Even before humankind was civilized, art has always been a way to express pain, emotions and struggles against forces of nature. In modern times it is meaningless to describe humankind struggling to fight against natural disasters, since most of the time humankind is the one that is doing damage to Mother Earth per se. However, we currently have something to fight against and it is the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. To encourage everyone affected by the pandemic, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations announced that it is holding a COVID-19 themed global art competition.

 The Indian Council for Cultural Relations, with its focus on building cultural links with countries around the world and connecting people to people through Cultural and Educational exchanges, calls on Indians and citizens of the world to express these emotions – through Art in the Time of CORONA: United against Corona- Express through Art.

This competition endeavors to showcase the best of expressions of amateur and professional artists from India and the world over. The event encourages submissions of artistic expressions in following media:

• Paintings – on Canvas/Paper – oil, water colors, pencil, crayons

• Digital Art – Graphical Posters & Paintings

The expressions of artists are categorized into the following:

• Contemporary Art

• Folk & Tribal Art

• Cartoons & Illustrations

• Digital & New Age Art 

The event encourages professional and amateur artists to enthusiastically participate and present their emotions, feeling, ideas and innovative thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, quarantine and the fight against the virus.

Collection of work in view of the ongoing lockdown in almost all the cities of India and countries across the word, with postal, courier and transport agencies not functional for normal purposes, participants are requested to send high resolution photos of their work to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations by May 1, 2020. Details are available on www.iccr.gov.in. Selected works will be asked to be couriered once the lockdown is called off.

The works will be evaluated by a high level jury. Jury will be fully authorized to discard inappropriate work of arts.

Best of the expressions will be exhibited in leading galleries in India and abroad. An online exhibition will also be on display. Grand finale of the physical exhibition will be held in New Delhi with a cultural function and prize giving ceremony. Dates will be fixed depending on resolution of the COVID crisis.

Date of submission:

• Opening of the competition – April 2

• Deadline for receiving Entries – May 1

• Evaluation of Entries & Shortlist Announcement by – May 20

• Announcement of Prizes/Awards – on the World Environment Day – June 6