but work cannot be entered in another contest at the same time. Participants retain copyright, while permitting the organiser to feature entries in its services and promotional materials. CELSYS may request source project files or a timelapse from shortlisted artists to verify originality; failure to supply the evidence can result in disqualification. Recommended formats and safety Accepted illustration formats are PNG and JPEG. The organiser recommends A4 at 300dpi (about 2480 × 3508 pixels), but smaller smartphone work is also permitted; the recommendation is not an absolute minimum. A watermark or signature is allowed if it does not prevent evaluation. Winners are contacted through the entered social account, with the organiser generally using PayPal transfers for cash awards other than the grand-prize exception. Do not provide sensitive financial details to impersonator accounts; verify every contact with the official site before responding. Established organiser and first-party rules CELSYS develops CLIP STUDIO PAINT and maintains an archive of 48 previous international illustration contests, published winning entries and judging information. The official contest page gives current work galleries, platform-specific submission steps, prize amounts and personal-data policies. The company’s October 15, 2026 announcement verifies this is the 49th edition and identifies the current theme. This documented track record makes it easier to distinguish a real illustration competition from third-party copycat pages. Official submission pages CELSYS official 49th International Illustration Contest and full rules: https://www.clipstudio.net/en/cspcontest49/ Traditional Chinese official 49th contest details: https://www.clipstudio.net/tc/cspcontest49/ Checked on 24 October 2026. Deadline 4 November 2026, 23:59 UTC. Entries must be original illustrations; generative AI is not permitted even in part. Use only the publicly posted social-media submission methods above. Topics: #CSPContest49 #InternationalIllustrationContest #SpookyCreatures #OriginalIllustration #DigitalPainting

The Super South Sustainable Innovation Poster Design Competition is accepting worldwide proposals from artists, designers, architecture students, graphic communicators and visual thinkers to imagine a more resilient future. The 2026–27 theme, 'Designing the Future We Imagine', asks what a sustainable next generation of energy, movement, cities, health and technology could look like. Entries opened 1 October 2026 and close on 15 January 2027. Selected designs will be exhibited at the Super South Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, on 22–24 March 2027; around 100 posters are expected to be displayed. The highest cash award, Platinum, is US$2,500. What kind of designs are wanted? The competition encourages visual storytelling around invention and action, nature combined with people and technology, circular economy, regeneration, clean energy, mobility and healthy communities. Designers may use illustration, photography, typography, information graphics or other graphic techniques, provided that the result is a coherent original poster and communicates a hopeful but thoughtful view of sustainable innovation. The jury will assess originality, creative visual impact, conceptual strength, communication of the theme and execution. This is not a call for already published campaign posters. Eligibility, originality and dates Artists, architects, students, designers and creative innovators worldwide are welcome; the competition states that the call is global. Submission opens 1 October 2026 and ends 15 January 2027. All poster work must be original, not previously exhibited, including on social media or elsewhere online, and must not have received prior awards. An estimated 100 posters will be selected for physical exhibition during the Super South Summit in Atlanta, 22–24 March 2027. Finalists expected to be notified by 1 March 2027. The site says submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. 'EDT' on 15 January, yet Atlanta observes EST in January. Applicants must confirm the actual deadline timezone with the organiser rather than rely on the mismatched abbreviation. Poster size and technical file 24 by 36 inches (60.96 × 91.44 cm), strictly portrait/vertical. Print-ready PDF; CMYK-compatible colours. 300 dpi resolution. Maximum file size of 10MB. Upload through the contest's direct form after completing any required payment or account step. Keep the original layered source file, proof of artwork ownership and a high-quality export in case selected works require production checks. Entry fee contradiction: confirm before checkout The official submission page contains two statements that do not agree. Just above the form it instructs contestants to 'pay the entry fee first' before returning to upload the poster. However, its Terms and Conditions separately say there are 'no restrictions on entry or cost to participate'. These cannot both establish a reliable specific fee or a promise of free entry. Therefore, treat the amount as unverified until the live payment checkout or Super South organisers confirm the charge, currency and refund policy. Do not pay a third-party agent claiming to guarantee a finalist place. Awards and public exhibition Platinum Award: US$2,500. Gold: US$1,000. Silver: US$750. Bronze: US$500. Student category: US$500. The five named awards total US$5,250, while the organiser also advertises more than US$5,000 in total. The published rules say cash awards are to be transferred within 30 days of the award ceremony, subject to valid recipient details and applicable tax documents. Jury and organiser track record The Super South Summit focuses on sustainable innovation in the American South, linking enterprises, investors, public officials and creative communities. Its poster initiative is curated with PosterTerritory, the international graphic-design platform led by Olga Severina. The official judging page names David Carson, Adrian Caddy, Sam Eckersley of SCAD, Agnieszka Ziemiszewska and other international graphic-design and education experts. A publicly named jury and concrete event schedule allow the contest to be independently checked; they are not a guarantee that an accepted designer will receive airfare or an exhibition travel stipend. Promotional rights and privacy conditions The terms grant Super South Summit LLC rights to display, promote and reuse the submitted poster and certain identification information, without further royalties. They also allow sharing participant details with third parties for marketing purposes, which some artists may find significant. Prize winners may need to provide identification and valid US tax information; foreign winners should ask how cross-border tax handling works before handing over personal documents. Winning does not require physical attendance at the awards ceremony, according to the rules. Official rules and upload Super South official poster design brief, jury and submission: https://supersouth.org/poster-upload/ Information checked 24 October 2026. Worldwide submissions until 15 January 2027; submit before the last day because the official page uses contradictory fee and timezone text. Topics: #SuperSouth2027 #PosterDesignCompetition #SustainableDesign #AtlantaDesign #GraphicDesignOpenCall

