Gallary

Open Call: "Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots"

"Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots"Global Healing Arts Contest and Exhibition

General Curator: Ananda Zhao
General Consultant: Zongde Deng
Curator:Livin Liu

General Secretary :James Tian

Judging Panel

Lily Baylon Escritora（Spain）、Lidia Chiarelli（Italy）、Lucilla Trapazzo（Italy/Switzerland）、 Maki Starfield (Japan)、Pозалия Александрова（ Bulgaria）、Rika Inami (Japan)、Sabrina De Canio（Italy）、Tobias Burghardt（Germany）、Fahredin Shehu（Kosovo）、Xiao Suhong（ China）

Sponsor
International Arts Education & Therapy Development Academic Association（IAETDAA）

Preview

When the thaw begins, breaking barriers heralds renewal.

When the last chill lingers upon the earth, we choose to wait no longer. For true spring is not granted by the seasons but springs from an inner longing for connection and the fearless courage to break through. The barriers that separate us—be it inner solitude, silence between souls, or the rupture with nature—invite us to wield art as a mallet, to question, examine, and gently reshape our world.

Here, we formally extend a global invitation to all creators to join the “Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots” Global Healing Art Competition & Exhibition, initiated by the International Arts Education & Therapy Development Academic Association (IAETDAA). This marks not only the start of the seasonal cycle but an active act of healing: to rediscover genuine connection through “breaking barriers” and to witness life’s most resilient strength in “tender shoots.”

Part I: Theme Interpretation—What Does “Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots” Mean?

It is a dual-aspect philosophy of creation:

· Breaking Barriers: The act of confronting divides, both internal and external. It concerns shattering self-imposed walls, bridging the chasms of the digital age, and mending the fractures between humanity and all living things.

· Tender Shoots: The outcome, yet also hope itself. It refers to the new life that bursts forth from points of rupture and under pressure. Like new growth on ancient boughs, from trauma arises more luxuriant flourishing.

We encourage you to transform any medium—be it brush, lens, clay, body, sound, or code—into an extension of perception, to explore:

· How an emotion thaws and refreezes into a new internal order.

· How a touch, a glance, can build a bridge across silence.

· How a forgotten dialogue with nature can be reawakened.

· And how, beyond all established formal boundaries, art itself can “sprout” an entirely new language of healing.

Your work could be a fissure, a sprout, a blueprint for reconnection, or an unfinished garden offering sanctuary for all.

Part II: Submission Guidelines

1. Eligibility

Open to artists, creators, and collectives worldwide. There are no restrictions based on age, nationality, or professional background.

2. Theme & Accepted Formats

Original artworks closely aligned with the theme “Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots.” All media and forms of expression are welcome, with a special encouragement for diverse formats, including but not limited to:

· Visual Arts: Painting, sculpture, photography, installation, digital art, etc.

· Time-Based Arts: Video, animation, documentation of performance art, etc.

· Performing & Auditory Arts: Theater, dance, music (instrumental, vocal, sound installation, etc.).

· Literary Arts: Poetry, short stories, creative texts, and other written works.

· Interdisciplinary & Social Practice: Socially engaged projects, bio-art, textile art, etc.

3. Submission Requirements

Please compile all materials into a ZIP/RAR folder named [Your Name + Submission for ‘Breaking Barriers • Tender Shoots’] and send it to the official email: iaetdaa@gmail.com.

The folder must contain:

· Work Files (Choose as applicable):

· Static/Visual Works: Provide high-resolution images (1-5 images, each ≥2MB). Naming format: Your Name《Work Title》Material Dimensions Year.jpg (e.g., Feizi《Rebirth》Oil on Canvas 60×80cm 2026.jpg).

· Video/Performance Documentation: Provide MP4 video (≤5 mins, ≤500MB). Use the same naming format.

· Music Works: Provide audio file (WAV or MP3). Naming format: Your Name《Work Title》Year.mp3.

· Theater/Dance Works: Provide MP4 video of full performance or excerpt (≤15 mins, ≤1GB). Use the same naming format.

· Literary Works: Provide PDF or Word document. Naming format: Your Name《Work Title》Year.pdf/.docx.

· Other Formats: Provide images, videos, or documents that clearly document the work's essence and core concept.

· Text Materials (Compiled into a single Word document):

1. Artist Bio: Include name, gender, contact details (phone, WeChat, email), and a personal portrait photo (landscape 16:9 ratio).

2. Work Information Table: List each work's title, type, material/format, duration/word count, and year of creation.

3. Artist Statement (300-500 words): Explain the work's connection to the theme and its healing philosophy.