Interparliamentary Assembly Launches Art Competition
Artists globally are invited to submit works depicting the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt for a new international contest.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Christianity
The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy launched an international visual arts competition on October 1, 2026, focusing on the journey of the Holy Family. The initiative invites artists aged 18 and over to explore themes including spiritual significance, family, and child protection through original artwork.
Why it matters
This competition seeks to highlight themes of hospitality and respect for strangers while drawing on the cultural heritage of the Holy Family’s traditional path through Egypt. The project encourages artistic reflection on values like motherhood and childhood within a religious context.
The competition is open to participants aged 18 and older, with a submission requirement of digital artwork accompanied by a 100-word artistic statement and a 500-word biography. Jurors representing 13 countries will evaluate all entries.
The players
Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy
This is an international organization that fosters cooperation among parliamentarians of various countries on issues related to Orthodox tradition and culture.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization works to identify and protect world heritage sites and intangible cultural traditions.
The details
Applicants must submit original works that have not been previously exhibited or received awards in other competitions. The Assembly, which is marking its 35th anniversary, plans to catalog the submissions into a two-volume publication for release in 2028.
Timeline
October 1, 2026: The art competition entry period began.
December 10, 2026: The art competition entry period ends.
December 2022: UNESCO inscribed the Flight into Egypt on its heritage list.
2028: Publication of competition artworks is scheduled for release.
October 2028: International conference and exhibition are scheduled.
Culture Shift
This initiative follows the 2022 inclusion of the Holy Family’s journey on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It reflects a broader movement to utilize international arts platforms to reinforce religious traditions and shared cultural values.
Aspiring artists aged 18 and over can participate by preparing digital submissions that meet the strict requirements for originality and statement length. Prospective applicants should finalize their portfolios before the December 10, 2026, deadline to ensure eligibility.
The takeaway
The competition offers a unique venue for artists to interpret historical religious journeys through a modern lens. Participants are encouraged to focus on the Assembly's core themes of hospitality and child protection when crafting their original statements.
What happens next
The entry period closes on December 10, 2026. A subsequent publication of the artwork is slated for 2028, followed by an international conference and exhibition in October 2028.
Further reading
Explore more about the role of faith in cultural expression on the Christianity section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Basilica.