Earth Photo 2027, an international photography and moving-image programme established with the Royal Geographical Society and organised in partnership with Photoworks and Parker Harris, is accepting submissions worldwide. The call invites artists and filmmakers to explore landscapes, ecosystems, environmental change, the lives of communities and the relationships between people and their surroundings. Entry is entirely free. Each entrant can submit up to ten photographs or short films, and the application deadline is 3 February 2027 at 17:00 GMT, not simply midnight. The distinction matters for applicants submitting from other time zones. What kind of images qualify? Earth Photo welcomes documentary photography, photojournalism, contemporary and fine-art photography, conceptual photographic projects, mobile image-making, visual archives and moving-image work. Short films must run between five seconds and five minutes; that is a meaningful opportunity for experimental film, video art and concise digital visual storytelling. The call is not restricted to pictures of untouched landscapes. Proposals may examine biodiversity, changing climate, indigenous or community knowledge, environmental justice, resilience and restoration. Strong entries relate their formal visual choices to a clearly explained story about life on Earth. Who may apply and what to prepare Photographers, image-makers and filmmakers worldwide, including individuals and collectives. Up to 10 works, which may be still photographs or moving-image entries; participation is free. Submitted work should generally have been created during the past five years. Earlier images may be included when relevant to long-form documentary projects or archives. An artist CV of up to 500 words and a short artist statement of up to 100 words. A caption or contextual explanation of up to 100 words for each photograph or film. Applications are made through the organiser's ArtOpps submission portal. Awards: different categories, different eligibility Earth Photo Award: £1,000 for an outstanding photographic project. Climate of Change Award: £500 for work on climate impacts and responses. Moving Image Award: £500 for a short film expressing a compelling account of the planet and its people. David Wolf Kaye Future Potential Awards: two £1,000 project awards for practitioners aged 25 or under, one still and one moving-image. Photoworks Digital Residency: at least one supported digital presentation with a £400 award. Sidney Nolan Trust Residency: a two-week residency awarded to a UK-based practitioner, not a universal travel grant available to all international applicants. Exhibitions, results and rights Earth Photo says applicants will be notified of selection results on 11 March 2027; shortlisted creators will then supply higher-resolution files and complete details by 25 March. The Royal Geographical Society in London plans an exhibition from 5 July to 24 August 2027 and an opening and prize ceremony on 15 July. Other touring venues may follow. An award or online shortlisting does not automatically pay for flights or guarantee unrestricted exhibition fees. Photographers must hold rights to submitted material and obtain any necessary consent for people depicted in images, especially sensitive environmental stories. Who operates the programme? Earth Photo began in 2018 through Parker Harris, the Royal Geographical Society and Forestry England, and is now presented with Photoworks, a recognised UK photography development organisation. Its 2026 exhibition travelled to National Trust properties and cultural venues. The programme publishes award definitions, a jury and calendar through its official website and ArtOpps application system, allowing artists to verify the opportunity directly rather than entering through paid third-party competition listings. Official entry and rules Earth Photo official 2027 announcement and previous exhibitions: https://www.earthphoto.world/ Photoworks: official 2027 open call with awards: https://photoworks.org.uk/opportunities/open-call-earth-photo-2027/ ArtOpps 2027 entry rules and online form: https://artopps.co.uk/opportunities/earth-photo27 Information verified 24 October 2026. Free international entry; deadline 3 February 2027 at 17:00 GMT. Films 5 seconds to 5 minutes; up to ten works. Topics: #EarthPhoto2027 #PhotographyOpenCall #NaturePhotography #ShortFilmCompetition #ClimateArt

The Farouk Hosny Foundation's Sculpture Award, part of its eighth Art Awards edition for 2027, is open for entries from young Egyptian sculptors. The current theme, 'Together', explores the harmony between opposites: mass and empty space, stillness and motion, light and shadow, force and tenderness. Artists create original physical three-dimensional sculptures that reveal those relationships in tangible form. Entries opened 1 September 2026 and close on 1 December 2026 in Egyptian local time. The first prize is EGP75,000. Unlike a purely digital 3D-model contest, this call requires a real material object or a physical prototype, photographed from several angles and documented by a brief 360-degree video. Exactly who is eligible Egyptian nationals only; this is not an unrestricted international contest. Individual sculptors aged at least 18 and not more than 40 on 31 December 2026. Original work created in 2024 or later, on the theme 'Together'. A maximum of two physical sculptures can be entered per artist, but the jury will select at most one for an eventual finalists' exhibition. A sculpture that has already won a local or international award is not eligible. If using a prototype, it must be a genuine three-dimensional construction made with actual materials, not merely an unbuilt digital render. Three photo angles and a 360-degree video The application requires three photographic views of each submitted piece, plus a video showing the object from all sides, with a maximum length of 30 seconds. Photographs must be clear high-quality JPEGs, each between 5 and 10 