Jameel Al Burda Award for Arabic Calligraphy and Typography

Deadline: 15-Sep-2026

The Jameel Al Burda Award is inviting artists and designers worldwide to showcase creative excellence in traditional and contemporary Arabic calligraphy and typographic design. The award celebrates the spiritual and cultural significance of Arabic script and recognizes its importance as a medium of artistic and creative expression. The competition features three main categories: Traditional Arabic Calligraphy, Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy, and Typographic Design. Participants are expected to develop original works inspired by the annual theme, which for the current cycle is “Family: Tranquility and Mercy.” Winners in each category can receive monetary prizes ranging from 20,000 to 70,000 dirhams, depending on their placement.

About the Jameel Al Burda Award

The Jameel Al Burda Award recognizes artists and designers who explore Arabic script through traditional and contemporary creative practices. The award highlights Arabic calligraphy’s artistic, cultural, and spiritual importance while encouraging participants to interpret the annual theme through their own creative approaches. The competition provides opportunities for artists working with established calligraphic traditions as well as contemporary approaches to Arabic lettering and typographic design.

Annual Theme: “Family: Tranquility and Mercy”

The theme for this award cycle is:

“Family: Tranquility and Mercy.”

Participants in all three categories are expected to reflect this theme in their submitted works. Artists and designers should therefore consider how their interpretation of family, tranquility, and mercy can be expressed through Arabic calligraphy or typographic design while remaining consistent with the artistic requirements of their selected category. Competition Categories The Jameel Al Burda Award features three principal categories. Traditional Arabic Calligraphy This category focuses on established Arabic calligraphic traditions. Participants must follow the specified artistic and technical requirements, including requirements concerning designated scripts, materials, presentation formats, and prescribed textual content. The category provides an opportunity for artists to demonstrate technical mastery while interpreting the annual theme through traditional Arabic calligraphy. Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy The Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy category provides space for creative interpretations of Arabic calligraphy using contemporary artistic approaches. Submissions must still comply with the specified technical and thematic requirements while allowing artists to explore creative ways of expressing the annual theme. Typographic Design The Typographic Design category focuses on Arabic typography as a form of creative and artistic expression. Designers are expected to develop original work that responds to the annual theme and complies with the competition’s technical specifications, including the required textual content, file formats, and resolution. Quranic Verses and Hadith Texts Depending on the category, submissions must incorporate specified Quranic verses or Hadith texts. Participants should carefully follow the textual requirements applicable to their selected category. Using the required text is an important part of meeting the competition’s thematic and technical criteria. Artistic and Technical Requirements Submissions must comply with specific artistic and technical requirements. These may include requirements relating to: - Designated Arabic scripts. - Required materials. - Presentation formats. - Specified Quranic verses or Hadith texts. - Digital file formats. - Required image resolutions. - Annual theme. - Originality of the submitted work. Applicants should carefully review all requirements applicable to their chosen category before preparing their final submission. Digital Submission Requirements Submissions must be submitted digitally according to the specified file formats and resolutions. Artists and designers should make sure that their digital files meet the required technical specifications before submission. Incorrect file formats, inadequate resolution, or failure to comply with other technical requirements could affect the eligibility of a submission. Prize Money The Jameel Al Burda Award provides monetary prizes for the top five positions in each category.

The prize structure is:

- First prize: 70,000 dirhams.

- Second prize: 50,000 dirhams.

- Third prize: 40,000 dirhams.

- Fourth prize: 30,000 dirhams.

- Fifth prize: 20,000 dirhams.

The same prize structure applies to winners in each of the three main categories. Who Can Apply? The competition is open to artists and designers worldwide. Applicants can participate in the categories of Traditional Arabic Calligraphy, Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy, or Typographic Design, provided their submissions meet the relevant artistic, thematic, and technical requirements. The award therefore provides an international platform for creative professionals working with Arabic calligraphy and typography. Previous Winners and Reapplication Rules There is a specific restriction for artists and designers who achieved first or second place in any category during the immediately preceding cycle. Such winners cannot immediately reapply under the same rules. They may reapply from the second cycle after their win. Applicants with previous participation should therefore consider their placement and the timing of their previous award before submitting a new entry. Originality Requirement Submitted works must be original. Participants should ensure that their entries represent their own creative work and comply with the competition’s requirements concerning originality. Works must also satisfy the specified thematic and technical conditions. How to Prepare a Strong Jameel Al Burda Award Submission Artists and designers can strengthen their submissions by combining creative quality with careful attention to the competition requirements. Impor