Green Cross Belarus with support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus and in association with Art Teachers' Union announces the 21^st International Contest of Art and Graphics «In My Homeland».

Topics of the Contest:

• In My Homeland – traditional free theme
• My relative and his favourite profession – additional theme.

The work should be done in the genre of thematic portrait. The artist should tell about the person not only reflecting individual features and psychological state, but also through the details of clothing and environment. We are waiting for portraits of persons close to you (father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather...) in a working environment and surrounded by the subject world of their favorite profession.

This topic will allow you to learn more about your loved one, about their qualities that may not be noticed at home. Maybe at his favorite job the person is more focused, serious or inspired.....

This theme offers an additional nomination – series.

The series should consist of three A4 works mounted on a common base.

We suggest you to get acquainted with the concept of series in art and pay attention that these are not just independent works united by one theme, but they are works united by a common style of performance and formed in a common compositional ensemble.

• The world of insects around us – additional theme.

We suggest you pay attention to the inhabitants of our planet, which are the most numerous class of animals. Researchers estimate that the total weight of all terrestrial insects and arthropods is about 1,000 million metric tonnes. Which is twice the weight of people on the planet!

The variety of insect forms is truly amazing! Many of them are very close neighbours of humans, while others are not easy to spot. Some insects we already know only from old collections, while others can only be seen in palaeontological museums, preserved in amber or as imprints in sedimentary rocks. And if the main pollinators of plants – bees or, for example, buzz flies – disappear, there will be real famine due to the decline of agriculture.

We invite you to take a closer look at the microcosm around you and share your discoveries in your drawings. Who knows, maybe for future generations some drawing from the archive of the project "In My Homeland" will be a guide to a world of rich biodiversity from the lost past! Or maybe, inspired by a unique drawing, a poet will compose a poem or a writer a story.

• «Art school in the lens»/ «My art school» – additional theme.

Our first photographic category for young artists about themselves. About everything that is related to artists – paints, colors, classes, plein airs, teachers.... About the life of a young artist.

Entries for this category will only be accepted electronically via the form on the website (to be published on 1 October 2025). The resolution of the image must be at least 2000 dots on the smaller side.

The photo must be taken by the author.

Color and monochrome images taken during the same shoot that have common graphic content (duplicates) will not be considered.

Collaging and adding captions/elements to the original image is not allowed. Images generated using AI will not be considered.

Suggested techniques (optional):

This year again we offer you to make works in the technique of pencil drawing.

This technique is not particularly popular with young artists probably due to its association with tedious hours of sketching in the classroom. By creating a separate nomination for this technique we would like to emphasize its potential. It is not only the general color scheme of your drawing but also a variety of stroke methods that can enhance the expressive impact of your work even if it has been created with an ordinary lead pencil.

Using color pencils/crayons can be exciting, too! For instance, you can mix colors by covering one layer with another or by interspersing strokes of different colors. What is more, the untouched areas of the paper you use might become an element of your composition.

Tip: take your time to study works by famous graphic illustrators in order to know more about/master the pencil drawing technique.

ARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Applicants should be between 5 and 18 years of age.
2. Artwork should be creative, original and done entirely by its author in the current year. 
   NB. ALL ARTWORKS WILL BE CHECKED FOR PLAGIARISM.
3. Artwork dimensions are at the author's discretion, no framing. A series should consist of three A4 works attached to a common basis. Please attach a registration form filled in with block letters to the back. 

Download the form

4. No works will be reviewed by the jury or returned to their authors. The contest organizers reserve the right to use the originals and copies of the artworks to popularize and promote the contest as well as for their educational and charitable activities without asking for the author's consent or paying the author's fee.

APPLICATIONS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED FROM OCTOBER 1, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2025.

WORKS are to BE MAILED TO THE FOLLOWING POSTAL ADDRESS:

Non-governmental Organization «Green Cross Belarus»
Contest «In My Homeland»
222201, Minsk oblast, Smolevichi, the Republic of Belarus

(The provided postal address is complete. The works will be picked up directly from the post office by the organizers.)

We ask all the participants to use the services of REGULAR or EMS post. DO NOT INDICATE the value (price) of the goods on parcels.

RESULTS OF THE CONTEST:

The jury will consider all applications in February 2026 and name winners / diploma recipients in all nominations. The awarded works will be used to compile an exhibition and presented on the GCB website.

The 21^st INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ART AND GRAPHICS «IN MY HOMELAND» is to be opened in April 2026.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

(+375 17) 392 88 02,  (+375 29) 667 57 80
info@children-art.org, www.children-art.org