The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen revolve around the eternal warm core of “Guard”. Elisa guards her brothers through transformation; the Nightingale guards the king’s pure heart; the Little Mermaid guards sincere love.
These centuries-old kindness and perseverance continue to nourish every soul that loves life.
The 2026 H.C.Andersen Art Awards adoptsGuard as its annual theme, with official submission channels open worldwide!
Chapter.01 Event Overview
Founded in Odense, Denmark by the Denmark H.C. Andersen Culture & Art Committee and co-hosted by the Denmark H.C. Andersen Samfundet Copenhagen, the H.C.Andersen Art Awards is a prestigious annual international art prize established to commemorate Hans Christian Andersen’s remarkable cultural and artistic achievements and recognize outstanding global art creations.
The award aims to spread Hans Christian Andersen’s artistic influence to art lovers worldwide, encourage diverse creative forms, spark imagination and innovation inspired by Andersen’s fairy tales, and allow creators to depict their ideal fairy-tale worlds through art.
Chapter.02 Organizing Institutions
Host Organizations
Denmark H.C. Andersen Culture & Art Committee
Denmark H.C. Andersen Samfundet Copenhagen
Undertaker
Executive Committee of H.C.Andersen Art Awards
Supporting Institutions
Odense City Museum, Denmark
H.C. Andersen Culture & Art Center
Nordic Times
Exhibition Venues
Copenhagen City Hall
Aarhus City Hall
Odense City Hall
Kunst Bygningen Filosoffen
The Royal Danish Library
Odense City Museum
Hans Christian Andersen Cultural Center
Herning Cultural Center
Chapter.03 Timeline
Submission Launch
2026.6.22Submission Launch
2026.06.22—08.01
Jury Evaluation
2026.08.01—08.07
International Exhibition
2026.08.17-25
Chapter.04 Award Categories
Honorary Creation Awards：
Gold, Silver, Bronze and Excellence (Shortlist) Awards will be selected from all entries. Winners will receive honorary certificates and commemorative H.C. Andersen medals issued by the host organizations and Executive Committee.
Chapter.05 International Jury Pane
Chapter.06 Participation Rules
Eligibility & Theme
Open to global participants aged 3–18 (children & teenagers) and adult art enthusiasts above 18. Creations shall mainly draw inspiration from Andersen’s fairy tales.
Award winners will be invited to the H.C. Andersen International Art Exhibition, receive exclusive exhibition gift sets from organizers, and qualify for Sino-Danish cultural exchange study tours.
Age Groups
Toddler Group, Primary School Group, Junior High Group, Senior High Group, Adult Group
Artwork Requirements
Digital submissions: JPG/PNG photos under 5MB. Shortlisted winners shall submit original physical artworks to the China Executive Committee.
Acceptable forms: Paintings, AI art, sculptures, paper-cutting, calligraphy, design, photography and more. Paintings are recommended to follow standard A3 size (297mm×420mm). For oversized works including calligraphy, photography, sculptures and installation art, please consult the committee for submission guidelines.
All entries must be original. Submission of artworks constitutes full acceptance of all contest regulations.
Application Channel/Registration Fee
Submission: Via any
TREE ART
campus location
Registration Fee: $48
Evaluation Criteria
All entries will be comprehensively assessed under unified official standards. Evaluation metrics vary by art form and shall follow the latest official requirements.
All exhibited artworks will not be returned. Creators retain full copyright of authorship, while the host and undertaker hold reproduction and usage rights of all submitted works.
Chapter.07 Travel with Us
Notable Exhibition Venues
The award strives to build diverse cross-cultural exchange platforms for artists to boost global artistic development. Past exhibitions have been successfully held at Copenhagen City Hall, Aarhus City Hall, Odense City Hall, Kunst Bygningen Filosoffen, Royal Danish Library, Herning Culture Center, NEXT Education Group Confucius Classroom and other high-end venues, greatly enhancing audience experience and artistic appeal of exhibits.
Press & Media Coverage
The event has been reported by official platforms including the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official web
site, Ministry of Culture and Tourism offici
al website, China-Europe Cultural Exchange (sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism), and Nordic Times (partner of People’s Daily Overseas Edition). It also
gains extensive coverage from China Daily, China News Service, China Education Network, People’s Education Network and other mainstream media, expanding its global reputation and influence.
Dozens of Countries Participated
The award enjoys worldwide recognition, with active events held in Denmark, Sweden, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and more. Welcomed by local young artists, it receives over 100,000 submissions annually and serves as a vital platform for youth artistic communication.
China-Denmark Art Exchange
As a landmark cultural event, it deepens artistic exchanges betw
een China and Denmark. Highlights include the 75th Anniversary of China-Denmark Diplomatic Relations H.C. Andersen International Art Exhibition held at Copenhagen City Hall in May 2025. The award has also been invited
to major international cultural galas such as H.C. Andersen Culture Art Festival · China Session, Copenhagen Dragon Boat Festival, Children’s Painting Exhibition for China-Denmark Children’s Day, and Copenhagen Chinese New Year Carnival.
Prestigious International Jury
The jury panel features leading industry figures including Finn Andersen, Chairman of Denmark H.C. Andersen Culture & Art Committee; Claus Tilling, Chairman of Denmark H.C. Andersen Samfundet Copenhagen; renowned author Stig Dalager, alongside strong support from representatives of the Danish Yellow Rose Family, Chairwoman of the Sindberg Foundation, landscape designer Mariann Arp Stenwig, celebrated musician Morten Lammby and other elites, securing the award’s high authority and credibility.
Building China-Denmark Cultural Bridges
The award has accelerated its domestic layout in China, participating in the 3rd China Art Expo, signing agreements to build the H.C. Andersen Culture & Art Center in Qingdao and the H.C. Andersen International Cultural Exchange China Center in Suzhou, facilitating two-way cultural integration between Chinese traditional arts and Danish culture.
