The "2024 International Watercolor Festival per Le Venezie" (hereinafter referred to as "the Watercolor Festival") is a global event for watercolor art, jointly initiated by the Shanghai International Culture and Art Exchange Association, and organized by the Italian Cultural Association for Art Exchange (Italy) and Sheng Xinyu Art (China). The festival aims to promote the interaction and development of watercolor art globally. Using watercolor—a poetic art form—it facilitates learning and exchanges between watercolor artists and enthusiasts worldwide. It also provides an authoritative international competition platform to inspire artists’ creativity and passion, enhance the global visibility of watercolor art, and foster mutual understanding and trust among people from different regions, countries, and cultural backgrounds through various forms such as plein air painting, competitions, and exhibitions.

2024 marks the 700th anniversary of the death of the great explorer Marco Polo (1254–1324). To commemorate this historical figure, born in Venice, the Venice City Government passed Resolution No. 73, establishing the "National Committee for the 700th Anniversary of Marco Polo's Death". A large-scale commemoration event will take place across the city. In light of the “2024 International Watercolor Festival per Le Venezie” influence and its contributions to cultural exchange, the “2024 International Watercolor Festival per Le Venezie – Final Exhibition in Treviso” has been included as part of the official events commemorating Marco Polo's 700th death anniversary.

The “2024 International Watercolor Festival per Le Venezie” commemorative events will officially launch in April 2024 and have received support from artists worldwide. According to the festival's organizing committee, in addition to participants from China, watercolor artists and enthusiasts from over a dozen countries, including The United States, Lithuania, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, France, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Norway, India, China, Poland have responded enthusiastically and shown strong support.

According to the competition rules, the Watercolor Festival will consist of two rounds: a preliminary and a final. The preliminary round will be conducted online, with selected participants advancing to the final. The final will be held in person, where shortlisted artists will be required to mail their works to the location designated by the organizing committee for exhibition and judging. The “2024 International Watercolor Festival per Le Venezie” includes two parts: a non-thematic section and a thematic section dedicated to the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo's death. It features multiple categories, including landscapes, portraits, still life, abstracts, and others. Based on submissions, the judging panel has added a "floral" category to efficiently and systematically select the best works. Shortlisted artworks will be invited to participate in an offline exhibition held at “Palazzo dei Trecento” in Treviso, Italy, with various prizes totaling $5,000. The well-known Chinese art supplies company "Paul Rubens Art Materials" is supporting this year’s festival, working together to promote the global development of watercolor art and bringing outstanding Chinese watercolor art to the world.

The following is the list of artists shortlisted after the preliminary round (the organizing committee will send formal invitations to the finalists):

September 24, 2024

Organizing Committee of the Venice International Watercolor Festival 2024

Italian Cultural and Art Exchange Association

Shengxinyu Art