The Competition has proven its relevance as a global platform uniting artists of diverse styles and techniques. Creative interest was distributed across all key categories:
The authors paid particular attention to the special anniversary nomination "Inspired by Russian," which received 197 applications.
- 877 works were submitted in the Painting category;
- 373 in Graphics;
- 184 in Digital Art.
The authors paid particular attention to the special anniversary nomination "Inspired by Russian," which received 197 applications.
The geography of the participants
The geography of the participants once again confirmed the project’s international status. Artists from 56 countries presented their works: from North and South America to Central Europe, Asia, and Africa. The popularity of the second season was a natural continuation of Competition’s success in 2025, when over 50,000 people visited the final exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery branch in Kaliningrad.
"We have seen a significant increase in interest in the project. More than 1,500 applications confirm that the dialogue with young artists is becoming more intense and vibrant. We are interested in how historical heritage is being reimagined today through new art forms, becoming the basis for contemporary meanings. We are particularly proud of the response to the 'Inspired by Russian' nomination. Russian art and culture are a powerful force capable of inspiring artists regardless of where they live. We are already beginning preparations for the June exhibition of the Competition finalists. It will be fascinating to see how their ideas take on a museum-like scale in the Samara branch of the Tretyakov Gallery," noted Olga Galaktionova, General Director of the State Tretyakov Gallery and co-chairman of the Competition’s Creative Council.
To ensure objectivity and a high level of expertise, the application selection process takes place in several stages.
The winners will have the right to exhibit their works at the Tretyakov Gallery branch in Samara, with the exhibition scheduled to open in June 2026.
- By February 25, 2026, the Competition’s Expert Council will select the 100 best applications to form the longlist.
- On March 6, the Creative Council will select 50 shortlisted works.
- On March 23, the names of the 14 finalists will be announced.
The winners will have the right to exhibit their works at the Tretyakov Gallery branch in Samara, with the exhibition scheduled to open in June 2026.
In 2026, Kartina Mira Competition once again focused on the theme "The Values of My Nation as Part of the Global Human Culture". In the context of the emerging multipolar world, the project serves not simply as a creative competition, but as a crucial tool for intercultural dialogue.
"It is now time for the crucial work of the Experts and the Creative Council. We have a fairly strong lineup of participants. Extending the deadline until mid-February is justified: we are seeing high-quality works. Our task in the coming weeks is to create a longlist and select 100 works that will demonstrate the authors' capabilities and the depth of their concept. This is a serious professional challenge, as only the most deserving will make the shortlist," noted Semyon Mikhailovsky, Rector of St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts and co-chairman of the Competition’s Creative Council.
The Competition’s uniqueness lies
in its accessibility: any artist between the ages of 18 and 35, regardless of skill level or location, can apply.
The first season of Kartina Mira Competition laid the foundation for the formation of a global community of young artists. In 2025, the Organizing Committee received 1,447 original works from 65 countries. The final exhibition of the 14 finalists, held at the Tretyakov Gallery branch in Kaliningrad, became a resonant cultural event, attracting over 50,000 visitors in just one month. The success of the first season confirmed the Competition’s status as an effective springboard for professional development — the winning works were not only included in the exhibition of the country’s leading museum but also added to the Gazprombank collection.
The Competition’s primary creative goal
is to support young artists who see their national traditions not as a frozen form, but as a living and relevant source of inspiration. Art is understood here as a means of capturing a national code and integrating it into a global treasury of meanings. A special place in this process belongs to the anniversary nomination "Inspired by Russian," dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the Tretyakov Gallery. It aims to demonstrate the continuous influence of the Russian artistic school — from ancient Russian icon painting to the avant-garde — on world art, inviting artists to rethink the experience of the past to create a vision of the future.
