11th International Socio-Political Poster Biennale
On 18 September, at the International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim, we opened the exhibition of the 11th International Socio-Political Poster Biennale, entitled ‘Creativity for Human Rights’.
The exhibition features 78 socio-political posters, selected from 697 entries submitted to the competition by 286 artists from 22 countries around the world.
The following prizes and honourable mentions were awarded in the competition:
1st prize – Award of the Mayor of Oświęcim – City of Peace – Ewa Engler-Herer (Poland) for the poster ‘Peace’
2nd prize – Award of the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kraków – Michał Łącki (Poland) for the poster ‘Live Stream’
Third Prize – Award of the Starosta of Oświęcim – Magdalena Marchwicka (Poland) for the poster “Freedom”
Dachau District Award – Lex Drewinski (Poland) for the poster “Chernobyl 40”
Award of the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice – Jacek Doszyń (Poland) for the poster “Far East – Middle East”
The Prof. Józef Hołard Prize, funded by the Dean of the Faculty of Art and Educational Sciences in Cieszyn, University of Silesia in Katowice – Tomasz Bogusławski (Poland) for the poster “A social poster with a slight patriotic undertone”
Award of the Executive Board of the Association of Polish Visual Artists – Xuwei Zhang (China) for the poster “No Kings”
Award of the Mayor of Oświęcim Municipality – Wojciech Kołek (Poland) for the poster “Rollercoaster – Louder”
Award from the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria – Jouri Toreev (Belarus) for the poster “AI”
Honourable mentions:
Ewa Engler-Herer (Poland) ‘Water’
Mario Fuentes (Ecuador) ‘Light of Hope’
Chia Hsiang Lee (Taiwan) ‘Iron Chain’
Wei Liu (China) ‘So Sad’
Jianfei Lu (China) ‘Digital Addiction & Reality Detachment’
Yufan, Li Mingliang, Feng Yang (China) “Healing”
Held continuously since 2006, the International Socio-Political Poster Biennale is one of the IYMC’s most important projects, serving as an artistic forum for the exchange of views on the most pressing issues facing the modern world. Each edition attracts many outstanding artists representing different countries and cultures. The submitted posters address the broadly defined issue of human rights violations, including racism, discrimination, social inequality, violence, war, the impact of politics on citizens’ lives, and violations of the rights of women, children and minorities. Over the course of nearly 20 years, the Oświęcim Poster Biennale has become one of the most recognisable international poster competitions, whilst Oświęcim – the City of Peace – has emerged as a key venue for showcasing socially and politically engaged poster art in Poland.
The exhibition can be viewed at the IYMC until 31 December 2026 – you are warmly invited.
The opening of the exhibition was accompanied by an open-air performance of *One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest* by the HoM Theatre.
The 11th International Socio-Political Poster Biennale, ‘Creativity for Human Rights’, was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and the honorary patronage of Andrzej Skrzypiński, Starost of Oświęcim.
Partners: The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the City of Oświęcim, Oświęcim County, Dachau County, the Municipality of Oświęcim, the Association of Polish Visual Artists, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kraków, the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria, the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, University of Silesia in Katowice, Małopolska Voivodeship, Omag Sp. z o.o. Machine and Equipment Factory, Plantpol Sp. z o.o., John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice Sp. z o.o., Rotary Club Calenberg-Pattensen.
The production was realised with the financial support of the Małopolska Voivodeship.
