Selection Process: Open

General Information

• Artists can apply to the 9th edition of the Chianciano Biennale at the bottom of this page.
• The exhibition will will take place from the 15th to the 29th of August 2026
• All exhibited works must be approved by the selection committee of the Chianciano Art Museum.
• Artists can apply from any stage of their career (emerging or established) and from any nation.
• Artists can apply with one or more artworks but each artwork will be judged individually
• There are no geographical nor thematic limitations to artwork submissions and there is no minimum age
• Submitted artworks can have been previously exhibited or published
• Submitted artworks can be from any year of an artist’s career
• Approximately 200 artists will be selected exclusively on the basis of the works submitted.
• Accepted artistic disciplines are not restricted and include (but not limited to) works on canvas/ board/ paper/ other supports, mediums such as oil/ acrylic/ collage/ printmaking watercolours/ mixed medias, photography, digital art (including AI assisted art), video art, sculpture, fibre art and installation.
• There is no specific size limit but if an artwork is larger than 250cm, on any side, contact us and request specific information before submitting the work
• If a single artwork has numerous elements, that are integral parts of the same artwork such as a diptych or triptych, then it is considered as one artwork submission
• Artworks that are in a series that can be sold or shown individually/separately are regarded as separate submissions
• Collaborative works are eligible. When the work is submitted please write all artist names under the artist name field (e.g. artist name & artist name &…) and use your collaborative group name under the pseudonym field if you have one
• Approved artists are invited to attend the Biennale inauguration with guests but there is no actual requirement for artists to be personally present during the Biennale
• Recommended image qualities: The selection process is on screen and we receive the exact file you send. Therefore, if you are happy with how your artwork can be viewed/evaluated on your screen, that is exactly how we will see it on ours. JPG, JPEG, PNG formats accepted. 10mb limit per file
• Submission deadline: 31 May 2026
• Selected artists will be announced in mid June on social media and our website. The selected artists will also be contacted by email. Artists that are not selected will not receive a formal rejection notification

Awards

The Chianciano Biennale is an art competition & open call for artists. The main prizes are as follows and no artist may receive more than one prize.

• €2.500 Best work at the Chianciano Biennale
• €1.000 Chianciano Biennale Award for Best Painting
• €1.000 Chianciano Biennale Award for Best Sculpture/Installation
• €1.000 Chianciano Biennale Award for Best Work on Paper
• €1.000 Chianciano Biennale Award for Best Digital/Photographic works
• Ten artists will be automatically approved/selected to participate in the London Art Biennale 2027
• Five artists will be selected for a critique by the International Confederation of Art Critics

Please click here to view the full list of prizes

Curatorial study

• All works are set up and curated by the Biennale team and there are no related costs of any kind for the artists.
• The selected works will be exhibited at the Chianciano Art Museum and/or art galleries located in the medieval part of the city.
• Artwork stretching/mounting/framing (2d works) is not required for the selection process but only if the work is approved and will be therefore exhibited in the Biennale.
• Gallery stretched canvases (at least 30mm deep) can be exhibited unframed
• Canvases below 30mm in depth must be framed
• Other 2D artworks (works on board, works on paper etc) must be appropriately framed/mounted.
• However, artworks that are specifically envisioned in a way that is incompatible with stretching/framing are of course exempt, please contact us if clarifications are required.
• All 2D works should be ready to hang with string, hooks or other hanging fixtures.
• To reduce transport costs (especially for large works), there is also the option to send canvases/works on paper rolled so that they can be stretched/framed locally (costs of stretching and framing apply for this option).
• The Biennale provides screens for video art therefore all we need is the digital file. Artists that have specific screens or display equipment can of course provide them if they wish.

Copyright and social media permission

• The Chianciano Biennale is a celebration of art and our purpose is to promote art. Therefore, permission for the posting of artworks on social media and for press publication is automatically granted by an artist when an artwork is submitted.
• Images of the works can be chosen and published on our social media to promote the exhibition.
• Please note that we can only post some, not all, artwork submissions on socials and that artworks published on our social medias during the selection process are not automatically approved for the exhibition.
• All artists that are subsequently approved for the Biennale also agree for their work to be published on our printed catalogue for the 2026 edition of the Chianciano Biennale.

Sales

• Exhibited artworks do not need to be for sale, it is the artist’s choice and artworks can be exhibited as “not for sale”.
• For artworks that are for sale, prices and information will be available with the London Biennale staff via professional and experienced sales staff.
• The Biennale does not take any commission on sales and will only retain costs/taxes related to the sale.

Printed & Online Catalogue

• Each artist will have one A4 page with one work published in the hardcopy publication
• Artworks and artist details will be published on the Chianciano Biennale website indefinitely
• Hardback copies of the catalogues can be purchased online by participating artists with a 10% discount.
• Hardback catalogues will be available for purchase at the Biennale and on our website.

Transport of works of art

• Artworks can be shipped in advance to a designated address or delivered by hand in the days leading up to the opening. We will send the designated shipping address, as well as detailed shipping guidance, in due course.
• Delivery window: 15th June – 24th July (specific details will follow)
• To reduce transport costs (especially for large works), there is also the option to send canvases/works on paper rolled so that they can be stretched/framed locally (costs of stretching and framing apply for this option).
• Transport and related costs are the responsibility of the artist.

Return of the work of art

• For artwork returns, we repack the artwork in its original packaging and add new soft packaging where appropriate for free. Once the work is packed, we can provide contact information to transporters that cover the area. Alternatively, artists can organise their own return transport based on the size and weight of the packed artwork. We assist at every step but we just do not cover the transportation cost.
• At the end of the exhibition, the artwork must be collected/collection must be organized within 8 weeks of an artist being informed that the artwork is ready for pickup.
• Works that are not collected within 8 weeks are donated from the artist to the collection of the Chianciano Art Museum. The Museum will provide a collection certificate and will publish the artwork on its website.

Submission fee

• € 40 Euros for each work presented for selection
• The fee covers administrative/organisational costs and is not refundable regardless of the outcome of the selection process.
• Once a work of art has been accepted for the exhibition there are no other fees.

How to participate

• Submissions can be made personally by artists or on behalf of artists
• Click on the button “Apply Now” below to enter the application process
• Applicants subsequently receive an email with instructions (a Submission Certificate) on how to send artwork images and details. If you do not receive our email within 24 hours please check your spam and then message us on WhatsApp or email us from our contact page
• There is a submission fee of €40 Euros for each artwork submitted and there are no subsequent participation fees.