Shanghai, China, June 26, 2025 – The “Shining Shanghai (Jing’an) 2025 International Light Art Open Call” is now open for global submissions, centered around the theme “Luminous Roots: Stories of Belonging.”
This year’s competition invites artists to use Shanghai’s Shenyuli district as a canvas for intercultural narratives. By projecting artworks onto historical brick buildings, artists will investigate how individual and collective identities—rooted in urban, traditional, or digital spheres—converge to create universally relevant stories. The Open Call emphasizes cultural diversity, encouraging creators from all backgrounds to redefine “home” through inventive light-based expressions.
Timeline
The 2025 edition features an efficient timeline to encourage worldwide participation:
May 1st – July 5th, 11:59 pm (UTC+8): Concept Submission
July 9th: Finalist Announcement
July 9th – September 8th: Project Files Submission
September 17th: Final Jury
September 19th: Winner Announcement
September 28th – October 7th: Winner Exhibition
Winning artworks will premiere in Shanghai’s Shenyuli, with opportunities to present miniature versions elsewhere around the globe.
Prizes
With a total prize fund exceeding 800,000 CNY (approximately $110,000 USD), the competition provides both financial incentives and significant exposure:
Gold Award: 1 Artist/Team, Prize of 250,000 CNY (approximately $34,000 USD)
Silver Award: 1 Artist/Team, Prize of 100,000 CNY (approximately $13,000 USD)
Bronze Award: 3 Artists/Teams, Prize of 50,000 CNY each (approximately $6,800 USD/each)
Finalist Award: 15 Artists/Teams, Prize of 20,000 CNY each (approximately $2,700 USD/each)
Diversity Driven
Since its launch in 2023, the Open Call has become a symbol of inclusive creativity:
In 2023, over 60 international artistic teams participated, attracting over 1.3 million on-site visitors and generating over 2 billion online views during its exhibition in the historic Shenyuli neighborhood. Building on this success, the 2024 edition featured a global call for submissions, receiving 151 entries from 27 countries and engaging an international audience of over 5 million. Continuing this trend, the Open Call is solidifying a dynamic, inclusive, and globally interconnected art exchange platform in Jing’an, Shanghai. It is believed that every artist possesses a unique perspective, waiting to illuminate and share the rich stories of their cultures and backgrounds.
How to Apply
Artists and collectives are encouraged to submit both existing and new works, with multiple submissions allowed.
General requirements include:
- Storyboard for a 100 to 120-second projection mapping work: Based on the front elevation image of the building, in PowerPoint / Keynote format.
- Two or more renderings (key frames): Based on the building model file, 6840*1200 pixels, PNG format.
- 10-second video demo (optional): 3420*600 pixels, 25fps, MP4 format, including background music.
- Artist/team CV/resume and portfolio: PDF format.
For complete details, please visit the official website:
Media Contact
Shining Shanghai Open Call
Source :Shining Shanghai Open Call