Romanian Street Art: Open call for artistic interventions

Romanian Street Art open call results

We would like to thank once again all participants of the Romanian Street Art open call.

We are super grateful for the 98 submissions received from 75 local and international artists, hailing from 19 countries, 111invers1 (Lumi Mihai & Mugur Grosu), Aeul, Aku Aalto [Finland], Alexandra Iliescu, Alexandra Lincu, Alin Mihai, Andreea Oprisan și Ingrid Maschek, Andrei Felea, ann CAZ.L [Germany], ArBiAr (Răzvan, Bianca & Roxana), Artmina [Ukraine], Bianca Bideac, Bizarorin, Bona Berlin [Germany], Constantin Malmare, Creioana, CT [Italy], DeDe Defined Detail, El Rughi [Italy], fEOfliP [Spain], Florian Ionescu, FragMenta, Harcea Pacea, iZZY iZVNE [R. Moldova], J.3rny [Brazil], Kaleab Alemayehu [Ethiopia], Kartitect [Kazakhstan], Lennox, Linda Bluth [Germany], Louis Jamal [Yemen], Lourdes Goce [Spain], Lună, Malpegados [Chile], Maria Bălan & Robert Obert, Mena [Brazil], Meyso [France], Mister Alek [USA], Mister THOMS [Italy], Nina Dziwoki [Poland], Ninehouse Productions [USA], NKS [Italy], NSN97 [Italy], Ocu, Pavlo Salamatov [Ukraine], Popescu, Poppy, Pucart, Romb, ROY [Finland], RUN [Iran], Rustwo [Bulgaria], Santa Gross [Colombia], Sayonara junkies, Sbah [Spain], Seboh Creation [Germany] & Cosmeann, SegarichART [Croatia], Sprey cini [Turkey], Stelian Rățoi, SuperWizer, Takir [France], The Plant, TONA [Germany], TROP [Brazil], Valori murale, Valvele ArtistRun, Visual-Light Crew, VODAWOTAH [Bulgaria], representing artistic works for the 3 public spaces proposed by the competition theme, as follows:

• 54 artworks proposed for the space offered by SF Travel, the program’s partner, which were evaluated by: representatives of the partner SF Travel; artists: MSER, Jana Danilovic, Homeboy LDJ; and representatives of the organiser Save or Cancel (Cristina Popa and Andrei Racovițan);
• 14 works proposed for the space offered by the Owners’ Association of the Iancului Avenue, no. 1, which were evaluated by: representatives of the partner, the Owners’ Association of the Iancului Avenue, no. 1; artists: MSER, Jana Danilovic, Homeboy LDJ; and representatives of the organizer Save or Cancel (Cristina Popa and Andrei Racovițan);
• 30 works proposed for the space offered by ROMEXPO, the programme partner, which were evaluated by: representatives of the ROMEXPO partner; artists: MSER, Jana Danilovic, Homeboy LDJ; and representatives of the organiser Save or Cancel (Cristina Popa and Andrei Racovițan);

The evaluation and selection of the winning works was carried out between May 10 – May 24, 2025 by an odd jury, and, following the evaluation process, the following works were selected for award and implementation:

• Zmaja – “The Bear Express”, for the space offered by SF Travel;
• zivink, for the space offered by Owners’ Association of the Iancului Avenue, no. 1.
• Zmogk – “Synesthetic Flow“, for the space offered by ROMEXPO;

Works selected for award and implementation

Artwork: The Bear Express – for the space offered by SF Travel

Artist: Zmaja

Artwork description: „Expresul Ursului (The Bear Express)”

My idea behind the sketch for this wall was to create a mural that would serve as an homage to Romanian staples as well as directly reference elements from it’s surroundings, all in a positive light, emphasising happy looking characters and an overall storybook/fairytale vibe. I noticed the building where the wall is located had colourful windows on the front side, so I took this as a sign to tap into a more playful mural idea and so I implemented some of the window colours into the general colour palette so as to match the rest of the building.

As the wall is located right across from Carol I Park, I made sure to include a nod to it in the background, as seen to the left of the bear (the prominent monument located in the park). 

