Event Details

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

Duration: 2026-04-01 to 2026-09-10

Location: Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Organizer: Clarence Bicknell Association (UK), Italian Association for Cultural and Artistic Exchange (Italy), Shengxinyu Art (China), Marangoni Art Center (Italy)

Overview of the 2026 Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival

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.

Competition Rules

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. Photo Submission Requirements: Participants must submit images of their works in JPG format, at a resolution of no less than 300dpi, with the shortest side no less than 2000 pixels, and a file size of at least 2MB and no more than 5MB. Entries may be submitted directly through the official website or sent to the festival's designated email address at art.shengxinyu@gmail.com. Images must faithfully represent the original work and must not undergo excessive post-processing (such as heavy color grading or the addition of filters), as this may affect the final judging outcome.

A completed entry form containing artist information and artwork details must be submitted together with the work.

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

7. 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.

Entry Fees & Payment

1. Registration Fees:

• 1 artwork: $30 USD (RMB 200)

• 2 artworks: $50 USD (RMB 300)

• 3 artworks: $60 USD (RMB 400)

Each artist may submit a maximum of three works. International artists should make payment via the Italian Association for Cultural and Artistic Exchange's PayPal account: associazionescambiartistici@gmail.com.

2. Exhibition & Logistics (International Artists)

International artists participating in the offline exhibition are required to frame their works prior to shipment. All costs related to international logistics, transportation, and insurance are to be borne by the artist. Artists must also provide the necessary cultural export/import documentation and official permits.

Note: All works selected for the offline exhibition at the Palazzo dei Trecento in Treviso will have the opportunity to be sold. Artists are required to indicate the selling price of their work at the time of registration. The organizers will handle sales on behalf of the artists; any works sold will be subject to applicable local taxes and international wire transfer fees. The organizers will not charge any commission on sales. All exhibited works will also be available for sale to a global audience through the online gallery on the official competition website.

Judging & Certificates

1. Judging Process

The competition is conducted in two rounds: a preliminary round and a final round. Preliminary Round (Online Judging): A panel of 22 international jurors from around the world will independently evaluate all submitted works based on high-resolution digital images. Scores are compiled and ranked by overall result to determine the shortlist, which will be announced on the official website.

Final Round (On-site Judging): All shortlisted works will be eligible for invitation to participate in the live exhibition held at the Palazzo dei Trecento in Treviso, Italy, and to compete in the offline final. Once the physical works have arrived at the exhibition venue, the jury will select the award recipients across all categories as well as the festival's highest honor. All judging results will be formally announced at the award ceremony and simultaneously published on the official website for public reference.

2. Certificates

All works shortlisted in the preliminary round will receive an official Shortlist Certificate issued by the Organizing Committee of the Venice International Watercolor Festival (digital version).

All works participating in the offline final exhibition will receive either a Certificate of Participation or a Certificate of Award (digital version), according to their result.

All prize-winning works will receive the corresponding prize money and a Certificate of Award (digital version). All judging results will be formally announced at the award ceremony and simultaneously published on the official website, where they will be available for public viewing.

Schedule

1. Registration Period: April 1, 2026 — Deadline: September 10, 2026

2. How to Register

International artists may click "Apply Now" to submit the entry form and pay the relevant fees via PayPal to associazionescambiartistici@gmail.com. Once payment is complete, please send a high-resolution image of your work along with a screenshot of the payment confirmation to art.shengxinyu@gmail.com.

Chinese artists may register directly at www.shengxinyuart.com. Navigate to the competition page, click the "Register Now" button, log in, and proceed to upload your work and complete payment through the registration portal. Once payment is confirmed, a staff member will review the submission, and the work will appear on the public-facing page upon approval. Alternatively, artists may register and pay directly by contacting Ms. Li at 18661693425 or Mr. Ji at 13681147769 via WeChat.

3. Judging Timeline

Preliminary Judging: September 10–15, 2026 This stage is conducted online. International jurors will vote to select shortlisted works based on high-resolution digital images. Shortlisted works will be eligible for invitation to the exhibition at the Palazzo dei Trecento in Italy and to compete in the final round. All shortlisted artists will receive an official Shortlist Certificate from the Organizing Committee.

Deadline for Submission of Physical Works for the Final: September 20, 2026 Artists wishing to compete in the final (awards judging) must ship their physical works to the exhibition venue in Italy. All works entered into the final must arrive at the designated location specified by the Organizing Committee no later than September 20. Late arrivals will not be accepted and will forfeit eligibility for the final round.

Shortlisted international artists will receive detailed exhibition instructions upon notification. Works must be framed and shipped via international courier to the address provided in the exhibition notice, along with appropriate customs documentation. All costs related to framing, customs clearance, round-trip shipping, and insurance are to be borne by the artist. The Organizing Committee will assign dedicated staff to receive and return all works.

Shortlisted Chinese artists who choose to participate in the final should ship their works to the Shengxinyu Art Studio (Room A517, Shangbao Art Zone, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District, Beijing — contact: Mr. Ji, 13681147769). Shengxinyu Art will coordinate all international logistics on their behalf.

Final Judging: October 1–15, 2026 All works entered in the offline final will be judged on-site in Treviso, Italy. The list of award recipients will be officially announced at the opening ceremony on October 17, 2026.

4. Exhibition Opening: October 17, 2026 The finalist exhibition of the Venice International Watercolor Festival will open at the Palazzo dei Trecento in Treviso, Italy, accompanied by the award ceremony.

Exhibition Dates: October 17 – November 1, 2026. Artists from around the world are warmly welcome to attend the opening ceremony or travel to Europe to view the exhibition in person.