Cyprus Future Heritage Competition is an international competition for artisans, artists, and designers, organized by the BE OPEN Foundation in collaboration with the Cyprus Handicraft Service of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID).
The 2025 edition of the Cyprus Future Heritage Competition is dedicated to celebrating and reimagining Cyprus’s weaving and embroidering traditions, aiming to preserve cultural heritage while inspiring contemporary creative practices.
Participants
Cyprus-based students, graduates and young professionals of 18-30 years old:
- Designers
- Artisans
- Fine artists
- Makers in traditional techniques
Prizes
BE OPEN will provide fully paid (flights and accommodation, tuition fees, living costs) foreign internships and workshops for 3 winners.
Submissions format
The entry should be in the English language, and may include:
- Samples of the creative work in the digital format, i.e. a portfolio with representative works (maximum size of 5Mb) showcasing creative eye and skills
- Design concepts, mood boards and other relevant material that reflects the creative process
- Description of techniques and materials
- CV with any relevant background
Jury
The jury will be comprised of both Cyprus-based members with expertise in weaving craft, and international experts in contemporary art and design. Entries will be evaluated based on such criteria as quality of submitted work and relevance to Cypriot heritage, creative potential and motivation.
Competition timeline
- September 1, 2025 — submission platform opens for entries
- October 30, 2025 — submission platform closes
- November 2025 — projects evaluated by the international jury
- December 2025 — 3 winners named by the jury
- June 2026 — the winners awarded with international internship opportunities