Seeing as the wall is located in a very green and natural area, I thought it would be fitting to have the main characters be animals. Romania is most known for the largest population of bears in Europe, specifically the brown bear, so I decided he would be my main character. 

The bear is riding a train, a nod to the Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum (it is a reference to a locomotive on display there), hence the name: The Bear Express. The chamois is also a notable species in Romania which is protected by the EU, so I added it on top of the bear as well.

Other notable species are the Great White Pelican, frequently seen over the Danube river, another Romanian staple. The Bear Express would serve as a reminder of the wonders of Romania and perhaps serve as inspiration to go exploring.

Artist biography:

Maja Stojanovic, also known as Zmaja, is a Canadian-born Serbian muralist and illustrator based in Čačak, Serbia. Born in Toronto, she relocated to Čačak, Serbia, with her family in 2008. Maja received her Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary arts from Seattle University in 2019. 

The beginning of her career had a focus on illustration. In 2020, she began a series of literally illustrated Serbian/Balkan expressions. This series culminated in the form of a book titled: “Kod nas se kaže…/We tend to say…” which collected select illustrations from the series accompanied by a written explanation in both English and Serbian of each expression. The book was published in 2021 and has sold over 8,000 copies since.

In 2021, Maja joined a street art organisation in Čačak, DUK (Dani Urbane Kulture-Days of Urban Culture) festival, established in Čačak in 2015. DUK festival has organised the execution of over 120 murals in Čačak since its inception. Upon joining the festival team, Maja began her career in street art.

Her mural style can be characterised as illustrative with a cartoon-ish overlay. The main focus of her work are usually stylised 3D animals with large curious eyes. An animal often spotted in many of her murals is a rabbit, as a symbol of ‘rebirth’ or ‘a new beginning,’ which became a recurring character in her work upon making the jump from illustration to murals in 2021.

Since then, Maja has participated in several street art jams and festivals, most notably: Street Art Festival Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Fasada Festival (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Graffiti na Gradele (Croatia), All Girls Jam (Serbia), and has painted murals in cities throughout Switzerland, Germany, Macedonia, etc.

Artist: zivink, for the space offered by Owners’ Association of the Iancului Avenue, no. 1

Artwork description:
Iancului — I used a basic colour palette in this work, transitioning between different worlds, from the inside to the outside. I took mural art to a place related to children’s books—playful and colourful, mixing farm life and street life together. As the main character, the child guides us, the viewers, through his world.

Artist biography:

Ziv Sameach (zivink) A muralist, painter & printmaker, these days working on two solo exhibitions & a biographic graphic novel.

zivink is painting murals for clients, galleries & on the streets.

Artwork: Synesthetic Flow – for the space offered by ROMEXPO

Artist: Zmogk

Artwork description: “Synesthetic Flow”


This semi-abstract sketch explores the connection between the inner human state, the surrounding space, and the soundscape of contemporary life. At its center is a meditative face, dissolving into a stream of light, color, and rhythmic visual noise. The composition resembles a musical track — layers of color and form echo like synthesized sounds, creating an atmosphere of contemplative detachment. The vivid warm and cool tones strike a balance between reason and emotion, much like harmony between rhythm and melody. The image can be seen as a symbol of inner resonance, self-reflection, and connection to the city’s cultural pulse. Such a mural could enrich urban space by offering a visual counterpart to musical experience.

Artist biography:

Konstantin Danilov aka Zmogk is a painter and muralist from Moscow. Currently live and work in Athens, Greece. He was one of the pioneers of the burgeoning graffiti movement in 1990s Russia, and the experiences of working with color and shape in urban space still inform his work.

Zmogk’s art is defined by bright, vibrant colors, dynamic and rather chaotic compositions, often sometimes covertly including landscapes, his iconic robot character and human silhouettes. As a painter, I am studying the psychology of color to trace how color affects a person’s emotions, their general psycho-emotional state and, consequently, their quality of life in general and the environment around them. My paintings are suspended between figuration and abstraction, committing to neither completely. This seesaw between recognisable and formless parts of a painting creates a deeper engagement for the viewers, inviting them to reconstruct the past actions and processes that defined the current state of the wall or canvas. The artist’s style is quite universal and can be successfully applied for large-scale murals, canvases, and commercial projects.