MB, with the longest side at least 2,000 pixels and a minimum 300dpi specification. Plan a neutral background and consistent lighting, with one overall front/side view, a reverse view and a close angle highlighting balance and materials. For the 360-degree footage, move the camera smoothly around the sculpture or rotate it safely on a turntable without obscuring its spatial features. The video is for evidence of a physical sculpture, not a substitute for constructing it. Explain the sculpture's form and research The foundation asks for a concise description of the materials, dimensions, methods and how these serve the concept of duality and harmony. Sculptures must be structurally stable and physically balanced. The theme encourages thought about how opposite elements can coexist in one form; entries can explore negative space, visual rhythm, texture or the tension of still and moving parts. Digital fabrication tools may assist in production, but applicants still have to show a materialised object and comply with rights and authenticity requirements. Prizes and finalist obligations First prize: EGP75,000 and a commemorative trophy. Second prize: EGP50,000 and a certificate. Third prize: EGP25,000 and a certificate. Only finalist works, including winning pieces, are entered into the final group exhibition. The organiser does not pay shipping, transport or insurance costs for the artwork or artist. Handling large sculptures can therefore be a material expense. The submitted physical work may have to remain with the foundation until the group exhibition has finished. Submission period, ownership and notices Apply through the Farouk Hosny Foundation's official portal before midnight on 1 December 2026, Egyptian time. Applicants must enter correct identity and contact information, keep the original photo files, and be ready to deliver the object itself if shortlisted. The foundation's rules allow it to cancel or withhold a prize or adjust arrangements in certain circumstances. Shortlisted artists should check the gallery delivery instructions, public reproduction terms, possible injury or damage risk, and insurance obligations before transporting fragile materials. The foundation and award history The Farouk Hosny Foundation for Culture & Arts is a publicly identifiable Egyptian institution that administers ongoing annual awards in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and criticism. Its 2027 prize page lists fixed amounts for each category and shows previous editions back to the earliest awards. The sculpture competition is one of several distinct categories; its age, works, materials and deadlines differ from the foundation's AI-assisted architecture prize. Artists should read the current Sculpture Award regulation instead of relying on an old online guide where the 360-degree video was once described as optional; in the 2027 official eligibility rules the 30-second video is required. Official sculpture contest and prizes Farouk Hosny official 2027 sculpture eligibility and photo/video conditions: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/award-for-art/eligibility-requirements/ 2027 sculpture terms and Egypt deadline: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/terms-rules-conditions-sculpture-competition/ 2027 prize amounts and competition archive: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/awards/ Foundation 2027 online application links: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/award-for-art/apply/ Checked 24 October 2026. Applicants must be Egyptian citizens aged 18–40 at 31 December 2026. Submission deadline 1 December 2026, Egyptian time; first prize EGP75,000. Read the Arabic official conditions as the binding version. Topics: #FaroukHosnyAward #SculpturePrize2027 #EgyptArtCompetition #ThreeDimensionalArt #VisualArtOpenCall

The Farouk Hosny Foundation for Culture and Arts in Egypt has opened its eighth annual Architecture Award for 2027, focusing this year on a technology-assisted public-space proposal, 'The Plaza… A Meeting Place | Architecture/Urbanism and Artificial Intelligence.' The contest challenges younger architects to imagine inclusive public plazas where social connection, culture and urban life can be renewed, using artificial intelligence as a support for human design decisions. Its official entry window runs from 1 September 2026 through 1 January 2027, with the cutoff specified as midnight in Egypt's time zone. The top architectural prize is EGP100,000. This is explicitly restricted to Egyptian applicants, not a worldwide open AI-art prize. Nationality, age and professional registration restrictions Applicants must be Egyptian nationals and 40 years of age or younger on 1 January 2027. The lead designer must be a practising architect belonging to the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate. Teams may contain architecture students and practitioners from relevant associated disciplines, but must not exceed four people including their registered architect representative. Each individual or team may submit only one project. All submission material must be original and created by the people entering; plagiarised or previously prizewinning commercial work is excluded. The application period closes at 24:00 on 1 January 2027, Egypt local time, according to the foundation's current regulations. Theme: AI must assist rather than replace architectural creativity The foundation explicitly frames artificial intelligence as a design aid, not an automatic substitute for an architect. Successful entries should respond to local environmental, cultural and social needs, using public-space design to bring people together. Applicants must submit a separate document explaining the approach and methodology used with artificial intelligence, and how this contributed to their own design concept and analysis. A stack of spectacular AI-generated renderings without a human-led architectural method does not meet the intellectual expectations of the competition. Project boards, report and required videos Six landscape A1 boards (84 × 59.4 cm), compiled into a single PDF at a resolution of no less than 300 dpi. An Arabic or English written report on A4 pages, not exceeding 2,000 words, explaining the concept and supporting study. A required visual presentation explaining the proposal with voice-over, no more than five minutes long; applicants must not be visible or identifiable. An optional animated visual presentation of the project, no longer than 120 seconds. A written explanation of the AI methodology, its contribution to the design, and human creative responsibilities. No names, team details or identifying marks