Short Description

LUBICA – Lucca Biennale Cartasia is the world’s largest event dedicated to paper as an artistic and architectural expression. It is held every two years in the city of Lucca, Tuscany. Founded in 2004, LUBICA aims to promote tradition, culture, sustainability, and innovation.The 2026 edition will be the 13th.LUBICA seeks to create opportunities and challenges for artists willing to push their boundaries, “educate to beauty,” take care of others, but above all, break conventions and create new perspectives.

The theme of LUBICA’s 13th edition is “Real Unreal.” The theme “Real Unreal” invites us to explore the fragile boundary between the real and the unreal, between what we perceive as concrete and what belongs to the realm of dreams, imagination, or artificial construction. In an era where digital technologies, media narratives, and virtual reality redefine our relationship with ourselves and the world, this theme prompts a reflection on the nature of perception, truth, and deception.”Real Unreal” is an invitation to investigate how the unreal manifests within the real, shaping it, and how the real, in turn, can transform into something imaginary, symbolic, or illusory. Artists, curators, audiences, and all those involved in the Biennale will be called upon to engage with this tension—designing installations, creating artworks, or experiencing situations that challenge perception, subvert expectations, and expand the boundaries of what we consider “true.”

Eligibility

  • The submitted works must primarily use paper and its derivatives.
  • Each participant must submit a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 15 works.
  • Digital works are accepted, including videos, films, and animation projects in any digital or analog format.
  • The artistic proposal must relate to the theme “REAL / UNREAL.”
  • The design proposal must align with the biennale theme or adhere to LUBICA’s core values: sustainability, innovation, and culture.
  • Participants must pay the application fee and complete the required forms.
  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
  • Both individual artists and collectives can participate, provided that ownership of the work is shared among all members.

How to Apply

Online Application

Program Benefits & Awards

  • Promotion on the website www.luccabiennalecartasia.com, exclusive interviews on social media, and a dedicated section in the official catalogue.
  • A digital excerpt from the LUBICA 2026 catalogue featuring their section (with a discount for the purchase of a printed copy).
  • An invitation to the inauguration for the selected artist plus three guests.
  • Discounted entry tickets for the exhibition (specific terms will be communicated upon selection).
  • Membership in the Paper Art Community, a network for artists working with paper and its derivatives.

Entry Fee

€ 36

Location

Tuscany, Italy

Timeline

  • Application Deadline: 18 September 2025
  • Notification Date: 28 November 2025

Website Link:

http://www.luccabiennalecartasia.com/

Exhibition