Launching the illustration contest 'Local Quality' to honor cultural values ​​and regional identity

The “Local Essence” illustration contest is organized to promote the cultural industry and sustainable tourism development in Vietnam. (Source: Organizing Committee)

From May 17 to June 16, 2025, the Local Quality illustration contest officially accepts entries from young artists nationwide, aiming to honor and spread unique cultural values ​​in Vietnam's regions through creative paintings.

The competition is co-organized by UNESCO, Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports , Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG), with the support of SOVICO Group, within the framework of the EMPLEMENT! project to promote the cultural industry and develop sustainable tourism in Vietnam.

With the theme Local Spirit , the competition encourages young artists to express local spirit through unique artistic perspectives.

Each work is a cultural slice – where stories, memories, and symbols typical of the land are told through colors, lines, and creative layouts, thereby contributing to creating a diverse and vibrant harmony of Vietnamese culture.

Artists can submit hand-drawn or digital illustrations, with a minimum size of 40x40cm and a resolution of no less than 300 dpi. There is no limit to the number of entries, but each entry must contain only one work and must not use any AI tools in the creation process.

Local quality is not only an artistic playground but also an opportunity for young creative talents to be recognized and spread the value of their works to the public.

The total prize value of the contest is up to more than 80 million VND, with categories such as: 3 Excellent work awards (each prize is worth 5 million VND in cash and gifts); 23 Outstanding work awards (each prize is worth 2 million VND in cash and gifts); 3 Outstanding Combination work awards (each prize is worth 4 million VND in cash and gifts); 5 Promising work awards (each prize is worth 1 million VND in cash and gifts); 1 Voting award (worth 1 million VND in cash and gifts).

Each winning work receives a certificate and a gift bag with illustrations printed on it. The Promising Award winners also receive an additional gift from the Jury.

In particular, the intellectual property rights of the works still belong to the artist. However, by participating in the contest, the author agrees to allow UNESCO to use the work for non-profit communication purposes within the framework of the project. If there is a need for commercialization, the Organizing Committee will negotiate separately regarding the author's rights.

The competition is part of the EMPLEMENT! project – a cooperation program between UNESCO and SOVICO launched in 2021 to empower young people and women in exploiting the value of cultural heritage in Creative Cities and UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites in Vietnam.

In addition, the Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG) community – the co-organizer – also plays an important role in gathering young artists on an online platform. With more than 200,000 members and more than 60 regular creative exchange activities, VLAG is one of the most vibrant art playgrounds for illustrators in Vietnam today.

Entries for the Local Quality illustration contest must meet the following requirements:

● Eligible works must be submitted via the entry form, accompanied by a comment or a short description.

● Minimum painting size 40cm x 40cm. Minimum resolution 300 dpi. Do not leave important details on the edge of the painting.

● There is no limit to the number of entries per author. However, each entry form must only include ONE entry. If an author submits multiple entries, please divide them into separate entries and clearly name the entries.

● Entries can be drawn electronically or on paper, scanned or photographed neatly, clearly, without shadows, and without unrelated objects such as backgrounds, table tops, crayons, etc.

● No text should be added to the painting, unless the text is part of the work.

● The introduction of the work does not include extraneous information such as advertisements, news, links, or hashtags that do not comply with regulations.

● Works that contain any part created using AI tools are not accepted.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/khoi-dong-cuoc-thi-ve-minh-hoa-chat-dia-phuong-ton-vinh-gia-tri-van-hoa-ban-sac-vung-mien-314886.html