Menu
Theme: “The Spirit of ‘Ten Thousand Galloping Horses’” — celebrating the vibrant, progressive spirit of our era.
Open to all contemporary artworks expressing positivity and aspiration.
(Equine subjects not required）
2026
01.01
~
04.30
The Xu Beihong Cup International Children and Youth Art Competition is a nonprofit art initiative founded in 2004 by Ms. Liao Jingwen — former Director of the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum and widow of the renowned artist Xu Beihong — to honor and carry forward his lifelong dedication to Chinese art education.
To date, the competition has been successfully held for nine editions, attracting over 400,000 participants from around the world.
Atlas of past competitions
The competition has always adhered to the core principles of Fairness, Transparency, and Public Good.
Fairness
All submissions are collected online. The judging panel consists of the Xu Beihong Education Expert Group and more than 300 dedicated volunteer art educators from across China. Each artwork is anonymously evaluated online by multiple judges, and final rankings are determined by the average score—ensuring a fair and impartial review process.
Transparency
Awards recognize participation, encouragement, and excellence. All results are publicly announced online, with full disclosure across digital platforms. Participants can later access their results and download official e-certificates at any time.
Public Good
The competition has never charged any fees since its inception. It is generously supported by public-benefit sponsors, including the Liao Jingwen Public Welfare Fund (under the Red Cross Foundation of China) and the Ting Hsin Public Welfare Foundation, ensuring its nonprofit and inclusive nature.
Organizer
Liao Jingwen Public Welfare Fund of the Chinese Red Cross Foundation
中国红十字基金会廖静文公益基金
Xu Beihong Art Research Institute, Renmin University of China
中国人民大学徐悲鸿艺术研究院
Xu Beihong Art Committee
徐悲鸿艺术委员会
Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups
香港青年协会
Implementing Organization
Xu Beihong Cultural and Artistic Development Co., Ltd.
徐悲鸿文化艺术发展有限公司
Beijing Xu Beihong Cultural and Art Exchange Center
北京徐悲鸿文化艺术交流中心
Beihong (Beijing) Education Technology Co., Ltd.
悲鸿（北京）教育科技有限公司
Co-organizers
Xu Beihong Jingwen Art
悲鸿静文艺术
Hongwen Calligraphy and Painting Institute
鸿文书画院
Xu Beihong Hometown Cultural Park
悲鸿故里文化园
Shenzhen Xu Beihong Culture and Art Exchange Center
深圳徐悲鸿文化艺术交流中心
Dalian Xu Beihong Culture and Art Exchange Center
大连徐悲鸿文化艺术交流中心
Xu Beihong Art Space (Changsha)
徐悲鸿艺术空间（长沙）
Hong Kong Kam Sing Art Association
香港金声艺术协会
Xu Beihong Art Committee Central and Eastern Europe Culture and Art Center
徐悲鸿艺术委员会中东欧文化艺术中心
Macao Fine Arts Teachers Exchange Association
澳門美術教師交流協會
Supporting Organization
Premier Sponsor
Expert Team of Xu Beihong Art Research Institute, Renmin University of China
中国人民大学徐悲鸿艺术研究院专家团队
Artist Advisory Team of Xu Beihong Art Committee
徐悲鸿艺术委员会艺术家顾问团队
Xu Beihong Education Teaching Faculty Team
徐悲鸿教育鸿师资团
Team of Over 600 Online Public Welfare Art Teacher Judges Evaluated by the Competition Organizing Committee
经比赛组委会测评的600多位线上公益美术教师评委团队
Creative Theme
Theme of Creation:
Reflecting the Spirit of an Era of “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” through Any Form of Artwork that Expresses Positivity and Progress.
In commemoration of the 130th anniversary of Mr. Xu Beihong’s birth, this competition adopts “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” as its core theme. This not only pays tribute to Mr. Xu’s artistic spirit, which embodied the soul of horses and conveyed profound emotions through his paintings, but also serves as a vivid interpretation of the contemporary spirit of our times.
The galloping horses in Xu Beihong’s works symbolize the courage to break through constraints and the power of unwavering determination, deeply resonating with the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation. Today, “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” has been imbued with new contemporary significance—it may represent breakthroughs in technological innovation, the vigorous vitality of cultural heritage, the dream-chasing journeys of young people, or the dynamic momentum of societal development.
