BAG 8 INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL| International Exhibition of Comics and Graphic Narratives | OPEN CALL

BAG 8 INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL | International Exhibition of Comics and Graphic Narratives

OPEN CALL

The Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Granada is opening a call for submissions to participate in the first International Exhibition of Comics and Graphic Narratives as part of the BAG 8 International Art Festival, which will be held at the Faculty’s Exhibition Hall between May and June 2025.

GUIDELINES

1 – WHAT IS BAG 8
BAG 8 is the eighth edition of the International Art Festival organized by the Faculty of Fine Arts, with the support of the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalization of the University of Granada.

BAG promotes and disseminates international artistic encounters, collaborative projects, and research. It unfolds throughout the year via a variety of events and initiatives, involving students, alumni, faculty, and artists associated with any art faculty or school around the world.

2 – BAG 8: GENERAL THEME
Following the previous edition, a Rare incident: little stories and place identity, we now present a Rare incident II – the stuck image. Under this title, we continue our curious collection of strange and seemingly insignificant events that have become etched in the collective memory of those who experienced, witnessed, or heard them—and that alter the way we remember certain places.

3 – EXHIBITION THEME
Strange Stories in Real Places. Short narratives in comic or other graphic storytelling formats that explore the unusual, bizarre, mysterious, puzzling, terrifying, or unexpected, and which take place in real, existing locations.

Uncanny incidents, unbelievable encounters, inexplicable happenings, terrible misunderstandings, bizarre discoveries, shocking or disturbing endings, intriguing situations…

4 – WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
Active art students, alumni from the past 10 years, researchers, technical staff, and faculty members linked to any faculty or school of art anywhere in the world.

Submissions may be individual or collaborative. Each artist or group may submit a maximum of two pieces. All works must be original and unpublished.

5 – FORMAT AND LANGUAGE
Submissions must be complete, self-contained stories, developed over 1 to 4 single-sided pages and preferably with minimal text. Works will be accepted in Spanish, Catalan, Galician, French, English, Italian, or Portuguese; pieces in other languages are allowed only if accompanied by a version in either Spanish or English. Free technique.

Physical format: Minimum size A3, maximum A2 (these are reference dimensions; the shape of the piece is open). High-weight matte or satin paper (200–300 g/m2).

Digital format: Works must be submitted in high resolution (300 ppi), with a minimum size of A3 and a maximum of A2. The curatorial team may adjust the final print size to suit the exhibition design. Printing costs will be covered by the organizers.

6 – SUBMISSION AND REGISTRATION
To participate, send an email to fineartsmobility@ugr.es with the subject line EXPO BAG 8 by Monday, May 5th at 2:00 p.m. (CET), attaching a PDF file that includes:

1.- Title and brief description of the work (max. 150 words).
2.- Full comic in good quality to ensure readability on screen.
3.- Personal details of the author(s):
– Full name(s)
– City and country of origin
– University or institution of origin and your affiliation with it
– Contact phone number and email address
4.- Short portfolio of recent work (7–10 pages).
5.- Short artistic biography (max. 300 words) in Spanish and English.

Once your application is received and reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email. If you don’t hear back within a reasonable time, we recommend following up. Late submissions will not be accepted.

7 – SUBMISSION OF SELECTED WORKS
Selected works must be sent either via courier or digitally, as appropriate. If your work is selected, we will contact you with shipping instructions.

Digital works: Final print-ready files must be sent between May 6th and 7th.

Physical works: Must be received at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Granada by May 12th at 11:00 a.m. Works can be delivered by courier or in person. They must be packed in rigid, reusable packaging, such as hard envelopes or folders, to ensure safe transport and storage. Each participant is responsible for all shipping and return costs.

The organization reserves the right to exclude works that: Arrive after the deadline, differ substantially from the images submitted during the selection process, do not comply with the technical and presentation requirements, arrive damaged or without proper packaging for safe handling and exhibition.

8 – SELECTION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality and originality of the work, narrative and expressive strength, and innovation in storytelling and technique.

9 – SELECTION COMMITTEE
The selection will be made by an international jury appointed for this occasion. The jury will be announced after the call is resolved.

10 – RESULTS
The jury’s decision is final and will be announced on the Faculty of Fine Arts website on May 6th, 2025.

11 – ARTISTS’ COMMITMENT
Selected participants agree to:

Submit their work (physical or digital) by the established deadlines and ensure its condition.

Authorize the display of their work for the full duration of the exhibition without early withdrawal.

Guarantee that the work is original, self-authored, and does not infringe on third-party rights.

Permit the partial or full reproduction of their work for promotional, documentation, or outreach purposes, in print or digital form, with no financial compensation.

Accept the curatorial team’s decisions regarding exhibition setup and display.

Collect their work within the stated time-frame after the exhibition.

12 – TOURING AND CATALOGUE
Selected works may be considered for inclusion in future international touring exhibitions, with prior authorization from the artists.

The Faculty of Fine Arts may publish a catalogue showcasing projects and research from BAG editions 7 and 8, titled a Rare incident. Its aim will be to promote and highlight the selected works.

13 – RIGHTS OF USE AND DISTRIBUTION
By accepting these guidelines, selected participants agree to allow the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Granada to reproduce and publicly communicate their work through print, audiovisual, or other media.

14 – ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND LIABILITY
Failure to comply with these guidelines (without duly justified cause) will result in automatic exclusion. This call does not entail any financial assistance beyond the application channels stipulated by our Faculty or other entities.

15 – TIMELINE
Application deadline: May 5, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
Announcement of selected works: May 6, 2025
Digital files submission: by May 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
Physical works reception: by May 12, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

16 – CONTACT & SOCIAL MEDIA
For any questions or issues related to the call, contact us at: fineartsmobility@ugr.es

Website: https://bellasartes.ugr.es
Instagram: @bellasartes_international – @bellasartesgranada

17 – FINAL REMARKS
The organization reserves the right to amend these guidelines for justified reasons, and any updates will be communicated through official channels.

Participation in this call implies full acceptance of these guidelines.