1st 丨2023

The inaugural Venice International Watercolor Festival was officially launched in 2023 against a backdrop of profound significance. The COVID-19 pandemic had dealt a severe blow to the global ecosystem of artistic exchange, leaving the international watercolor community in a prolonged period of stagnation. It was in this context that the festival came into being — using watercolor, an accessible and deeply vital artistic medium, to reconnect artists and enthusiasts across the world, reignite the passion for creation, celebrate humanity's triumph over the pandemic, and offer a prayer for world peace.

The festival was open to watercolor artists and enthusiasts aged 18 and above from around the world, with no thematic restrictions, encouraging complete freedom of artistic expression. The call for entries opened in January 2023 and closed at the end of August. Judging was conducted in two stages — a preliminary round and a final — with shortlisted works brought to Treviso for on-site evaluation and awards selection. The exhibition opened at the Palazzo dei Trecento on November 7, 2023, running through November 24, with the award ceremony held concurrently. The top first prize carried an award of $5,000 USD, and the jury comprised distinguished figures from the United States, Italy, Spain, Ireland, China, and beyond.

The success of the inaugural edition marked the birth of a new international art platform, laying a solid foundation for all subsequent editions and setting the Venice International Watercolor Festival firmly on its path as a recognized brand within the global watercolor art world.