•  Purpose and Subject of the Contest

The purpose and subject of the competition are to bring attention to Izmir with the theme of “Harmony with Differences” and to encourage more discussions about it. The aim is to create a distinctive, understandable, original, aesthetic, and memorable “Visual Design” specifically centered around Izmir’s iconic Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi) and to convey it to the community. The competition is open to everyone from July 2023 to November 19, 2023, without any distinction between national and international participants. Whether individually or as a group, anyone can enter the competition. 

Start from the silhouette of the IZMIR CLOCK TOWER, be bold, original, and innovative! Let your work reflect your passion for illustration. Don’t be afraid to take risks and showcase your unique talent to the world!

There are no restrictions on the technical aspects (Graphics, Illustration, Caricature, Painting, Drawing, Sketch, etc.) of the artworks to be created on the silhouette of the Clock Tower with the theme “Harmony with Differences.” However, designs containing content that goes against general morality or can be associated with any political or religious views will not be considered for evaluation. The selection of designs to be considered by the Jury Committee is under the authority and responsibility of the Izmir Planning Agency within the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.

•  Type and Format of the Contest
The competition is a free, international, and single-stage fine arts competition organized by the Izmir Planning Agency (IZPA) based on the regulations of the “Architectural, Landscape Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Fine Arts Works Competitions Regulation” prepared in accordance with the relevant articles of Law No. 4734 on Public Procurement. The competition is open to participants worldwide. Registration and participation in the competition are free of charge. The competition process and procedures will take place in a digital environment. 

The award-winning and selected works for exhibition will be showcased on the beizmir.org/en website.

•  Obtaining the Contest Document
The competition specifications are provided free of charge to institutions and organizations determined by IZPA nationwide. The competition specifications and the silhouette of the Clock Tower can be obtained from the website at https://beizmir.org/en/necessary-documents

 •  Participation and Evaluation Criteria
•  The competition is open to anyone, both domestically and internationally, who wishes to participate. Individuals and groups can participate (in case of winning an award, payment will be made to only one person from the group). Participants must be at least 18 years old; individuals under the age of 18 cannot participate.

•     The submitted Clock Tower illustration proposals must be unpublished and original. 

•  Clock Tower illustration proposals can be created using any digital, vector, pixel, or manual technique (on paper/cardboard) and can be scanned, photographed, and/or digitized afterward (collage, photography, or three-dimensional objects are also allowed).

•  Participants can submit a maximum of three (3) designs. The provided Izmir Clock Tower Silhouette form at the website should be used as the basis of the work. It should not be confused with other clock towers, and the basic silhouette of the clock tower is also available at https://beizmir.org/en/necessary-documents

•  The submitted Clock Tower proposals are entirely free in terms of whether the work extends beyond the silhouette based on the provided reference. There are no restrictions on this matter.

•  When evaluating the works, the Jury Committee will consider a) the originality and creativity of the work, and b) the adaptability of the work in different communication materials.

•  There are no restrictions on color, background, and technical aspects in the designs. The designs should be created in a way that can be applied to various products (not limited to those mentioned here, including all kinds of printed materials, badges, mascots, keychains, posters, billboards, t-shirts, souvenirs, promotional products, etc.).

•  Hand-drawn or sketch designs will not be accepted. The designs should be in vector format, in either RGB or CMYK color mode, with a maximum size of (A3) 29.7cm x 42cm, prepared using software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar programs. Each design should be uploaded in 72 PPI resolution JPEG, PDF, or PNG version through the application tool on the website https://beizmir.org/en/application. The uploaded designs should not exceed 4MB in size. If a design is selected as a winner, the artist will be asked to provide the high-resolution (300 PPI) version of the artwork with a size of 29.7 cm (1:1 scale). 

•  The submitted designs to the competition must be original. Participants are required to acknowledge, declare, and guarantee that the designs they submit are their own. The designs must not have received awards or been published in other competitions before. If such a situation is detected, the awarded prize will be reclaimed.

•     Stages of the Contest

Stage 1: Collection of artworks and evaluation of their compliance with the specifications. Stage 2: Selection of works for exhibition and awards, to be displayed within the city.

Stage 3: Communicating the results via E-mail and/or phone calls.

Stage 4: Announcing the results on the https://beizmir.org/en website and the Beizmir Facebook page and Beizmirorg Instagram & Twitter page. 

•  Participants can address all their questions related to the competition in writing to the email address info@beizmir.org. Responses will be given in writing. The answers provided via email will be considered as written responses. Additionally, they can find answers in the FAQ section on the website. 

•  The designs participating in the competition must not have been previously registered or have an ongoing application for registration. The right to apply for registration of the designs will belong to IZDOĞA Inc.

•  The 20 selected works for the exhibition will be displayed throughout Izmir and its districts. 

•  Participants cannot claim any other awards or fees outside of those specified in this document. By participating in the competition and submitting their works, they accept all the conditions and decisions of the Jury Committee.

•     Application method and timeline of the competition

•  Designs will be accepted online. They must be uploaded on the beizmir.org website by November 19, 2023, at 17:30 (GMT+3). 

•  Participants who are unable to upload their designs to the beizmir.org website due to technical malfunctions or any other reason may send them to the email address info@beizmir.org if necessary.

Application Dates: August 03, 2023 – November 19, 2023

Jury Committee Evaluation Dates: November 24, 25, 26, 2023 Announcement of Results Date: December 8, 2023

•     Jury Committee of the Contest
Gürcan Özkan – Cartoonist, Illustrator
Ömer Durmaz – Communication Designer, Academician Sedat Girgin – Painter, Illustrator
İlker Türe – Illustrator, Graphic Designer Ömer Çam – Cartoonist, Graphic Designer Tarık Tolunay – Urban Drawer
Betül Çeçen – Illustrator, Graphic Designer Sevda Kaçtı – Illustrator, Academician

•     Contest Awards and Award Ceremony

 The first-place design will be awarded 30,000 TL.

The second-place design will be awarded 25,000 TL. The third-place design will be awarded 20,000 TL.

3 Honorable Mention awards will be given, each amounting to 5,000 TL.

In addition, for the top 20 works selected for the exhibition, a payment of 2,000 TL will be made per artwork.

(If an award ceremony is to be held, it will take place at a venue determined by IZPA, alongside the awarded and exhibited artworks.)