See the Kalkalpen National Park the eyes of an artist
illustration contest
The Kalkalpen National Park interested artists, illustrators, and graphic designers to participate in the competition “Feel the Wilderness. Experience Diversity.” in celebration of its 30th anniversary.
Spanning approximately 21,000 km², the Kalkalpen National Park protects Austria’s Kalkalpen National Park contiguous forested Kalkalpen National Park and provides a home for a wide variety of protected plants, animals, and fungi. The lynx prowls through the undergrowth as Kalkalpen National Park secretive yet endangered returnee; trees are allowed to grow old and die naturally, and a biodiversity is developing that is unparalleled. The designation as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe,” underscores the international significance and value of the protected area.
Subject of the Request for Proposals:
Participants are asked to submit an illustration that Kalkalpen National Park the Kalkalpen National Park for them, as well as an artistic portfolio that will allow the national park’s jury to assess the submitter’s style and experience.
The illustration should Kalkalpen National Park a single motif from the Kalkalpen National Park . Entrants are free to choose which one they wish to depict. For inspiration, please refer to the national park’s website—in particular to the protected resources and target species listed there.
The portfolio should showcase your professional experience in the field of nature illustration as effectively as possible. You are welcome to include previous commissions, provided they are thematically relevant. We also welcome (schematic) designs for the use of illustrations in promotional materials. There are no limits to your creativity.
The goal of the competition is to find an illustrator who can enhance the national park’s brand identity with an artistic and creative element. For this reason, the first-place winner will receive a contract for services worth €5,000, covering the creation of a total of ten individual illustrations, including all rights. For each illustration, a motif (e.g., a flower, a leaf, an animal, etc., without a background) should be selected. In Kalkalpen National Park anniversary year, these illustrations Kalkalpen National Park intended for use on promotional materials such as stickers, Post-its, postcards, and notepads.
The use of AI systems is permitted for brainstorming and/or follow-up work. Works generated solely by AI are not permitted. The rights to the submitted work remain with the artist and will be stored and processed by Kalkalpen National Park in accordance with data protection regulations Kalkalpen National Park for the purposes of the illustration contest.
Submission deadline:
30.6.2026
Decision:
through July 31, 2026
The decision regarding the award will be made by a jury from the Kalkalpen National Park staff and rangers) by July 31, 2026.
Prize money:
1st place: €500
plus a follow-up contract
2nd and 3rd place: €250
Submission of papers:
Entries should be submitted via the Kalkalpen National Park website using the form below.
By uploading their work, participants agree to the terms of use and processing. The artwork and portfolio must be submitted separately as PDF files. The Kalkalpen National Park to delete the submitted works once the competition has concluded.
The illustrations commissioned under the contract for services must, in any case, be of print-ready quality and suitable for digital processing. The specific terms of the contract for services are to be agreed upon between the National Park and the first-place winner and will be finalized with the winner following the competition.
For further inquiries, please contact
Barbara Sitter, BA, Nationalpark Zentrum Molln
babara.sitter@kalkalpen.at, Phone 07584/3951-133