anywhere in the submitted design material, because entries are evaluated anonymously. Prizes and realistic costs Architecture First Prize: EGP100,000 and a trophy. Second Prize: EGP75,000 plus certificate. Third Prize: EGP50,000 plus certificate. Shortlisted applicants may be required to print A1 boards and the report for the semifinal evaluation. The organiser's public information does not establish a universal entry fee or guaranteed travel/accommodation funding; read the form before committing costs. Anonymity, ownership and technical safety The entry must not reveal names through board footers, video voice introductions or document properties. Use a neutral project identifier, check exported PDF metadata and avoid personal logos or institution identifiers. All visualisations must respect rights in source images, site surveys, datasets, 3D models and AI services. The organisers expect original work; replicating an existing plaza or tracing an unlicensed design does not become original merely by passing it through a model. The professional architect should retain records of analysis and decisions to demonstrate genuine authorship. Why this organiser is identifiable The Farouk Hosny Foundation is an Egyptian cultural-arts foundation running public painting, sculpture, architecture, photography and art-criticism awards, now in their eighth edition. Its official site publishes annual judge panels, category-specific regulations and an archive of winners and awards. The 2027 architecture jury includes experienced architects and university professors, and the award pages state current prize amounts. These records support the programme's identity, while the strong Egyptian professional-licence requirement limits who can legally enter. Official regulations and application 2027 architecture eligibility, theme and six-board format: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/award-for-art/eligibility-requirements/ Architecture Award 2027 binding entry terms: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/terms-rules-conditions-architecture-competition/ Official 2027 application portal and deadlines: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/award-for-art/apply/ 2027 foundation architecture prize amounts: https://faroukhosnyfoundation.org/awards/ Verified 24 October 2026. Deadline 1 January 2027, Egypt time. Egyptian nationals aged 40 or younger, with an Egyptian Engineers Syndicate architect leading each entry. The foundation states that the Arabic terms are authoritative in any dispute. Topics: #FaroukHosny2027 #AIArchitecture #EgyptDesign #UrbanDesignChallenge #ArchitecturePrize

The Hong Kong AI International Film Festival (HKAIIFF) is accepting completed AI-native films and cinematic experiences from creators around the world for its 2027 awards. This is a call for finished, assessable work rather than a funding call for unfinished scripts or a prize for simply using an AI editing tool. Entries opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 1 March 2027 at 23:59 Hong Kong time (UTC+8). The official entry fee is US$99 per film or work, with no early-bird or late-entry tiers. The required submitted version must have been completed on or after 1 August 2026. Meaning of AI-native film in the 2027 rules AI needs to have a substantial creative role in the principal audiovisual material, performance, narrative construction, generative system or audience experience. Merely adding subtitles, denoising sound, upscaling images or using AI to plan administrative tasks is not enough. There is deliberately no numeric threshold such as '50% AI-generated'. Instead, applicants should explain which decisions were made by the artist and which creative processes relied on artificial intelligence. Film, animation and interactive or generative screen-based storytelling can qualify if each has a defined, reviewable completed version. Eligibility, completion date and premieres Who can enter: individuals, groups, studios, film makers, educational institutions and representatives authorised by the rights holders, from any country. Closing time: 1 March 2027, 23:59 Hong Kong time (UTC+8). Entry fee: US$99 per complete work, charged when formally applying. The submitted version must have been completed on or after 1 August 2026. No general minimum running time, and no world premiere restriction: previously screened or uploaded eligible works can apply. A trailer, concept deck, fragment collection or isolated demo cannot replace the complete audiovisual work. Documents and the difference between a draft and a valid entry The formal process takes place via the festival's official hkaiiff.io entry portal. Applicants register, supply rights-holder and work information, pay the US$99 fee, then upload the poster, trailer and complete film. The organiser specifically distinguishes a registered account, an unfinished draft, a paid application, an INDEX record and an accepted festival submission: none should be mistaken for the others. Complete all required declarations and media uploads, then check that the dashboard confirms the final accepted state rather than stopping after payment. Awards: seven different kinds of achievement HKAIIFF's 2027 programme advertises seven Unicorn honours: one Golden Unicorn Grand Prix for the complete AI-native film; three Silver Unicorn achievements for Creative Method, Digital Character and Worldbuilding; and three additional awards for Narrative Innovation, Audiovisual Innovation and Experiential Innovation. Films may be considered for relevant achievements under the current rules without purchasing a separate category entry for every award. The official information does not promise a fixed cash amount for each winner, and the exact dates, venues and award resources are to be announced separately. Copyright, model permissions and accessibility Applicants should be able to license the screening of every image, sound recording, performance and generated visual used in their work. The rules request substantive evidence of AI-enabled creation, human editorial choices, participant rights and any relevant consent for likenesses or voices. Non-English films should provide the subtitles or transcripts requested by the application system. For a dynamic work, explain the experience's scope, duration or stopping condition, required hardware and accessibility requirements so jurors can meaningfully assess it. Organiser identity and verification HKAIIFF maintains an official 2027 entry guide and a separate facts and questions site describing the award architecture, fee schedule and application states. The programme positions itself specifically around AI-native cinema and emerging film methods rather than traditional festival premiere exclusivity. Since the 2027 festival's dates, venues and detailed prizes are not yet fixed, applicants should not book travel or budget imaginary cash funding. Use the official hkaiiff.org documentation, then follow the official application link it provides. Official entry guide and rules HKAIIFF 2027 official entry requirements: https://www.hkaiiff.org/en/festival/2027/entry-guide HKAIIFF 2027 facts and important explanations: https://www.hkaiiff.org/en/facts HKAIIFF home and awards programme: https://www.hkaiiff.org/en Information verified 24 October 2026. Worldwide entries currently open. Deadline 1 March 2027 at 23:59 Hong Kong time. Fee US$99 per completed qualifying film. Topics: #HKAIIFF2027 #AICinema #AIFilmFestival #GenerativeFilm #DigitalStorytelling

