20th–22nd November 2026 | Dublin Body Paint, Shankill
We're delighted to announce that Dublin Body Paint is an official Creative Hotspot for the World Bodypainting Festival Online Awards 2026!
The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF) is an international competition that has been bringing face and bodypainting artists together since 1998. Traditionally held as a large festival in Austria, the event has evolved into a series of international competitions, including the Online Awards, where artists from around the world compete from their own countries.
This year, WBF is bringing artists together through Creative Hotspots, hosted by studios and organisations around the world. Rather than painting alone at home, artists can meet up, work alongside each other and enjoy a little of that festival atmosphere while competing internationally.
Dublin Body Paint will be hosting artists across all three competition days, and we'd love you to join us!
[REGISTER TO PAINT AT DUBLIN BODY PAINT]
There are three categories taking place over three days. You can enter just one, two, or all three!
Theme: Games People Play
This category takes facepainting well beyond the usual party designs. Artists are challenged to create a detailed, imaginative piece that explores the theme through colour, technique, composition and storytelling.
Whether your background is children's facepainting, theatrical makeup, content creation, or something completely different, this is an opportunity to push your skills and create something special.
Theme: Illusion of My Life
The classic bodypainting category, using traditional brush and sponge techniques to transform the human body into a piece of artwork.
There's no airbrush or prosthetics allowed in this category, so it's all about the paint itself and showcasing your skill.
Theme: Insect World
The Open Techniques category allows artists to explore a wider range of bodypainting methods and materials, making it particularly interesting for artists working with airbrush, special effects, prosthetics and mixed techniques.
Each category has its own painting time limit and technical rules. Please check the official WBF guidelines before planning your design.
View the official WBF categories, themes and competition guidelines
One of the lovely things about the World Bodypainting Festival is that you don't have to be an established international artist to take part.
You could be an experienced bodypainter, a professional face painter who's never entered a competition, a makeup artist, or a student looking to challenge yourself.
You're competing in an international event, with your work assessed alongside artists from around the world. You'll receive a world ranking, and it's an achievement you can add to your portfolio, CV, social media or professional experience.
It's also a great excuse to spend some proper time developing an idea, working towards a deadline and creating something you're proud of.
And even if you've no intention of becoming a world champion, there's a lot to be gained from the experience itself.
Of course, you can enter the Online Awards from your own home. But we think it's much nicer to do it together!
We'll be turning the Dublin Body Paint studio into a little bodypainting hub for the weekend, with artists and models working alongside each other over the three days.
For anyone who's attended one of our bodypainting jams before, you'll have an idea of what we're hoping to create. A friendly, relaxed atmosphere where people can chat, share the experience, encourage each other and enjoy a full day of painting.
There's something really lovely about being surrounded by people who understand exactly what you're doing, especially when you're working on something challenging.
We want everyone to feel welcome, whether this is your tenth international competition or your very first.
And while we're all entering an international competition, we'll be approaching the weekend as a group of artists supporting and cheering each other on.
We'll have the studio set up for painting, with workspaces, access to electricity, music and plenty of tea breaks throughout the day.
Facilities include:
We'll be keeping the studio nice and warm for the models, particularly as it's November, and making sure everyone has opportunities to take breaks, eat and recharge.
We'll provide some snacks, but you're very welcome to bring along something to share. Home baking is always appreciated!
If you have a nut allergy, please let us know in advance so we can plan the refreshments accordingly.
We'll also be taking plenty of behind-the-scenes photographs and sharing bits of the weekend on social media, so expect a busy, colourful studio!
Dublin Body Paint is based in Shankill Business Centre, South Dublin, and we're much easier to get to than you might think!
We're just a few minutes from the M50 at Cherrywood, with free parking outside the studio.
Shankill is also served by the DART and several bus routes, so you don't need to drive to join us.
Find Dublin Body Paint and plan your journey
Official WBF competition entry is €35 per category, and you can enter as many of the three categories as you like.
The deadline for official WBF registration is 6th November 2026.
You don't need to have completed your official competition registration before signing up to join us at Dublin Body Paint.
Simply fill in our short form to let us know which days you'd like to attend. We'll get in touch after the WBF registration deadline to confirm everyone's arrangements and share further information about the weekend.
[REGISTER TO PAINT AT DUBLIN BODY PAINT]
You'll also need to register directly with the World Bodypainting Festival to enter the competition.
Register for the WBF Online Awards
All official competition rules, eligibility requirements, judging and artwork submissions are managed by WBF. Please make sure you've read their guidelines, as Dublin Body Paint is hosting a Creative Hotspot rather than organising the competition itself.
Don't have a model lined up? Don't let that stop you from considering entering!
We'll also be putting together a list of people interested in modelling for the competition and will do our best to help artists and models connect.
Modelling for bodypainting is a little different from an ordinary photoshoot, so we'll have a separate page explaining what's involved and how to sign up.
[MODEL INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION – COMING SOON]
We're really looking forward to bringing a little bit of the World Bodypainting Festival to Dublin.
Whether you're entering to challenge yourself, build your portfolio, gain competition experience or simply spend a weekend surrounded by other painters, we'd love to have you involved.
It's been a while since we've had a proper bodypainting gathering, and this feels like a lovely opportunity to bring people together again.
See you in November!
