Call for Entries: 33rd Calicomix International Festival 2026 – DUENDERÍA

The 33rd Calicomix International Festival 2026 in Colombia formally invites artists, illustrators, and graphic narrators from across the globe to participate in this year’s landmark exhibition: “DUENDES 2026”.

Under the theme DUENDERÍA, the festival serves as a prestigious platform where imagination converges with graphic action. We invite creators to transform symbols, ancestral legends, and fantastical beings into visual narratives that celebrate cultural diversity and contemporary creativity.

1. Objective and Theme

The primary objective of the festival is to unite graphic creators from all five continents in an international exhibition showcasing the richness of magic and fantasy. The 2026 theme, DUENDES, explores the representation of magical and mythical guardians from various traditions—such as Gnomes, Elves, Aluxes, Tengus, Leprechauns, and personal imaginative beings—integrating them into a global digital catalog.

2. Participation Categories

Submissions are accepted in the following two categories:

• Illustration: Original works executed in any medium or technique.
• Graphic Narrative: Comics, Graphic Novels, or single-page visual sequences.

3. Technical Specifications

All submissions must adhere to the following rigorous technical standards:

• Format: Digital files in JPG, PNG, or PDF format.
• Resolution: Minimum of 300 dpi to ensure exhibition quality.
• Dimensions: Maximum size of A3 (29.7 x 42 cm).
• Quantity: Each participant may submit a maximum of 3 (three) works.

Note on Artificial Intelligence: Works generated by AI will not be accepted. DUENDERÍA honors human creation as a testament to authentic artistic imagination.

4. Submission Requirements

Each work must be accompanied by a technical data sheet including:

• Title of the work and Technique used.
• Full Name of the author and Country of origin.
• A brief description of the work’s cultural or symbolic origin (Maximum 150 words).

5. Key Dates and Deadlines

• Call for Entries Opens: March 1st, 2026
• Submission Deadline: June 1st, 2026
• Official Exhibition: August 1st, 2026 (Santiago de Cali, Colombia)

Submission Address: Proposals must be sent to the official festival email: calicomixcolombia@gmail.com Subject Line: “DUENDES 2026”

6. Selection and Recognition

• Curatorial Review: A specialized committee will select the works to be featured in the official DUENDERÍA exhibition.
• Official Certification: All selected participants will receive an Official Certificate of Participation.
• Global Distribution: Selected works will be included in the DUENDERÍA 2026 International Digital Catalog, distributed globally as a permanent record of the festival.
• Intellectual Property: Authors retain full moral and intellectual property rights. Participation implies granting the Festival non-exclusive rights for reproduction and distribution for cultural, non-profit, and promotional purposes.

7. Conditions for Participation

Participation in DUENDES 2026 implies full acceptance of the festival rules. Works that infringe upon third-party rights or include discriminatory content will be disqualified.