His works has been shown and collected worldwide, including: New York, San Francisco, London, Lisbon, Paris, Copenhagen, Bangkok, Berlin, Hong Kong, Geneva and Moscow.

Invitation

Artists are invited to contribute to urban regeneration through art by participating in the new open call for artistic interventions within the multiannual Romanian Street Art programme.

To participate in this call, we invite you to please read the specific requirements of each space, as described in the Terms of the open call. Submit your proposals in digital format, between 4^th of April and 4^th of May 2025, 23:59, by filling in the participation form published below.

The selection of the winning artistic interventions will be made by an impartial jury made up of representatives of the programme partners – Romexpo SA, SF Travel, Homeowner’s Association at Șoseaua Iancului, nr. 1, representatives of the organiser and artists. The three winning proposals are announced on the 28^th of May.

Participants may submit no more than three proposals to this open call, and maximum one proposal for each of the three places. Prizes are not cumulative, so a participant can win only one prize, either as an individual or as part of a group. There is no fee for participating in this open call.

The open call for artistic interventions offers the opportunity to realise the selected interventions, awarding three cash prizes and a production budget, totalling 14.220 lei (approximately 2.840 euros), as well as exposure in the project’s activities and its concluding exhibition in October 2025.

Terms & Conditions

Calendar

• 4^th of April – 4^th of May 2025, 23:59: registrations
• 5^th – 9^th of May 2025: administrative verification
• 10^th – 24^th of May 2025: evaluation
• 28^th of May 2025: announcement of results
• 14^th – 20^th of July 2025: implementation of the winning intervention A, hosted by SF Travel
• 25^th – 31^st of August 2025: implementation of the winning intervention B, hosted by Homeowner’s Association at Șoseaua Iancului, nr. 1
• 8^th – 14^th of September 2025: implementation of the winning intervention C, hosted by Romexpo SA
• October 2025: Romanian Street Art exhibition

Places and themes:

A. SF Travel

Address: 41 Candiano Popescu Street
Implementation: 14^th – 20^th July 2025
Area: 132 m² (11 m length x 12 m height) 

Theme: The proposed artistic intervention can consider the proximity of Carol I Park, contributing to the visual coherence of the area. The use of warm colours and friendly characters is recommended, aimed at inspiring residents, passers-by, street art enthusiasts and urban explorers with feelings of confidence, joy and curiosity.

The surface made available through this open call belongs to SF Travel, travel agency and partners of the Romanian Street Art program. In this context, proposals may include references to tourism or establish visual and thematic connections with the Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum, located on the same street. 😊

B. IANCULUI

Address: 1 Iancului Avenue
Implementation: 25^th – 31^st August 2025
Area: 49 m² (17,5 m length x 2,8 m height)

Theme: The proposed artwork will explore relevant contemporary themes such as electronic music, recent and local history of graffiti, the link between graffiti and street art, the future of jobs, artivism, social movements, equality, integration and environmental issues.

As Bucharest’s residents appreciate colours in a city that until recently was predominantly grey, the work will address this need for visual diversity. The project will also interact with nearby murals by Aleksi Ivanov [Bulgaria], Artminina și LBWS Cat [Ukraine], Jana Danilović [Serbia], Sunshiners [Bulgaria] and Cezar Lazăr (soundtrack), complementing the urban landscape and contributing to a further artistic exchange between different styles and cultures.

C. ROMEXPO

Address: 1 Exhibition Boulevard
Implementation: 8^th – 14^th September 2025
Area: 62 m² (15,5 m length x 4 m height)

Theme: The proposed work will enrich Bucharest’s public space, stimulating its exploration through art. It will enter into dialog with existing artistic interventions by Christopher Dyer [Canada] and Klonism [United Kingdom], Delia Cîrstea, Roper and Kozo (soundtrack), Mister Thoms [Italy], Msero, Pisica Pătrată and Vlad Caia (soundtrack binaural).

