Water Festival 2027 international competition for young creators

Water Festival 2027 has launched an international creative competition for children and young people under the title Water Speaks All Languages. Entries are due electronically by 31 January 2027, with the closing event taking place in Rogaška Slatina on 19 March.

Image, word, music and film about water

The call covers visual art, literature, music and video. Kindergartens, schools, individuals and groups from Slovenia and abroad may participate. Themes range from drinking water and rivers to drought, floods, climate change and water as a symbol of life and connection.

Entries must be participants’ own work. The official rules explicitly exclude material created wholly or partly with generative AI. Minors need parental or guardian consent, and video entrants are responsible for rights to music, photographs and other elements.

A competition and a media-literacy lesson

The originality and rights requirements also provide practical media-literacy education. Juries assess creativity, independence, impact and personal perspective, not only technical perfection.

Winners will be announced at the March closing event, with crystal trophies for overall winners in each of the four fields. Selected works may be used for non-commercial festival presentation, while copyright remains with the creators.

Business opportunity

The programme offers a transparent support platform for water-sector, education and creative-industry partners. Credible support can provide tools, mentoring, access and rights education without influencing judging or taking ownership from participants.