About the Theme
What does peace mean to you? This question sits at the heart of the Global Youth Call 2025–2026. Peace is more than the absence of conflict, it’s justice, equity, ecological balance, mental well-being, and the courage to imagine better futures together!
We invite young people worldwide to explore peace through their chosen artform, asking:
- How can creativity build bridges across divided communities?
- What role does art play in healing trauma and fostering resilience?
- How do we create peace with ourselves, each other, and the planet?
- What does peace look like in your neighborhood, your culture, your dreams?
Through the Global Youth Call, we seek to amplify youth voices that inspire collective imagination and commitment to peace. This initiative centers on “100 Voices for the Future”, a curated collection of youth-led creative works that will be presented at the Sound of Peace Festival and shared globally through exhibitions, publications, and digital platforms.
How can Social Art empower peace?
Art has always been a catalyst for transformation. In times of uncertainty and division, creative expression offers pathways to:
- Amplify unheard voices and center marginalized perspectives
- Foster empathy through storytelling and shared experiences
- Reimagine systems and envision alternatives to violence
- Build community across borders, languages, and backgrounds
- Inspire action toward justice, equity, and planetary well-being
With the Global Youth Call, we ask: Where does art take place in movements for peace? What forms of creative expression foster connection, healing, and resilience? How can youth-led creativity embolden understanding and action at local and global levels?
* Age Requirement: Participants should be between 15-30 years old at the time of submission.
Selection Process
Evaluation considers relevance to peace themes, originality and creativity, emotional impact, technical quality, and advocacy potential.
Themes to Explore:
- Personal peace and mental well-being
- Community healing and social justice
- Ecological peace and planetary health
- Cultural identity and intergenerational dialogue
- Conflict transformation and reconciliation
- Future visions of coexistence and harmony
- Leveraging technology for a connected and Peaceful Future
Submission Guidelines
- All submissions must be original works created by the applicant(s)
- Works can be individual or collaborative projects
- Submissions should relate to themes of peace, justice, or planetary well-being
- Files must meet technical specifications (detailed in FAQ Youth SAA)
- Description and artist statement are required
Timeline – What you can expect
Stage 1: Open Call for Entries (September 21, 2025 – January 20, 2026)
Youth worldwide are invited to submit original works in Visual Artwork, Music, Short Films, Poetry/Spoken Word/Text, Performance/Theatre, or Open Format through the landing page. This is your opportunity to share your vision of peace with a global audience.
Stage 2: Online Gallery Launch (January 2026)
All eligible submissions are published in a rolling online gallery, organized by category and artform. Your work becomes part of a global conversation about peace, accessible to audiences worldwide.
Stage 3: Public Voting (January 2026)
The global audience votes for standout entries in each category. Community favorites advance as wildcard entries to the jury review round, ensuring grassroots voices are heard and celebrated.
Stage 4: Jury Round 1 – Artform Longlisting (February 2026)
The global audience votes for standout entries in each category. Community favourites advance as wildcard entries to the jury review round, ensuring grassroots voices are heard and celebrated. Six specialized juries, one for each artform, review all submissions and select the Top 100 longlisted works across all categories. Each jury includes:
- Visual Artwork: Curators, illustrators, peace educators
- Music: Musicians, producers, composers, peacebuilders
- Short Films: Filmmakers, digital storytellers, creative technologists
- Poetry/Spoken Word/Text: Writers, poets, performers, activists
- Performance/Theatre: Directors, choreographers, cultural mediators
- Open Format: Transdisciplinary artists, futurists, creative producers
Stage 5: Partner Matchmaking (February 2026)
Longlisted artists are connected with partner organizations, mentors, or innovation labs for creative collaboration, professional development, and preparation for the Peace Festival.
Stage 6: Creative Labs & Hackathons (from March 2026)
Selected youth participate in Creative Labs led by Alliance partners, including Youth4Planet, Syntezia, universities, and cultural hubs, to refine, develop, and amplify their projects through workshops, co-creation sessions, and peer collaboration.
Stage 7: Jury Round 2 – Final Selection (April 2026)
A cross-artform jury, including youth representatives, artists, and partners, selects the final works to be presented live or digitally at the Sound of Peace Festival. Final logistics and creative refinements are coordinated with selected artists.
Stage 8: Sound of Peace Festival (May 24, 2026, Rome)
The culmination of the Global Youth Call: selected youth present their works live or virtually, celebrating peace, justice, and planetary well-being. The “100 Voices for the Future” collection is officially launched with exhibitions, performances, screenings, and a Peace Anthem debut.
Stage 9: Extended Gallery & Local Activations (May–December 2026)
The online gallery remains active with new partner activations, traveling exhibitions, local school events, and community-led Peace Labs continuing throughout the year.
Recognition & Opportunities
For All Participants:
- Inclusion in the online gallery (if criteria is met)
- For series submissions, only one image per series is required for display.
- Artists may provide a link for the jury and audience to explore the full series or additional details.
- Digital certificate of participation.
- Access to Global Youth Call community network (events like symposia, panels, and social art meetups)
For Top 100 Longlisted Artists:
- Featured in “100 Voices for the Future” digital publication
- Potential professional mentorship opportunities
- Invitation to Creative Labs and collaborative workshops
For Festival Selected Artists:
- Live or digital presentation at Sound of Peace Festival, Rome
- Professional documentation and media coverage
- Jury feedback and artist development support
- Networking with international partners and peace organizations
For more details on the Youth Social Art Award, visit the Youth SAA FAQ section on www.social-art-award.org/faq-youth-saa and the Manifesto of the Alliance for Youth-led Futures
About the Organizer
The Institute for Art and Innovation (IFAI), founded in 2017, fosters transformative projects at the intersection of art, science, and technology. As an independent, not-for-profit NGO, IFAI drives impactful collaborations and amplifies creative solutions for social and environmental change.
For more details, visit the FAQ section on www.social-art-award.org/faq
Join us in shaping preferable futures where creativity inspires collective action and planetary healing. Together, let’s make waves for better todays and tomorrows!
