Danube Art Master

The Competition

The Danube Art Master competition is a celebration of young people’s creativity and their connection to the Danube River. Jointly organized by the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe (GWP CEE) and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) as part of Danube Day, this international art competition invites pupils across the Danube River Basin to embark on field trips to the Danube or its tributaries and create unique works of art inspired by their experiences.

The competition encourages children to take a closer look at their local river, to reflect on what water and the environment mean to them, and to express their visions for preserving the Danube for future generations. By taking part, children not only have a great time making their creations — they are also motivated to consider the future of the rivers and the people and wildlife that rely on them.

Running since 2004, the competition has united thousands of children across all 14 countries of the Danube River Basin, resulting in tens of thousands of artworks. Each creation is an expression of children’s passion for their local river: whether demonstrating Danube solidarity, environmental concern, hopes for the future, or the simple pleasures of spending time near rivers.

Immerse yourself in the world of Danube Art Master!
Don’t miss this chance to make your mark in caring for our rivers’ health!

Who Can Take Part

Participants must be from a country in the Danube Basin: Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, or Ukraine.

Children from all schools, NGOs, clubs, daycare centers, and children’s associations in the Danube Basin are invited to take part.

Participants can join the competition as:

• an individual,
• a whole class, or
• a group of up to 4 people.

Please note: Employees and officers of GWP CEE and the ICPDR, as well as their immediate family (parents, spouses, children, siblings, and grandparents), are not eligible to take part.

Categories and Age Groups

Participants must be from a country in the Danube Basin: Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, or Ukraine. 

Entries are accepted in three categories:

• Art: created with natural materials found by the river (e.g. sculpture, collage, fashion & jewelry). Drawings and paintings are NOT accepted.
• Video: no longer than 1 minute, recorded by camera or phone. Students may make a film, play a song, or perform. Animations are not accepted.
• Photography: high-resolution photos taken by the river.

In every category, participants compete in two age groups, based on their age at the time of submitting the entry:

• Juniors: Age 6–11
• Teens: Age 12–18

Competition levels and Timeline

The competition runs at two levels: national and international. National winners are selected first and then go on to compete at the international level. The competition takes place from 20 April to 10 October. Participants are encouraged to check the submission deadline with their national organizer.

Creating the artwork

Children should visit a riverbank, ideally the Danube or one of its tributaries, and create their environmental art there.

Submitting the entry

After creating the artwork, children or teachers should take a high-resolution colour photo or video of it and send the file to their national organizer. Files must be:

• high resolution and ready for printing (minimum 150 DPI),
• at least 3 MB for photos of artworks and at least 5 MB for photography entries,
• straight (not crooked) and easily viewable on screen.
  
   

Winner Selection

National level

National organizers judge the entries in each category. National prizes vary from country to country, please contact your country’s organizer for details. The top 10 national artworks will be posted on the official Danube Art Master Instagram account.

International level

From each country, one junior winner and one teen winner in each of the three categories advance to the international level, where they are judged by an international jury made up of national representatives of all ICPDR countries. To ensure neutral assessment, any text or other hints revealing an entry’s country of origin will be redacted before judging. The judges’ decision is final, and the creator(s) of the winning artwork will be crowned “Danube Art Master"!

After the competition, an exhibition featuring photos of the best artworks from each country will be organized in connection with an international ICPDR event.

The story behind the artwork (required at international level only)

All international-level submissions must include a written story in English (an artist’s statement) of up to 250 words, describing the creative process and what the participant learned through exploring the river basin.

Some guiding questions for the reflection:

• What is your message to the audience?
• What inspired your work?
• What did you learn while creating your artwork?

Social Media Prize

Alongside the main competition, the top 10 works from all countries take part in an online competition: a special prize will be awarded for the Most Liked Art on the Danube Art Master Facebook page. Only artworks submitted officially by the national organizers can compete for the Most Liked prize.

Terms of Participation

Participation in the competition constitutes the winner’s consent for their name and contribution photo to be made public in publications of GWP CEE and the ICPDR. GWP CEE and the ICPDR reserve the right to use the photographs and videos taken without the express written permission of those included in them.

Get Involved!

Immerse yourself in the world of Danube Art Master — don’t miss this chance to make your mark in caring for our rivers’ health! Interested in participating? Browse through the Danube Art Master 2026 Quick Book and get in touch with your national organizer.

Contact & further information:

Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe
Ms. Monika Jetzin: gwpmo@gwpmo.hu