MODE: Motion Design Education Summit will convene international motion designers, animation educators, creative technologists and design researchers in Singapore from 10 to 12 June 2027, hosted by the National University of Singapore. Its 2027 theme, BREAKOUT, asks how motion design can move beyond inherited disciplinary boundaries, conventional teaching methods and fixed technical toolchains. Proposals were accepted starting 1 August 2026. Applicants should act quickly: the organiser's own website has displayed conflicting date text, with a 'Wednesday, 28 October 2026' version and another version giving 'Wednesday, 31 October 2026' even though 31 October falls on a Saturday. For a safe deadline, complete your submission no later than Wednesday 28 October and ask the organiser to confirm any later allowance. What research, workshops and creative practice fit the summit? MODE asks for research, original teaching frameworks, creative demonstrations, critical essays, cross-disciplinary methods and practical experiments at the intersection of time-based design and visual communication. Its stated 2027 tracks include AI and machine learning in motion graphics, AR/VR/MR interactive experience, data-driven visualisation, animated brand identity, real-time live graphics, inclusive and accessible motion design, kinetic typography, cultural impact and hybrid analogue-digital methods. Proposals should be specific enough to support a useful presentation or documented creative demonstration. Dates and the importance of deadline discrepancies Call for proposals opened: 1 August 2026. One official site version explicitly gives Wednesday, 28 October 2026; another current crawl carries 'Wednesday, 31 October 2026', which is a calendar contradiction. Recommendation: submit by 28 October 2026, then ask the secretariat for clarification if a later date matters. Acceptance notices expected Monday 14 December 2026. First draft papers scheduled Monday 8 March 2027. Conference hosted by National University of Singapore, 10–12 June 2027. Registration fees are not proposal submission charges Conference admission prices are explicitly listed by MODE: an early-bird registration of US$325 for 1 January–31 March 2027, a regular ticket of US$400 for 1 April–31 May, and a late ticket of US$475 for 1–10 June. Full-time students can access a US$25 registration rate with valid student identification. These are prices for ATTENDING the summit, not necessarily for sending a proposal. The public page does not clearly publish a proposal-application fee, so do not claim that submitting a paper is free or that a successful speaker's registration is automatically covered. How to prepare a clear proposal Provide a descriptive research or workshop title, a focused thesis, a short evidence-based abstract, examples of practical motion work, educational impact and methods for assessing results. For AI-based processes, document the real contribution of tools and human decisions rather than relying on product advertising. For XR, specify the required headset or hardware, interaction method and accessibility accommodations; for data graphics, explain your dataset and how moving images reveal something that static figures cannot. The official Call for Proposals page controls the eventual upload format and word limits. What participants should budget The organiser does not establish that every selected speaker will receive a fee, flights, hotel, production support or visa sponsorship. Singapore accommodation can be a substantial additional cost. Presenters should calculate summit registration, travel, insurance and installation expenses, and contact the MODE Society about speaker concessions before accepting. A project that requires a live render server or specialised stage equipment should supply a precise technical rider. Host identity and programme background The MODE Society brings together practitioners and educators interested in animation, broadcast design, interactivity and motion design teaching. Its summit series has been held across previous years; the 2027 conference is hosted by the National University of Singapore. The official site publishes a programme theme, venue and fees, conference committee contacts and submission details, allowing authors to confirm the call. This is an academic/creative proposal opportunity, not a juried prize promising cash awards for design students. Official programme and call MODE 2027 official summit, deadlines and fees: https://www.modesummit.com/ MODE 2027 Call for Proposals section: https://www.modesummit.com/ Checked 24 October 2026. International proposal call; target Wednesday 28 October because of the contradictory deadline text; conference in Singapore 10–12 June 2027. Topics: #MODE2027 #MotionDesign #DesignEducation #XRResearch #KineticTypography

Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF) has launched the international call for its 2027 edition, themed 'It's Alive…'. Artists, creative technologists, researchers, performers and game makers are invited to explore techno-animism: the everyday ways people attribute personality, intent and emotion to digital systems and intelligent machines. The festival takes place in Athens, Greece, with its FilmFreeway listing currently giving 6–9 May 2027 as the event dates. The official deadline for applications is 10 November 2026. The organiser's 2027 announcement and submission platform describe this as the 23rd edition, while some reused explanatory text on the platform still refers to the earlier 22nd edition; rely on the 2027 call dates rather than an outdated edition number in boilerplate. Who should apply? The festival calls for new works in digital, computational, creative-coding and hybrid practices. Its twelve subject areas cover Video Art, Animation, Installations, Performances, Music, VR/XR/MR, Workshops, Talks, Web