The intervention is a multidisciplinary co-production in collaboration with an electronic music composer. In this context, the work will integrate a QR code, created using a stencil with two contrasting colours (white for the background, black or a dark shade for the code), which, once scanned, will provide access to the soundtrack associated with the mural, created by a Romanian electronic music DJ/producer.

These themes were synthesised from the public’s responses to the Romanian Street Art survey, conducted as part of the program.

Download images of the places:

Awards

A. Artistic intervention implemented in Bucharest, at SF Travel, 41 Candiano Popescu Street.

• Monetary prize: 1.056 euros (5.280 lei) NET. Save or Cancel production will withhold and pay to the state budget, on behalf of the winners, a final income tax of 10% after deducting a deductible rate. The GROSS prize, including tax, is 1.160 euros (5.800 lei).
  • The 1.056 euro budget covers:
    • 456 euro artist fee
    • 300 euro hotel for 3-4 nights
    • 300 euro plane tickets
• Logistical support and materials necessary for the production of the artistic intervention, amounting to 400 euros (2.000 lei), VAT included:
  • 150 euros for materials (paint for the façade, gloves, gloves, roller, bucket, telescopic stick)
  • 250 euros spray cans (60 units of Loop tubes)
  • scaffolding rental
  • white background
• Promotion within the actions of the Romanian Street Art cultural program and the exhibition in October 2025 in Bucharest.

B. Artistic intervention implemented in Bucharest, at 1 Iancului Avenue.

• Monetary prize: 840 euros (4.200 lei) NET. Save or Cancel production will withhold and pay to the state budget, on behalf of the winners, a final tax of 10% after deducting a deductible rate. The GROSS prize, including tax, is 920 euros (4.600 lei).
  • The 840 euro budget covers:
    • 240 euro artist fee
    • 300 euro hotel for 3-4 nights
    • 300 euro plane tickets
• Logistical support and materials necessary for the production of the artistic intervention, amounting to 300 euros (1.500 lei), VAT included:
  • 100 euros materials (paint for the facades, gloves, gloves, roller, bucket, telescopic stick)
  • 200 euros spray cans (47 units of Loop tubes)
  • “A” ladder rental
  • white background
• Promotion within the actions of the Romanian Street Art cultural program and the exhibition in October 2025 in Bucharest.

C. Artistic intervention implemented in Bucharest, at ROMEXPO, 1 Exhibition Boulevard

• Monetary prize: 948 euros (4.740 lei) NET. Save or Cancel production will withhold and pay to the state budget, on behalf of the winners, a final tax of 10% after deducting a deductible rate. The GROSS prize, including tax, is 1.040 euros (5.200 lei).
  • The 948 euro budget covers:
    • 348 euro artist fee
    • 300 euro hotel for 3-4 nights
    • 300 euro plane tickets
• Logistical support and materials necessary for the production of the artistic intervention, amounting to 400 euros (2.000 lei), VAT included:
  • 150 euros for materials (paint for the facades, gloves, gloves, roller, bucket, telescopic stick)
  • 250 euros spray cans (60 units of Loop tubes)
  • “A” ladder rental
• Promotion within the actions of the Romanian Street Art cultural program and the exhibition in October 2025 in Bucharest.

The registrations are closed

Find out more about the programme here: https://un-hidden.ro/romanian-street-art/

The cultural multiannual programme Romanian Street Art is produced by Save or Cancel (Cristina Popa, Andrei Racovițan) through feeder.ro and co-financed by AFCN.

The programme does not necessarily represent the position of The Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the application’s content or the way the program results can be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.

Partners: Lente, Romexpo, Lagom Hotel, SF Travel, Homeowners’ Association Șoseaua Iancului nr. 1

Media partners: Amsterdam Street Art, Biblioteca Metropolitană București, BSBSA (Bucharest Sofia Belgrade Street Art), Empower Artists, DigitizArte, Igloo, IQads, I Support Street Art, La pas prin Brasov, Litera 9, Modernism, Munteanu, PRwave, Street Art Belgrade, Revista Atelierul, Revista Golan, The Institute, Zeppelin,Un-hidden Romania, Ziarul Pozitiv.