ABU DHABI, 22nd October, 2026 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), hosted by Masdar, has launched its fourth Global Digital Art Competition, inviting digital artists worldwide to explore how art can help envision a more resilient future.
The competition is open to artists aged 18 and above, who are invited to submit original digital artworks.
Submissions close on 16th November 2026. One winner and two finalists will be recognised in Abu Dhabi on 13th January during ADSW 2027, where their works will be showcased.
The competition reflects the ADSW 2027 theme, “Securing Systems. Sustaining Growth.” It challenges artists to explore how creativity, technology and human imagination can help build a more resilient and prosperous future.
The competition is part of ADSW’s wider Arts and Culture programme. Through digital art, artists can bring sustainability topics to life, offering new perspectives and engaging audiences in new ways. Artists may respond to one or more of ADSW’s five thematic pillars: Future Energy Systems, Advanced Technology and AI, Water, Food and Resource Security, Investment and Infrastructure, and Human Development and Prosperity.
Submissions may include static or moving-image works, interactive and generative art, immersive experiences and web-based pieces. Artists must identify any AI, generative or creative-coding tools used and explain their contribution to the work.
Submissions will be assessed by a panel of leading voices from the international arts community: Dyala Nusseibeh, Director, Frieze Abu Dhabi; Kawthar Bin Sulayem, Founder and CEO of District1795; Hamad Al Shamsi, Artist; Anna Magritskaya, Managing Director, Theatre of Digital Art; Khawla Abou Saleh, Visual Artist and Creative Director; and Diaa Allam, Calligraphy Artist. The panel will consider concept, artistic vision and originality, impact, representation and accessibility.
The competition is organised in partnership with District1795, MENA’s first tech ecosystem dedicated to arts and culture, building the digital infrastructure behind the region’s creative economy.