This competition welcomes all forms of positive and uplifting artistic creations. Whether it is capturing the essence of galloping horses through traditional brush and ink or interpreting the spirit of contemporary “galloping horses” using modern artistic languages such as illustration or digital art, all submissions are encouraged. We look forward to creators using their brushes as a medium to blend the artistic elegance of Mr. Xu Beihong with the vibrant energy of today’s era, thereby painting a vision of “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” that belongs to this generation.
Submission Period
Categories of Work
The competition features 4 main categories: Western Art, Chinese Painting, Calligraphy, and AI-Generated Art.
There is no size restriction on submitted artworks.
Western Art
Includes: oil painting, drawing (e.g., pencil, charcoal), printmaking, gouache, watercolor, comics/illustration, and mixed-media works.
Chinese Painting
Includes: freehand brush painting (xieyi), fine-brush painting (gongbi), experimental ink painting, and line drawing (baimiao).
Calligraphy
Includes: brush calligraphy (soft pen) and hard-pen calligraphy.
AI-Generated Art
Artworks created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, using AI-powered techniques such as image generation, 3D modeling, rendering, or other digital processes to express the theme in innovative ways. Human creative direction and conceptual input are required.
Competition Categories
Participants are grouped according to the four main categories above and their grade level as follows:
Submission Method
This edition of the competition offers 3 submission channels:
Individual Submission, Group Submission, and Overseas Submission.
(1) All submissions must be made entirely online—via mobile or desktop—and entries must be submitted as digital photographs of the original artworks.
(2) For Group Submissions, participants should scan the exclusive QR code provided by their registered organization (e.g., school or institution), fill in the required artwork information, and upload the digital photo of their work via mobile phone.
(3) Individual participants shall access the submission channel through the “I Want to Apply” button on the “Xu Beihong Education” WeChat official account, then select “Individual Participant Submission” to fill in the work details and upload photos of the work.
(4) Overseas participants may visit www.xbh.art (Xu Beihong Education Website) or www.xbhysw.com (Xu Beihong Art Website), click the headline news poster for overseas submission, and enter the submission page to fill in the required information and upload photos of their work.
Eligibility Requirements
Contest Awards
The competition consists of three stages: preliminary selection, semifinals, and finals, with awards given at each stage.
Preliminary Selection Stage:
Award: Pony Award.
Semifinal Stage:
Awards (in order):
Flying Horse Award
Galloping Horse Award
Standing Horse Award
Dark Horse Award
White Horse Award
Final Stage:
Awards (in order):
Golden Steed Award
Silver Steed Award
Bronze Steed Award
First Prize
Second Prize
Third Prize
Outstanding Organization / Teacher Awards
Based on the volume of submissions, award performance, and evaluation contributions from participating institutions, the competition has established multiple awards for institutions and instructors, including “Outstanding Participating Institution,” “Outstanding Instructor,” “Outstanding Judge,” and “Most Inspiring Instructor.”
The “Most Inspiring Instructor” award is specifically designated for instructors from Hope Schools, migrant children’s schools, special education schools, and remote areas.
Rising Star Award
The “Star of Hope” award is presented to children from participating institutions such as special education schools.
Since adopting a fully online submission and evaluation model, the Xu Beihong Cup International Youth and Children’s Art Competition has seen a rapid annual increase in both participating institutions and individual entrants. To enhance the quality of competition services and prizes, and to enable more young people, public schools, art education institutions, and art teachers to benefit from the event, the Liao Jingwen Public Welfare Fund of the Chinese Red Cross Foundation invites caring enterprises from all sectors to join as sponsors for this public welfare competition. Let us join hands and create new acts of goodwill together!
Xu Beihong’s life was deeply intertwined with the fate and rise of his nation. He embodied great patriotism, selfless dedication, relentless artistic innovation, and a keen eye for nurturing talent. His legacy reflects an unwavering spirit of independence, moral integrity, and enduring inspiration. (Engraved in the central hall of the Beijing Xu Beihong Memorial Hall)
Xu Beihong was a leading Chinese artist and art educator, known as the “Father of Modern Chinese Painting.” He was the first president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the China Artists Association. His works, including Tian Heng and His Five Hundred Followers 《田横五百士》, Waiting for the Deliverer 《徯我后》, and The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains 《愚公移山》, laid the foundation for modern Chinese oil painting with their unique blend of Chinese style and Western technique.
He believed art should reflect real life and combined Chinese traditions with Western methods to create a new, influential style. Xu Beihong not only produced many masterpieces but also trained a generation of outstanding artists, shaping China’s modern art education system. His efforts promoted Chinese art worldwide, leaving a lasting legacy.