The "Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival" will commence on April 20th to September 18th 2024, and conclude with the opening ceremony in TREVISO, Italy on October 12th - 2024 with the event titled “Festival Internazionale dell'Acquerello per LeVenezie - II Esposizione Internazionale di Acquerellisti Contemporanei”. The year 2024 also marks the 700th anniversary of the death of the renowned Italian explorer Marco Polo. Given the significant association between the events, the "Festival Internazionale dell'Acquerello per Le Venezie - II Esposizione Internazionale di Acquerellisti Contemporanei" has been officially incorporated into the commemorative activities,becoming an integral part of the overall celebration.
Shanghai International Cultural Exchange Association
Shengxinyu Art in collaboration with Italian Association for Art Exchange
Palazzo dei Trecento, with the Patronage of Treviso Municipality.
Comunità di San Gaetano (Italy); Ateneo di Treviso (Italy);
Spanish Watercolor Artists Association (Spain); Almenara Art Award Competition (Spain);
"tARTget Painting Prize" Competition (Spain) and Watercolor Society of Ireland (Ireland).
Director: Raffaello Padovan (Chairman of the Italian Art Exchange Association)
Deputy Directors:
Zhao Kangwei (President of the Shanghai International Cultural Exchange Association)
Curator: Zhang Hongbin (Founder of Shengxinyu Art, International Renowned Curator)
General Secretary: Ji Yinglun (Co-founder of Shengxinyu Art, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of
"Collection" Magazine)
Giandomenico Padovan (Secretary-General of the Italian Art Exchange Association)
Members of the Committee Secretariat: Li Feng (China), Wang Min (China).
The “Festival Internazionale dell'Acquerello per Le Venezie - II Esposizione Internazionale di Acquerellisti Contemporanei” has been officially included in the city of Venice’s activities to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death
The "Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival" is a global event of watercolor art jointly initiated by the Shanghai International Cultural Exchange Association and Sheng Xinyu Art (China) between China and Foreign Countries, with the collaboration of the Italian Art Exchange Association. In 2023, the “Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival” established branches in Italy, the United States, and China, and successfully held exhibitions of selected and award-winning works at the "Palazzo dei Trecento" in Treviso, Italy, and the Art Museum of Morehead University in Kentucky, USA, attracting widespread attention from watercolor art enthusiasts worldwide. According to statistics from the organizing committee, artists and enthusiasts from more than twenty countries participated, including the United States, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Russia, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Algeria, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and others.
2024 marks the 700th anniversary of the passing of the great explorer Marco Polo (1254-1324). A grand commemorative event was launched in Venice to honor Marco Polo's legacy. Recognizing the importance of the “Festival Internazionale dell'Acquerello per Le Venezie - II Esposizione Internazionale di Acquerellisti Contemporanei" and its contributions to cultural exchange, the event has been included by the Venice Municipal Government as part of the 2024 commemoration of Marco Polo's 700th anniversary. The 2024 “Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival” started on April 20th and will continue to host a series of watercolor sketching, training, and competition events globally. On October 12, the festival will hold the final exhibition of selected works, including the Marco Polo Prize at "Palazzo dei Trecento", Treviso.
Eligibility: Watercolor artists and enthusiasts worldwide, aged 18 and above.
Medium: Artworks must be predominantly water-based (e.g., watercolor, ink) and executed on paper using watercolor techniques.
Dimensions: The maximum size is 76cm x 56cm (2K). Artworks exceeding this size will not be accepted. The recommended sizes are 56cm × 38cm (4K) or 38cm × 28cm (8K).
Submission Requirements: Participants must submit photos of their artworks in JPG format with a good resolution (at least 2Mb) through the official website for registration or send them to the designated email address for the Watercolor Festival: leveneziefestival@gmail.com.
There are no style restrictions. Realistic, figurative, representational, abstract, experimental, and exploratory works are all eligible for submission.
Art Categories:
a. Figures (portraits, group portraits, nudes)
b. Landscapes
c. Still life
d. Exploratory and Experimental (abstract)
e. Other (including animals and miscellaneous categories)
Artworks must be created by the artists themselves and cannot be substitutes or reproductions of other works or photographs.
The Watercolor Festival consists of two parts: unrestricted theme and themed categories:
Unrestricted Theme: Artworks on any theme (figures, landscapes, still life, animals, etc.) are accepted.
Themed Categories: This edition of the competition specially introduces the Marco Polo-themed category, artworks related to Marco Polo and Venice are eligible for submission in this category. Examples include portraits of Marco Polo, stories, travel experiences, scenic views from journeys, and other related themes, as well as artworks depicting scenes, costumes, or landmarks of Venice. The content and titles of artworks in this category must be related to Marco Polo.
