Organizer Information
reEarth Studio is a project of The Little Art (TLA), registered in New Zealand (Charity Number CC59461). TLA was founded in Pakistan in 2007 by Shoaib Iqbal as a non-profit arts education organization that uses the power of art to transform learning for children and youth. Since then, TLA has engaged nearly one million children, youth, teachers, artists, and members of the public in Pakistan through large-scale festivals, art exhibitions, school and community events, and workshops, and has partnered with organizations including UNICEF, UNESCO, and the European Union. TLA also consulted for six years with the Government of Sharjah to help establish a children's media arts organization running the Sharjah International Children's Film Festival. Shoaib Iqbal, an Edmund Hillary Fellow, launched The Little Art New Zealand after relocating to Auckland, and reEarth Studio was developed there as a global creative movement inviting children and youth to imagine a sustainable future through art.
Title & Description
3rd reEarth International Art Prize 2027
reEarth is an international art competition inviting children and youth to engage in a global dialogue on climate change through art. Participants submit work in Painting & Drawing, Photography, Digital Art & Illustration, or AI Generative Art, responding to one of the competition's climate- and nature-themed prompts. A jury of international artists and curators selects winners, and qualifying artworks are showcased both online and in physical group exhibitions in Sharjah (UAE), Auckland (New Zealand), and Venice (Italy).
Theme
Global Dialogue on Climate Change through Art, explored across four sub-themes: Our Amazing World; The World Below the Water; Through Nature's Eyes; and Together for Tomorrow
Categories
- Painting & Drawing
- Photography
- Digital Art & Illustration
- AI Generative Art
- Youth/Children's Art
- Environment
Eligibility
- Open to young artists aged 4 to 25 years old, as of November 1, 2025, divided into four age groups: 4–7, 8–12, 13–17, and 18–25
- Open to individuals residing in any part of the world
- Applicants may apply individually or through their school or institution
- Multiple entries may be submitted in each category
- For the AI Generative Art category, the artwork must be generated with AI-based tools and must reflect the artist's creative direction through prompts, selection, editing, or post-processing; AI-generated work is not permitted in any other category
- Digital Art & Illustration submissions may not use AI software or tools
- Photography may be taken on any type of camera (smartphone, point-and-shoot, DSLR, mirrorless, or film); participants must retain a copy of the unedited original file or negative in case of a win
- Painting & Drawing submissions must be 2D (not 3D or with attached objects); there is no size restriction
Program Benefits & Awards
- E-certificates for all participating artists, customized with names and downloadable/printable
- Selected artworks shown in group exhibitions in Sharjah, Auckland, and Venice, plus digital exhibition on the reEarth website and Google Arts
- 1st Prize (4 awarded): $1,000 cash, winning e-certificate, exhibition placement, digital exhibition, and promotion on the reEarth website and social media
- 2nd Prize (4 awarded): $750 cash, plus the same non-cash benefits as 1st Prize
- 3rd Prize (4 awarded): $500 cash, plus the same non-cash benefits as 1st Prize
- Jury's Choice Award (30 awarded): special e-certificate, exhibition placement, digital exhibition, and promotion
- Honourable Mention/Finalists (150 awarded): finalist e-certificate of recognition, digital exhibition, and promotion
- Spotlight Selection (500 awarded): e-certificate of recognition, digital exhibition, and promotion
- Total prize pool, including cash and in-kind benefits, is valued at $50,000
- Selected participants may be featured on reEarth's social media channels
Application Fee
$30 per artwork submitted, regardless of category (e.g., 3 artworks = $90; 4 artworks = $120, whether within one category or spread across several). Payment is made online via Stripe during submission. A discount is available for schools (see the organizer's "Discount for Schools" page).
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 30 November 2026
- Shortlist Announcement: December 2026
- Exhibition & Winners: December 2026 – January 2027
Location
Exhibitions held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Auckland, New Zealand; and Venice, Italy.
Additional Details
- To apply: register an account on the reEarth portal, verify by email, log in, then submit via the Individual or School submission form
- Accepted file formats for all categories: JPEG, JPG, PNG, GIF, PDF; each file must be under 5MB (winning entries may later be asked for higher-resolution files)
- Files should be named in the format FirstName_LastName_Category_SerialNumber (e.g., Alex_John_Painting_1.jpeg)
- Judging criteria include creativity, originality, interpretation of the theme, technique, and overall impression, assessed by a panel of experts in each category's field
- Participants retain copyright of their work but grant permission for it to be displayed, reproduced, and used for promotional purposes related to the competition
- Participants are encouraged to document their creative process and share it on social media using the hashtag #reearthartprize, tagging @reearthstudio on Instagram, for a chance to be featured
- The jury includes artists and curators such as Najat Makki (UAE), Christa Sommerer (Austria), Rashid Rana (Pakistan), Stefano Fake (Italy), and Marylise Vigneau (France)
- This is the third edition of the competition; the first two editions included exhibitions in Sharjah and Venice, with a further showcase held in Auckland