Overview
// 2026. 09.01 – 09.30 (KST)
September 1, 2026 (Tue) – September 30, 2026 (Wed), 11:59 PM (KST)
AI IMAGE ART
AI VIDEO ARTKRW 21,000,000
※ Prize money will be paid after deduction of applicable taxes and public charges.
AI ART AWARD 'NEXT ART AI' is an open competition for AI art, welcoming participants of all backgrounds regardless of career, nationality, or age. It seeks to reflect on the future of AI art through new modes of expression and artistic experimentation.
01.Overview
| Pre-Announcement | July 10. 2026 (Fri) - August 31. 2026 (Mon) (KST) |
|---|---|
| Application Period | September 1. 2026 (Tue) – September 30. 2026 (Wed), 11:59 PM (KST) |
| Preliminary Round | Early October 2026 |
| Final Round | Late October 2026 |
| Final Announcement and Ceremony | Early November 2026 |
| Exhibition | Late November 2026 |
* The competition details and schedule are subject to change at the discretion of the Organizer and Host.
02.Submission Requirements
- Individuals or Teams of up to three members, including the team representative (Duplicate submissions as both an individual and a team are not permitted).
*For team entries, the team representative must create an account in their own name, and all team members must submit a Consent Form for the Collection and Use of Personal Information.
*Applicants under the age of 19 must submit a consent form signed by their legal guardian.
- Original work created by the applicant or team *Works that have previously won an award in another competition are not eligible for submission.
- Submitted works must be image or video artworks created using generative AI platforms.
- Categories: IMAGE ART / VIDEO ART *Applicants may submit one work per category.
Submission Specifications
This category is open to works created in a single-image format.
This category is open to works in a wide range of video formats, including animation, motion graphics, and live-action footage enhanced or transformed using AI.
* Free or paid external assets, game engines, AI frameworks, open-source tools, and editing software may be used freely. However, applicants must secure licenses permitting commercial use for all elements included in the submitted work. Works that infringe upon the intellectual property rights or other rights of third parties will be excluded from evaluation.
* Even when external assets or editing software are used, the creative process must include the use of AI technology, such as AI-assisted direction, transformation, generation, or other AI-based processes. The choice of AI tools, the scope and method of their use, and related prompts will be considered in the evaluation of the creative use of AI technology.
03.Awards & Benefits
KRW 21,000,000 · 20 winners
※ Prize money will be paid after deduction of applicable taxes and public charges.
AI IMAGE ARTAI VIDEO ART04.Evaluation Process
Evaluation Process and Criteria
| Category | Criteria | |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Round | Verification & Eligibility (100%) |
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| Category | Criteria | |
|---|---|---|
| Final Round | Technical Excellence (20%) |
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| Thematic & Conceptual Relevance (20%) |
| |
| Creativity & Originality (20%) |
| |
| Aesthetics (20%) |
| |
| Emotional Impact & Social Relevance (10%) |
| |
| Suitability of Description, Interpretation & Supporting Materials (10%) |
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| Public Vote | Online Public Vote |
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- Compliance of submitted materials with requirements
- Relevance to the theme, as well as creativity, artistic merit, and completeness
- Appropriate and creative utilization of AI technology
- Technical proficiency and sophistication in the use of AI
- Excellence in interpretation of the theme and message delivery
- Depth of philosophical or social significance
- Expression of the artist’s unique perspective
- Use of a distinctive and innovative creative approach
- Visual artistic quality, including formal qualities, color palette, and expressiveness
- Ability to evoke emotional responses and immersion, and to encourage broader reflection or discourse
- Reflecting contemporary relevance and messages of social value
- Clarity and sincerity of the prompt, production process, and conceptual explanation
- Accuracy and appropriateness of the documented descriptions
- Public resonance and effective communication of meaning
* The final-round evaluation and public voting will be conducted concurrently for works that pass the preliminary round. The final winners will be selected based on the combined scores from the final-round evaluation and public voting.
* The composition of the jury, evaluation details, and other related information will not be disclosed. The results of the evaluation are final and not subject to appeal.