Each participant can submit up to three artworks. Artists are allowed to submit artworks to both categories, but the same artwork cannot be submitted to both categories simultaneously.
This competition consists of two rounds: the preliminary round and the final round. The preliminary round is conducted online,
where nine judges from around the world will select the shortlisted artworks based on high-definition images.
All shortlisted artworks will qualify for participation in the on-site exhibition held at the "Palazzo dei Trecento" in Italy and will advance to the offline final round. The final round will determine the top awards as well as the first, second, and third prizes in each category.
All shortlisted artworks from the preliminary round will receive a Shortlisted Certificate from “Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival” organizing committee. All artworks exhibited in the offline final round will receive an Exhibition Certificate and a Medal. Winning artworks will receive prizes, certificates, and exquisite medals based on the award category.
“Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival" Top Awards: This edition of the competition establishes two top awards:
(1) Unrestricted Theme Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival Award - First Prize (1 winner, $2000 USD).
(2) Theme - Marco Polo Theme Creation - First Prize (1 winner, $2000 USD).
(3) Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival Award - Second Prize (2 winners, $800 USD each), Third Prize (3 winners, $500 USD
each). This award category does not distinguish between "Unrestricted Theme" and "Themed" entries; winners are selected from all
registered artworks.
Category Awards: This competition establishes category awards based on different types of artworks (category awards do not include
cash prizes; winners will receive certificates and exquisite medals):
(1) Figures & Portraits: First Prize (1 winner), Second Prize (2 winners), Third Prize (3 winners), Honorable Mention (16 winners).
(2) Landscapes: First Prize (1 winner), Second Prize (2 winners), Third Prize (3 winners), Honorable Mention (16 winners).
(3) Still Life: First Prize (1 winner), Second Prize (2 winners), Third Prize (3 winners), Honorable Mention (16 winners).
(4) Exploration (Abstract): First Prize (1 winner), Second Prize (2 winners), Third Prize (3 winners), Honorable Mention (16 winners).
(5) Other Categories: First Prize (1 winner), Second Prize (2 winners), Third Prize (3 winners), Honorable Mention (16 winners).
Registration Fee: $30 USD for one artwork, $50 USD for two artworks, $60 USD for three artworks. Each artist can submit up to three artworks. The fees can be paid via PayPal associazionescambiartistici@gmail.com
International artists are responsible for their own international logistics, transportation, insurance, and taxes.
The organization will not handle any sales. If anyone will be interested of purchasing any artwork, the organization will ONLY put in touch the potential buyer and the artist.
(1) Deadline to submit your artworks is September 18th - 2024；
(2) Preliminary Review Period: September 18th-20th, 2024 This stage will be conducted through online selection, where nine judges from around the world will vote for the preliminary shortlisted artworks based on high-resolution images. Each shortlisted artwork will receive a certificate of qualification issued by the organizing committee.
All finalists are eligible to be invited to participate in the final exhibition. Exhibiting artworks will receive an exhibition certificate and a medal from the organizing committee.
All artworks must be received between 23rd Sep- 4th Oct to the designed location.
(3) All artworks participating in the on-site final competition will be evaluated for awards at the venue in Treviso, Italy, and the list of winners will be announced on October 12th opening, 2024.
(4) Opening date of the exhibition: October 12th, 2024. The exhibition of selected finalist artworks from the “Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival” will open at the "Palazzo dei Trecento" in Treviso, Italy, and will include an award ceremony.
Rosa Sepple - United Kingdom
Former President of the Royal Watercolor Society and renowned watercolor artist
Manuel Alpañés Ramos - Spain
President of the Spanish Watercolor Association and renowned watercolor artist.
David Gutiérrez Delgado - Spain
Founder and curator of The Almenara Collection and The Almenara Art Prize.
Jayne Barry - Ireland
President of the Irish Watercolor Society, renowned watercolor artist.
Ping Long - China
Executive Director of the Shanghai Artists Association, Director of the Watercolor and Pastel Art Committee of the Shanghai Artists Association, Vice
President of the Shanghai International Cultural and Art Exchange Association.
Ismael Terriza Reguillos - Spain
Renowned Spanish writer, journalist, and co-founder of the "Táctil Prize" painting competition.
Juan Francisco Gómez-Cambronero - Spain
Founder of the “tARTget Painting Prize” competition in Spain, renowned artist.
Nico Stringa - Italy
Italian curator, researcher in painting and sculpture and Senior Researcher at Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
Sandra Miranda Pattin - Colombia - Italy
Performance Artist, founder and curator of Chiasso Perduto gallery in Florence, Italy former director of international projects at the Florence Biennale.
