International Cluj Comics,
Illustration and Animation Festival
- Second Edition -
2026 OPEN CALL
COMING in SPRING!
For the upcoming edition of PLATFORMA BD – International Cluj Comics, Illustration & Animation Festival, we’re unveiling next year’s theme and accepted categories now, so artists everywhere can start creating early.
The theme:
TRANSITIONSTransitions invites artists to explore the shifting landscapes that shape our lives today: social transitions shaped by migration, housing, vulnerable communities and inclusion; professional shifts influenced by retraining, the future of work and digital skills; digital transformations emerging from new platforms, virtual identities and hybrid realities. It also looks toward ecological change through circular economies and sustainable futures, emotional transitions such as burnout, anxiety, resilience and healing, as well as cultural evolution through identity, diaspora, multilingualism and communities in constant transformation.
Categories accepted:
1. Comic Books (8–24 pages)Brief Definition:
A short-form printed comic, presenting a complete or self-contained narrative through sequential artwork. This format combines text and image to convey story, character, and theme within a compact, tangible publication.
2. Graphic Novels (over 24 pages)
Brief Definition:
A long-form printed comic work, fiction or non-fiction, presenting a cohesive narrative through sequential artwork and text. This format allows for extended storytelling, complex character development, and thematic depth within a substantial, self-contained publication.
3. Narrative Illustrations (single illustration or series of up to 3)
Brief Definition:
A narrative, sequential, or pre-sequential illustration presented as a single work or a small series.
4. Illustrated Books
Brief Definition:
An illustrated printed work in which images and text work together to convey a story, concept, or theme. This format includes children’s books, artist’s books, or thematic works, where narrative progression is supported by visual and textual elements.
5. Experimental Sequential Books
Format Examples:
Pop-up Book, Zine / Art Zine / Mini-Zine, Flipbook / Folioscope (manually animated narrative), Accordion / Leporello Book (folded sequential book), Interactive Book (mechanisms, cut-outs, multiple pathways), Object Book / Sculptural Book (volumetric or sculptural formats), Material-Driven Book (made from unconventional materials such as textiles, metal, plastic, wood, mixed media), Hybrid Media Book (integrating video, AR, QR, or augmented media), Nonlinear Narrative Book (branching or choose-your-path structures), Silent / Wordless Sequential Book (purely visual narrative)
6. Short Animations (under 10 minutes)
Brief Definition:
An animated piece with a total duration between 2 and 10 minutes, including credits. The work should function as a complete standalone film within this brief timeframe, regardless of technique, genre, or narrative approach.
7. Feature / Mid-Length Animations (over 30 minutes)
Brief Definition:
An animated film running longer than 30 minutes in total, including credits. This format is intended for works that develop extended storytelling, worldbuilding, or thematic exploration suited to a long-form viewing experience.
8. Art Installations & Site-Specific Narratives
This category will be open only to Romania-based artists due to logistics and other practical considerations.
Brief Definition:
This category welcomes installation-based works that tell a story through space, time, and the visitor’s physical experience. Accepted directions include volumetric, sculptural, immersive, or multimedia installations that use spatial sequencing, environmental design, or guided pathways to shape a narrative. Works may integrate light, sound, video, projection, objects, or performative and time-based elements, allowing the story to unfold through movement, transformation, and atmosphere. Artists are encouraged to explore spatial storytelling, expanded or sequential art translated into environment and volume, and installations where the narrative emerges from how people navigate and perceive the space.
Important Guidelines:
1. Submissions must be original works. AI-generated or enhanced works are not accepted.2. Selected artists will be required to send their final pieces for the festival exhibitions, so plan ahead for production, printing, packaging, and timely delivery.
3. All works must relate to the festival theme. Applicants should prepare a short artistic concept explaining the meaning and intent of their piece.
4. Participants may submit to multiple categories if applicable, but only one entry per category is allowed.
CONTACT
Platforma BD - International Cluj Comics, Illustration and Animation Festival,Piața Unirii 31, 400098 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Email: platformabd@gmail.com