Art, Digital Image, Games and ADAF Kids. Proposals may deal with algorithms, artificial intelligence, human-machine relationships, digital folklore, virtual embodiment, technological rituals, network culture and artificial environments. The international call does not prescribe one visual style or country of residence. Deadlines and free submission routes Festival call closes 10 November 2026. Apply using the organiser's 2027 festival website. FilmFreeway lists animation, video art, animations for children, 360-degree video and virtual reality categories as free to enter. The festival's FilmFreeway rules show up to 20 minutes in the separate animation and video-art categories; confirm your specific track's permitted runtime. The event listing indicates notification in April 2027 and a festival scheduled for 6–9 May 2027; schedules can change. Fee-free short-film or VR categories do not establish that all possible proposals are automatically free: check any installation/workshop production agreement. Technical files and rights For video and animation, the festival requests an MP4 encoded with H.264, three still images at 300ppi, a synopsis of up to 100 words and a short artist biography of up to 100 words, at or after selection depending on submission route. Films longer than 30 minutes are considered only at the organiser's discretion. Submit original work or material you have permission to exhibit; the festival requires clearances for music, film footage and images. The terms say selected works cannot ordinarily be withdrawn after confirmation, and compilation rights for festival representation may extend to selected and unselected submissions. Read these clauses before uploading. Awards versus financing The festival advertises non-monetary category distinctions and audience-voted awards; physical or online participation is not a guaranteed production stipend, cash prize or travel reimbursement. If an interactive installation requires custom hardware, exhibition staff, shipping or specialised insurance, ask the organiser whether it can supply those resources. Applicants should document a technical rider, screen/sensor needs, platform requirements and an installation plan. About ADAF and institutional history Athens Digital Arts Festival was established in 2005 as the Athens Video Art Festival by the non-profit Multitrab Productions. It is a longstanding annual event connecting digital art, science and emerging technologies with public audiences. The organiser operates a named application platform, publishes historical programmes and maintains the FilmFreeway entry profile. This history helps distinguish its official submission route from unrelated for-profit competitions. Official 2027 ADAF open-call site: https://2027.adaf.gr/ ADAF FilmFreeway categories, 2027 entry fees and technical rules: https://filmfreeway.com/adafgreece Verified 24 October 2026. Athens, Greece; global proposals; 10 November 2026 deadline. Review the exact submission pathway and current category fees on the organiser's website. Topics: #ADAF2027 #AthensDigitalArts #MediaArtCall #AnimationFestival #XRArt

The New Media Film Festival, based in Los Angeles, California, has opened the 2027 submission season for filmmakers, digital artists, game creators and storytellers experimenting with emerging formats. Its programme spans traditional short films and television as well as AI-produced media, mixed and augmented reality, virtual reality and 360-degree films, animation, interactive digital comics, gaming and metaverse projects, music videos, NFT-related narratives, podcasts and vertical mobile-first storytelling. The 2027 festival runs 2 June online and 3 June in Los Angeles. Submissions are international and subject to category-specific eligibility. Categories for digital artists and game creators Animation & Artwork: animation in two or three dimensions, CGI, stop-motion and visual work. AR/MR/AI/Tech: AI-assisted films, augmented and mixed-reality interactive narratives. Virtual Reality/360: immersive films and virtual experiences. Gaming & Metaverse: game-based narratives and interactive environments. Digital Comics and New Media/NFTs: interactive visual formats and contemporary digital publishing. Music and Music Videos, Microdrama, Vertical Format, Drone/Mobile Media, Web Series, and other narrative categories. Entry deadlines and fees The official 2027 schedule lists 6 December 2026 as a regular submission date with an $80 fee, 6 February 2027 as a later regular deadline with an $85 fee, and 6 April 2027 as the final deadline with a $95 fee. These published figures are a general fee schedule; individual FilmFreeway/Eventbrite categories or member discounts may differ. Verify the payable amount in the live entry category before committing. Nominee notifications are expected by 15 April, and the schedule is finalised around 1 May 2027. Prizes: services and exposure, not automatic cash The organiser's published Grand Prize package includes an opportunity for industry meetings with major entertainment organisations such as HBO or Marvel, LA studio or casting services, production support, a hand-painted film slate and software services. Category winners receive artwork and production-tool benefits. Script top-three awards include feedback services. These are mainly non-cash, non-transferable benefits, and the precise package is subject to organiser terms; no applicant should plan a film budget assuming a cash cheque or confirmed job offer. Intellectual property and screening terms The festival states that entrants retain ownership of the underlying intellectual property. Entrants nevertheless grant exhibition and promotional rights under the rules accepted at checkout; they must ensure valid licences for all music, voice, archival footage, stock images, game engine assets and recognisable persons. If a VR artwork relies on hardware, network access or a paid headset, include a technical rider. A short sample that demonstrates actual interaction is more informative to jurors than merely promising an interactive experience. What to include in your entry Prepare a concise synopsis, maker/team credits, running time or interactivity requirements, a private working screener or demonstration, screenshots and technical specifications. For mobile-first vertical dramas, indicate portrait orientation; for games, clarify supported platform and how a reviewer can experience the content. Since the festival has more than 30 categories, choose the category that matches the viewing format, not only the presence of AI tools. Organiser track record New Media Film Festival describes its establishment in 2009 and has hosted recurring award programmes combining film, emerging technology and media entrepreneurship. Its own website lists past awards, jurors and the 2027 submission and festival schedule. It should not be confused with dozens of newly created monthly online film-prize brands; examine category fees and specific distribution opportunities on its own submission portal. Official festival 2027 submission and awards description: https://www.newmediafilmfestival.com/submit/ Official New Media Film Festival website: https://www.newmediafilmfestival.com/ Checked 24 October 2026. International entries welcome; December 6 2026, February 6 and April 6 2027 price stages. Event 2–3 June 2027. Topics: #NewMediaFilmFestival #AIArtFestival #VirtualRealityFilm #AnimationCall #GameMedia

