Event Details

Name: "Heritage and Expedition: The Memory and Contemporaneity of Watercolor" — The 4th Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival

Application window: 1 April 2026 to 10th September 2026

Location: Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Organizer: Shengxinyu Art (China)

Patronage：Clarence Bicknell Association (UK), Associazione Culturale per gli Scambi Artistici (Italy), Fondazione e Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore (Italy) ,Comunità di Marango ( Italy)

In 2026, the Venice International Watercolor Festival returns with the theme "Heritage and Expedition: The Memory and Contemporaneity of Watercolor," advancing global exchange and innovation in watercolor art while paying tribute to the spiritual forces that have shaped its history. The theme draws inspiration from a nineteenth-century tradition of artistic patronage: Elhanan Bicknell supported artists including J. M. W. Turner, helping to elevate watercolor into an art form of independent spiritual vitality, while Clarence Bicknell's botanical watercolor practice exemplified the fusion of art and science. The festival invites submissions from watercolor artists, enthusiasts, and art students worldwide.

Watercolor is not merely a medium — it is a visual language with a long and distinguished history. In the nineteenth century, it reached its peak through artists such as Turner, becoming a poetic form capable of carrying light and atmosphere. Yet behind every great artist stands an equally visionary supporter, a role history has too often overlooked. The Bicknell family embodies this tradition, representing three enduring values: the support of art, the reverence for nature, and the pursuit of the medium's intrinsic purity.

In a contemporary context, honoring tradition means reactivating it within new cultural settings. In Venice — the "City of Water" — watercolor takes on renewed symbolic meaning, as water connects cities and civilizations, and color transcends language and borders. The 2026 festival will explore the contemporary transformation of traditional spirit, cross-medium experimentation, and the ecological relationship between humanity and nature. Artists will push the boundaries of watercolor through material fusion, digital interaction, and youth-driven innovation — making this not merely an exhibition, but an ongoing dialogue about how tradition is inherited, and how it is rewritten.

1. Eligibility: The festival is open to watercolor artists, enthusiasts, and art students aged 18 and above from around the world.

2. Originality of Works

All submitted works must be original creations by the participating artist, who must hold full copyright and authorship. The use of AI-generated or AI-assisted content, classroom/workshop pieces, reproductions, photographs as substitutes, or reference materials created by others is strictly prohibited. Any reference photographs must have been taken by the artist or used with proper authorization. Works found to violate the originality requirements will be disqualified and removed from the exhibition.

3. Medium: The water-based medium must constitute no less than 90% of the work (e.g., watercolor, ink wash), painted on paper using watercolor techniques.

4. Dimensions: The maximum size is 76cm × 56cm (2K); works exceeding this limit will not be accepted. The recommended optimal sizes are 56cm × 38cm (4K) or 38cm × 28cm (8K). All dimensions are in centimeters, accurate to within 0.5cm.

5. Style Requirements: There are no style restrictions. Realist, figurative, expressive, abstract, exploratory, and experimental works are all welcome.

6. Artistic Categories:

a. Figures (portraits, group compositions, nudes, etc.);

b. Landscapes;

c. Still life;

d. Florals;

e. Exploratory & Experimental (abstract);

f. Other (including animals and miscellaneous subjects).

All works must be completed by the artist personally; reproductions or photographs may not be used as substitutes. This edition of the festival imposes no thematic restrictions — any subject matter, including but not limited to figures, landscapes, still life, animals, and abstract art, is accepted. Each participant may submit a maximum of three works.

[Awards & Cash Prizes]

1. Themed Award — This themed award is open to all categories and will be selected from all submitted works.

1st Prize (1 winner): $2,000 USD

2nd Prize (2 winners): $800 USD each

3rd Prize (3 winners): $500 USD each

2. Art Education Award

To encourage active participation from university students, this year's watercolor festival features a special "Education Award." The jury will select 6 young artists (aged 18–25) with outstanding potential from all shortlisted participants who are currently undergraduate or postgraduate students and have not won any other awards. Winners will receive cash prizes or other forms of educational support.

Artists in this category must provide proof of enrollment (a student ID card or other documents verifying their student status).

Education Award - 1st Prize (1 winner): $800 USD

Education Award - 2nd Prize (2 winners): Master Watercolor Online Course (10 sessions), valued at $500 USD.

Education Award - 3rd Prize (3 winners): An opportunity for dedicated, one-on-one online art mentorship and critique with an international master artist (conducted via Zoom, video conference, or email) to support their artistic growth and expand their international perspective.

3. Category Awards:

Category awards are established based on different themes of the artwork. (Category awards do not include cash prizes; winners will receive an authoritative certificate issued by Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival)

Figures & Portraits: 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

Landscapes: 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

Still Life: 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

Florals: 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

Exploratory (Abstract): 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

Others (including Animals, etc.): 1st Prize (1), 2nd Prize (2), 3rd Prize (3), Honorable Mention (10)

4. Special Nomination Awards:

Nominated by authoritative partner institutions based on the selection of the international jury, these awards are chosen from works across all categories (cumulative winning is permitted). They represent the aesthetic standards and values of authoritative international art institutions, providing diversified perspective support for the festival's judging. The awards and certificates will be jointly issued and signed by the nominating art institution and the festival committee.

Almeira Competition Nomination Award (Spain): 10 winners

Shanghai International Culture Exchange Association Nomination Award (China): 10 winners

Clarence Bicknell Association Award (UK): 3 winners 

5. Special Sponsor Awards (Physical Prizes & Art Supplies):

Specially sponsored by renowned domestic and international art supply brands, these awards honor outstanding works that demonstrate exquisite skills and bold innovation under the theme of "Heritage and Expedition" (cumulative winning is permitted). Winning artists will receive high-quality art supplies, tools, and other physical art products.