'My Azerbaijan' Int'l Children's and Youth Art Festival kicks off

In honor of Azerbaijan's Independence Day, May 28, the 9th "My Azerbaijan" International Children's and Youth Art Festival has been announced, featuring a drawing competition, AzerNEWS reports.

The festival aims to increase interest in Azerbaijani music among Azerbaijani citizens and foreign participants, as well as to popularize it through the visual arts. The festival motto is "Azerbaijan, I love you!"

The competition theme is "Azerbaijani Music in the Visual Arts."

Participants can submit works in the following categories:

• Azerbaijani musical instruments;
• Azerbaijani national dances;
• Folklore;
• Musical history of Azerbaijan;
• Patriotic music;
• Illustrations for children's and other songs;
• "The Musical Stage of My Dreams."

Children and young people aged 8 to 21 are invited to participate. Works in free-form format, up to 30x40 cm in size, are accepted.

The deadline for submissions is April 25, 2026.

Photos of the work and the application form must be sent to [email protected]. Applications with incomplete information will not be considered.

The selection process will take into account the artist's creative vision, relevance to the theme, composition, and color scheme. Judging will be conducted by age categories: 8-11, 12-16, and 17-21.

The list of works and authors that have passed the first selection stage will be announced on May 8. An online catalog will be prepared following the competition, and separate exhibitions will be organized for each age category. Participants whose work will be exhibited will receive certificates.

The authors of the top 10 works in each age category will receive an invitation to the festival. Participants will be awarded first, second, and third place at the festival, as well as incentive prizes, diplomas, and gifts.

The selected works of foreign participants will be printed, framed, and displayed at the exhibition. The authors of these works will also receive certificates. Foreign participants may also mail original copies of their works. The best works by foreign participants will be awarded separate prizes.

The selected foreign participants will be able to participate in the exhibitions and festival at their own expense.

Participation in the competition and festival is free of charge.

For further inquiries:

+994 51 310 74 01 (phone/WhatsApp).

The address for submitting original works for the exhibition is: AZ1025, Baku, Khojaly Avenue, 62.

Tel.: (+994 12) 490 84 51/52/53.

The organizers are the Azerbaijan Artists' Union, the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall, the Azerbaijan State Art Gallery, the Azerbaijan Representative Office of the International Watercolor Society (IWS Azerbaijan), the Khatai Children's Art Gallery, and the Khatai Arts Center.

Support is provided by the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts, Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC, the Khatai District Executive Power, and the Union of Artists of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.