Rotary International is inviting photographs for its 2027 Rotary magazine Photo Awards, with submissions accepted from 1 October through 31 December 2026. The competition seeks photos expressing everyday life, neighbourhood culture, community projects, Rotary values, service, people and other topics of general interest. Winning photographs will be published in the June 2027 issue of Rotary magazine. However, this is not an unrestricted public photography contest: eligibility requires a defined connection with Rotary or a programme it operates. Who can enter? Check the membership rule A current or honorary member of a Rotary or Rotaract club. A current participant or alumnus/alumna of an official Rotary programme. A spouse or partner of a Rotary club member, or an adult child of a member (age 18 or older). The published notice does not say that everyone in the general public, or any person who has made a donation, automatically qualifies. Photographs must have been taken on or after 1 January 2026. Deadline and number of photographs The official entry period is 1 October 2026 at 00:00 US Central Standard Time through 31 December 2026 at 23:59 CST. Entrants may make up to five separate submissions, each containing exactly one photograph. The entry announcement suggests images of everyday life in the participant's community alongside Rotary service projects, portraits and human-interest photographs. The notice does not verify a universal entry charge, so review the linked submission portal before concluding the contest is completely free. Copyright, permissions and magazine presentation Entrants must own or control rights to submitted photographs. Rotary warns that likeness or model releases may be requested, particularly when identifiable people appear. Avoid using an image where a person has not authorised editorial or promotional display if the magazine could ask for formal proof. Confirm whether an illustration created entirely through AI qualifies as a 'photograph' under the live rules before applying. This competition's verified prize is recognition and publication in Rotary magazine, rather than a guaranteed fixed cash award; none was stated in the primary announcement. Suggested submission workflow Select five photographs made during calendar 2026 that demonstrate clear context and visual storytelling. Add accurate captions with locations, dates and the relationship of the subject to the photographer. Check faces and consent, and keep original camera files in case verification is needed. If a picture depicts a Rotary service project, ensure that the community it portrays is treated with dignity and the participants' permission. Upload each photo separately, following the form's resolution and accepted file size requirements. Who organises the awards? Rotary International is a long-established worldwide civic and community-service organisation and publishes Rotary magazine. The Photo Awards are an editorial programme within its established publication, with a visible official 2027 submission announcement. This helps distinguish it from unrelated photo-prize brands using Rotary's name. Entry through the official Rotary domain is the appropriate starting point. Official call and questions Rotary International official 2027 Magazine Photo Awards: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-magazine-photo-awards Rotary's main website and publication information: https://www.rotary.org/en Verified 24 October 2026 from Rotary's official 2027 award call. Deadline 31 December 2026 at 23:59 CST. Up to five original photos taken since 1 January 2026. Questions can be emailed to magazine@rotary.org with subject Photo Awards. Topics: #RotaryPhotoAwards #RotaryMagazine #Photography2027 #PhotoOpenCall #Rotaract

The Kuala Lumpur International Photoawards (KLPA) has opened its AUTOPORTRAIT 2026 'PLAY' international photography call in collaboration with the FORMAT International Photography Festival 2027 in Derby, United Kingdom. Photographers worldwide are invited to create experimental self-portraits exploring the relationship between identity, gesture, everyday performance, technical process and play. Submissions are open to professionals and amateurs at least 16 years of age as of 25 November 2026. The deadline is 25 November 2026 at midnight Malaysian time (UTC+8). Selected work can be projected at FORMAT27 from 11 March to 11 April 2027. Theme: PLAY and self-portraiture The festival encourages artists to experiment with photographic materials and methods, from analogue self-portraits and double exposures made in camera to staged contemporary images. The central theme PLAY concerns experimentation, humour, chance and new ways of portraying the self. This is specifically a photographic self-portrait opportunity, not a general AI image-generation competition. Images must have been created in 2024–2026 and depict a portrait in the organiser's broad sense. Who may enter? Photographers of all nationalities aged 16 or older on 25 November 2026. Professional and amateur creators may apply; each applicant may make at most two submissions. A submission may contain up to ten single images with captions, chosen according to the official paid-entry tier. Full-time enrolled students under 25 years of age may submit one image at no charge by uploading a student identification card or enrolment letter. Organisers, employees and affiliated sponsoring staff are not eligible under the published conflict-of-interest clause. Fees: per entry tier One image: €12. Two images: €24. Three to six images: €45. Seven to ten images: €65. Qualifying full-time students under 25: one photo free, with proof of student status. Prizes and exhibition benefits The first prize is €1,000, the second €500 and the third €300. The judges may withhold distinctions if entries do not meet the standard. The top 35 finalist portraits will