Submit your entry
Contest Info
View Submissions

Exhibition & Contest Guide

Rules and Submission Details

The exhibition is open to community-based organisations, collectives, associations, and art-based groups across Europe actively engaged in creative civic participation. Projects presented must use the arts (visual, performing, storytelling, digital, etc.) to engage and include communities, especially those at risk of exclusion. LISTEN project partners are not eligible to participate.

Step-by-Step Guide to Participation

The exhibition is open to community-based organisations, grassroots and art groups across Europe engaged in creative civic participation. Projects must be innovative, engage the public, use the arts to promote inclusion. The LISTEN project partners cannot participate.

Acceptable formats: photographs of art installations, short videos or reels (up to 4 minutes), audio podcasts or music (up to 6 minutes), digital posters, written creative forms (poems, stories, song lyrics).

Each submission must include a brief project description (maximum 150 words), and the organisation should have taken and kept all necessary consent where individuals are pictured or recorded.

All submitted content must be original, created by the submitting organisation, and not infringe the rights of any third party. Submissions must adhere to principles of respect, inclusion, and non-discrimination. Inappropriate or offensive content will be disqualified.

All entries are reviewed by the LISTEN moderation team for compliance with ethical and legal standards. The moderation team reserves the right not to publish submissions that fail to meet guidelines or ethical standards.

Eligible entries will be published on the LISTEN website (gallery) and the official Instagram account.

You can submit your content from December 11, 2025, until March 15, 2026. Public voting will be open from March 16, 202,6 until April 16, 2026 via the LISTEN Instagram account, through “likes”.

To ensure fairness, voting will be monitored for unusual activity and subject to secondary review if needed.

Winners (top 3 by votes) will be announced during a dedicated online exhibition event that will take place in May 2026 and on official channels. Winning organisations will be featured in the online exhibition gallery and communications.

Each winning organisation will receive technical equipment valued at 500 euros to support their community engagement work and future projects. Winners will be encouraged to join online and present their project and community engagement work at the LISTEN Policy Roundtable in Bulgaria (a hybrid event that will take place later in 2026; exact date to be announced).

Join the contest

Q1: Who can participate?

Any community-based organisation, association, grassroots group, neighbourhood team, community group, or art collective in Europe (other than LISTEN project partners).​

Q2: Does our organisation or group need to be officially established to participate?

No, informal groups, collectives, neighbourhood crews, artistic teams and informal community organisations are welcome to participate alongside officially established institutions.

Q3: I am an individual artist. Can I participate?

No, only groups, organisations, and collectives are eligible to participate in the exhibition and contest. Nevertheless, if your artwork was created for a community project, along with community members, invite them to participate together.

Q4: What types of projects are accepted?

The exhibition accepts creative community engagement and civic participation projects, community-driven initiatives, youth engagement activities, intergenerational dialogue interventions, and mental health promotion projects, among others. Submissions should be rooted in community needs and promote the expression of community voices.

Q5: What types of formats are accepted?

The exhibition accepts diverse formats, including photographs, short videos or reels (up to 4 minutes), audio podcasts or music (up to 6 minutes), digital posters, and written creative works such as poems, stories, or song lyrics. Submissions should be digital files ready for online presentation.

Q6: How do I submit my project?

Fill in the submission form, upload your materials, provide a short description, and tick the consent checkboxes.​

Q7: Is there a limit on the number of entries?

One entry/project per organisation. Select one of your community engagement projects; the most impactful and more creative one!

Q8: How does voting work?

Public voting will take place on the official LISTEN Instagram page, via “likes”.​

Q9: How will winners be selected?

The three entries that receive the most likes during the voting period are declared winners after moderation and verification.

Q10: What do winners receive?

Winners will receive technical equipment valued at 500 euros to support their community engagement work and future projects, and an invitation to present at the LISTEN Policy Roundtable in Bulgaria (summer/autumn 2026, date TBC).

Q11: Where will my entry be shown?

On the LISTEN website’s exhibition gallery, official Instagram account, and possibly in project communications. All materials will be credited.​

Q12: What if my entry includes images or voices of others?

You must secure and confirm all necessary permissions from those featured.

Q13: Who can I contact if I encounter issues when submitting my content?

Participants can reach out to the LISTEN Project team at listenproject@seerc.org for support with any technical or submission-related issues.

The exhibition accepts diverse formats, including photographs, short videos or reels (up to 4 minutes), audio podcasts or music (up to 6 minutes), digital posters, and written creative works such as poems, stories, or song lyrics. Submissions should be digital files ready for online presentation.