05.How to Apply
September 1, 2026 (Tue) – September 30, 2026 (Wed), 11:59 PM (KST)
① Visit the official website (next-art-ai.com) ▶ Create an account ▶ Select the “APPLY” menu
② Complete the application form, attach all required documents and click “Final Submit.”
※ Video works must be uploaded individually to one of the designated online platforms below and submitted via URL.
- Youtube, Vimeo, Dropbox and OneDrive may be used.
- However, applicants who are unable to access the designated platforms due to restrictions in their country or region may use an alternative video platform accessible in their location.
- Videos must be set to allow access via link. If the video cannot be accessed due to permission settings or other issues, the submission may be excluded from evaluation.
※ The video must be uploaded within the submission period. Any modification or replacement of the video after the submission deadline is not permitted.
※ When submitting a work, applicants are required to provide information such as the AI tools and versions used, key AI prompts, and a list of assets used. Failure to submit the required information may result in exclusion from evaluation.
※ Applicants must retain the original files, as they may be requested for evaluation and for the exhibition of award-winning works.
06.Important Notes
- All elements included in the submitted work, including images, video footage, fonts, music, and text, must not infringe any third-party rights, including copyrights, intellectual property rights, ownership rights, rental rights, and portrait or publicity rights, whether in Korea or abroad. Where any element included in the submitted work is subject to a third party’s rights, the entrant must obtain all necessary and lawful permissions from the relevant rights holder in advance. The entrant shall bear full responsibility for any dispute arising in connection with such rights.
- The Organizer and Host may reproduce, exhibit, transmit, distribute, and otherwise use the winning works, both online and offline, for non-commercial purposes, including promotion, events, and archiving. For such purposes, the works may be edited, modified, or adapted, provided that doing so does not materially alter or compromise the integrity of the original works.
- Works selected for the second round of evaluation will be made publicly available for online voting. When published, a watermark or notice indicating that the work was created using generative AI may be inserted into the work.
- If any real person, including the applicant, appears in the submitted work—whether through their face, voice, or other identifiable features—a consent form for the use of their image, voice, and likeness must be submitted for each person featured in the work.
- If the contact information provided is inaccurate, or if the Organizer is unable to maintain effective communication with the applicant without prior notice or consultation due to reasons attributable to the applicant, the award may be revoked.
- In the case of team submissions, the prize money will be paid to the team representative, and the Foundation will not be involved in the distribution of the prize money among team members.
- At the time of submission, applicants must provide details of the AI tools used, model versions, specific prompts, and a list of all assets and editing tools used. If necessary, applicants may be asked to submit additional materials, including the asset files used and original files.
- For winning works, the Organizer may request high-resolution original files or files in additional formats or specifications for archiving and exhibition purposes.
- The number of awards and recipients may be adjusted if no entries are deemed suitable for an award.
- All award recipients are requested to attend the awards ceremony. Recipients residing outside Korea may participate via a video conferencing platform instead. The awards ceremony may be photographed and recorded, and the resulting images and footage may be published online.
- The following cases shall be deemed misconduct
- Plagiarizing or misappropriating another person’s ideas or techniques (The determination of substantial similarity shall be made according to the Organizer’s standards.)
- Plagiarizing, misappropriating, or submitting another person’s work on their behalf
- Providing false information in submitted documents
- Including elements in the submitted work that infringe upon third-party rights, such as copyright, intellectual property rights, ownership rights, or portrait rights
- Failing to secure licenses permitting commercial use for elements used in the submitted work, including generative AI tools, assets, editing software, source materials, and fonts
- Submitting a work that damages another person’s reputation or contains obscene, violent, or illegal content.
※ If misconduct is discovered, the Organizer may take measures such as revocation of the award, recovery of prize money, and civil and/or criminal legal action. The applicant may also be restricted from participating in future competitions or support programs organized by the Foundation.
- Submitted documents must be completed in accordance with the required forms and specifications. Works that fail to comply may be excluded from evaluation.
- The competition details and schedule are subject to change depending on the circumstances of the Organizer and Host. Any changes will be announced on the website.
- Contact : contact@next-art-ai.com