Friction-maxxing Art Competition 2026 - artinfo
Submit original creative work responding to the prompt 'Friction-maxxing is a labour of love' about resilience and interpersonal friction, in any discipline from animation to photography.
Does this fit your work? 5 questions score every call to your medium, location and budget. Free.
Get matched →- Deadline
- 30 days left
- Entry fee
- Free
- Award
- $15,000
- Location
- Online · organized from Online
- Applicants notified
- Nov 1, 2026
About
Overview
This is a prompt-based open call for original creative work responding to the theme 'Friction-maxxing is a labour of love,' which draws on an essay about meaningful relationships requiring friction rather than avoidance. The organizers state the prompt is meant to spark the artist's imagination rather than dictate a specific approach; target audience, tone, and medium are left to the applicant.
Eligible Disciplines
- Animation
- Design
- Dance
- Visual Arts
- Installation
- Sound/Music
- Poetry
- Prose
- Video/Film
- Photography
Eligibility
Open to all artists, worldwide, of any age. Part-time or full-time students, freelancers, and creatives all welcome. Individuals or teams may apply.
Requirements
- Work must be original and must engage the prompt
- Any licensed or stock material used must be attributed
- Work must not have been monetized on other platforms
- Submissions must be no longer than five minutes
- AI-generated or AI-assisted work, including artist statements, will not be considered
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
- Winners announced: 1 November 2026
Awards
- 1st place: $15,000
- 2nd place: $8,000
- 3rd place: $4,000
- People's Choice (determined by public electronic voting): $3,000
How to Apply
Online application. Applicants may submit as many entries as they wish, though judges evaluate quality over quantity.
Judging
Judging is conducted by the Be Still Media team, who evaluate work 'much like critics evaluate music, film, literature,' based on how the piece impacts them (creativity, storytelling) and how well it responds to the prompt.
- Award
- 1st place: $15,000; 2nd place: $8,000; 3rd place: $4,000; People's Choice (determined by public electronic voting): $3,000
- Entry fee
- Free to enter
- Theme
- Friction-maxxing — the intentional embrace of inconvenience and interpersonal difficulty as a path to resilience and flourishing, applied to relationships and creative practice.
- Eligibility
- Open to all artists worldwide of any age; part-time or full-time students, freelancers, and creatives welcome; individuals or teams may apply.
- Audience
- Open to all artists, worldwide, of any age; part-time or full-time students, freelancers, and creatives welcome; individuals or teams may apply.
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.