Organizer 

Trieste Contemporanea Committee

Location 

International (Central and Eastern Europe)

Deadline 

July 5, 2026

Competition Theme

"HOLD THE PLACE" — Develop a small functional object that preserves a personal experience of Friuli Venezia Giulia, translating the region's cultural, historical, social, or landscape character into a coherent design proposal.

Competition Category

Product Design
Functional Object Design
Cultural Creative Design

Eligibility

Professional designers (all ages)
Designers from CEI member countries and Austria
Individual or team participation

Eligible Countries

Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

Entry Fee

Free

Prizes/Awards

Total Prize Pool: €10,000
Selected works exhibited in Trieste
Published in online catalogue
Winners invited to award ceremony (travel & accommodation covered)

Core Introduction

Established in 1995 as a biennial competition focusing on contemporary design from Central and Eastern Europe. The 2026 edition is organized under the patronage of CEI (Central European Initiative) and ADI (Association for Industrial Design). The special theme relates to Venzone and its symbolic role in post-earthquake reconstruction. Emphasizes usability, formal clarity, conceptual strength, and practical feasibility.