be promoted online and screened at FORMAT27 in Derby, UK, from 11 March to 11 April 2027, and may feature in later KLPA presentations in Malaysia. Shortlists are expected in January 2027; winners in February. The call does not guarantee that a selected photographer receives airfare, accommodation or a cash reward. Very important: AI-generated images are not allowed KLPA explicitly disallows images wholly or partly created with text-to-image generative artificial intelligence, as well as heavy digital manipulation, composite fabrication, erased features, HDR-type extreme processing and deceptive special effects. Basic darkroom-style exposure, contrast, dodging and cropping adjustments may be permitted. In-camera multiple exposure and documented alternative historical photography processes are acceptable. Entrants should retain original camera RAW/JPEG files and production notes in case verification is requested. Technical delivery and copyrights Upload a high-quality JPG in sRGB with the longest edge around 1,500 pixels and a file size around 1,500KB. Naming convention: surname.firstname.number.jpg in lowercase. Portraits should be free of watermarks and borders; for recognisable subjects, obtain an appropriate model release, especially when images may be exhibited publicly. Copyright stays with the photographer, but the award organisers and partners receive rights to use selected images without extra compensation for specified exhibition and promotional purposes. Read the extent of the organiser's three-year promotional licence before sending an exclusively licensed image. Organiser and documented track record KLPA has operated a photographic awards programme in Malaysia through explorenation.net, with UK/Malaysian project leadership and director Steven Lee. Its collaboration with FORMAT27 provides an identifiable festival partner, published exhibition dates and an archive of recognised portrait works. Use the official KLPA site or linked Picter submission form and avoid anyone selling promises of selection. KLPA AUTOPORTRAIT 2026 official launch and prizes: https://www.klphotoawards.com/ Current AUTOPORTRAIT rules, fees, photographic restrictions: https://www.klphotoawards.com/rules KLPA official frequently asked questions: https://www.klphotoawards.com/faq Verified 24 October 2026. Global age 16+, close 25 November 2026, 23:59 Malaysian time UTC+8. Top prize €1,000; no generative AI images. Topics: #KLPA2026 #Autoportrait #FORMAT27 #PortraitPhotography #PhotographyPrize

Fisheye International Film Festival will run from 15 April to 1 May 2027 in the United Kingdom, and its international competitions are accepting short films, micro-shorts, features and work across animation, experimental cinema and music video. The organisers run screenings drawing on both British and international submissions. Animation and experimental shorts can be submitted through 21 December 2026, while the last date for eligible feature films is 30 November 2026. There is an important difference between festival screening history and online public release: the official rules prohibit a film having been widely available to the public on YouTube or Vimeo before the event. Who can submit what? Animation shorts: up to 20 minutes, including credits. Experimental shorts: dance and movement films, music videos, artists' moving-image work and other experimental formats up to 20 minutes. Micro-shorts: at most 4 minutes. Short films by makers aged 22 or under: at most 20 minutes, with age assessed at the film's completion date. Features: narrative or experimental 80–120 minutes; documentary features 60–120 minutes. Special 'Show Off Your Shorts' presentations require the filmmaker to attend the event in person; read that category's separate attendance clause. Completion date and application deadlines A short film must have been completed on or after 1 January 2026; a feature must have been completed after 1 May 2025. The regular entry date is 26 October 2026, an intermediate late short/feature deadline falls on 30 November, and the final date for shorts is 21 December. FilmFreeway specifies its own submission-window fees by category. As an example, the Animation Short Film class lists a standard fee of £15 at the current regular deadline, £18 at the late November stage and £20 at the final December stage. Check the live platform's total before paying rather than assume the festival is free. Technical, subtitles and rights rules All works must be complete; no works in progress are admitted. Films not in English need English subtitles embedded in the video. The judges require a secure screening link via FilmFreeway or the festival's associated submission route. If selected, filmmakers must deliver an exhibition-quality file and supporting stills, poster, brief biography and credits in time for programming; the 2027 public rules cite 14 February as the screening-file planning deadline. The organisers say they do not pay screening fees or the filmmaker's travel and lodging costs. Applicants must obtain the necessary rights to music, photographs, performances and other third-party assets. Premieres and internet availability There is no blanket world-premiere requirement, so prior festival screenings are allowed. However, the organisers explicitly state that films already publicly accessible online before Fisheye cannot compete under the standard rules, and films already distributed through VOD before the festival need special consideration. This distinction matters for creators promoting an animation trailer or full music video on public channels. Sharing a private password-protected screener for jury evaluation is a different situation from releasing the finished film to everyone. The festival's record and why it is worth checking Fisheye began in 2016 and has held repeated competitions and showcases with films from many countries. Its 2027 website and FilmFreeway terms publicly list runtimes, categories, costs and age limitations. Those sources allow filmmakers to assess eligibility before paying. Its awards provide industry exposure and festival laurels, but there is no universal cash funding or free travel promise for every selection. Official calls and submission Fisheye festival's 2027 competition overview: https://fisheyefilmfest.uk/ Official FilmFreeway rules and application categories: https://filmfreeway.com/FisheyeFilmFestival2027 Checked 24 October 2026. International animation/experimental short films by 21 December 2026; features by 30 November 2026; festival in the UK from 15 April to 1 May 2027. Topics: #FisheyeFilm2027 #AnimationFestival #ExperimentalFilm #MusicVideoFestival #InternationalShortFilms