We are pleased to announce the launch of the fourth edition of the International Contest for Minority Artists.  The 2025 theme of the Contest is Belonging, Place and Loss.

The 2025 theme invites creative exploration by minority artist human rights defenders of the connections between minority rights, minority experiences, and questions of belonging, environmental justice and climate change, as well as wider aspects of minority attachment to place and existence, loss of community, language and culture.

Artists who identify as belonging to a national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minority are invited to submit high-quality electronic images of up to five works of art related to the 2025 theme of the Contest.

For more information, a full description and concept note for the 2025 Contest is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and Russian.

A voluntary Judges Panel will select three minority artists, groups of artists, or art projects to receive non-hierarchical awards and one minority artists to receive the Minority Artist Award for Youth. The final deadline for submission is 1 March 2025. The award-winners will be announced in November 2025. 

The International Contest for Minority Artists is part of the Minority Artists for Human Rights Initiative (2024-2028), a comprehensive programme of support for minority artists as human rights defenders. In the implementation of this action, OHCHR works in partnership with the non-governmental organizations Minority Rights Group and Freemuse, and the City of Geneva. During 2024, the action also enjoyed the support of Loterie Romande, the Canton and Republic of Geneva, as well as of other contributors who wish to remain anonymous.

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For a view of 2024’s exhibition and award ceremony, see below.

Image: Bianca Nguema (left), the winner of the competition in 2023, together with Bianca Broxton (right), the winner of the competition in 2024. November, 2024. Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: Ecolint.

Image: Visitors look at the art work of Babatunde Tribe, a winner of 2023. November, 2024. Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: Ecolint.

Image: Bianca Nguema, the winner of the competition in 2023, shows MRG’s team her work. November, 2024. Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: Ecolint.

Featured image: Chuu Wai from Myanmar, who lives and creates in exile in France and honourable mention winner. Credit: Ecolint.