Call for Entries:
Characters Cooking and Eating
We invite artists to participate in the 2026 Pictoplasma x Balkans exhibition “Characters Cooking and Eating”, structured around two strands: Print and Video. At the heart of the exhibition is the intimate, humorous, and often unexpected connection between characters and food, transforming ordinary rituals into playful visual narratives
The exhibition explores everyday rituals around food and the forms of communication that emerge through cooking, sharing, and eating. It invites reflections on the relationship between characters and food: how they prepare, exchange, preserve, or transform recipes and rituals; what their tables look like; and what their habits reveal.
Artists are encouraged to explore the boundaries between character and food—can food forms become living, emotional beings, and what happens when they realise that their destiny is… to be eaten?
Deadline: 7 May 2026
Submissions will be evaluated by a jury consisting of:
- Peter Thaler (Pictoplasma, DE)
- Siyana Mineva (Curator, BG)
- Martina Paukova (Visual artist, SK)
- Nikolay Ivanov (Lobster Studio, BG)
- Ikea Bulgaria
Frequently Asked Questions
Up to 5 works in total. You may submit print and/or video works. The number of characters in each work is up to you.
Through the official submission link: https://balkans.pictoplasma.com/call-for-entries/.
Digital or scanned artwork, ready for print:
- Size: 50 × 70 cm
- Colour mode: CMYK
- Resolution: 300 dpi
- Max file size: 200 MB
Video
Please send your video submissions via a download link.
- Average length between 01’00” and 5’00” minutes
- Downloadable HD file – 1080p Full HD QuickTime .mov file (ProRes or high quality H264/mp4).
Yes. The call is open internationally.
Yes. All submissions must be in English.
Not necessarily. Previously published work is accepted, as long as it’s not older than 2 years.
Yes. As long as it meets the print specifications.
Animated works are accepted in the video category and must meet the video specifications.
You may submit up to 5 works in total. Each work can contain one image, a series, a character sheet, or a video. Any storytelling format is welcome. The jury will decide which works best fit the theme.