The Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco (CCUT) of UNAM launched the first International Political Cartoon Biennial on July 3, with an open call to creators worldwide, as reported by El Universal. The competition is anchored in a collection of more than 20,000 original works held at the venue, which includes 12,047 pieces by Rogelio Naranjo and the complete originals of Eduardo del Río "Rius," as well as works by Gonzalo Rocha and Víctor Vélez "Chubasco."
The biennial carries the theme "A New World Order" and invites artists to reflect, through graphic humor, on topics ranging from climate change to the impact of artificial intelligence, according to Jacobo Dayán, director of the CCUT, in statements reported by Excélsior. The call is organized by the CCUT with the association CartónClub, and backed by the French Embassy in Mexico, the Goethe-Institut, and the Franco-German Cultural Fund. With this initiative, Mexico, a country with a century-long tradition in political cartooning, positions itself as a global reference for a genre that combines art, criticism, and democracy.
Political cartoonists, illustrators, and graphic creators aged 18 or older from any country may participate, submitting up to two works per artist. Entries must have been published in any media outlet, including digital platforms, between January 1 and September 7, 2026, the deadline for submissions. The CCUT's academic subdirector, Alesha Mercado, clarified that works generated with artificial intelligence will not be accepted, in order to preserve human authorship as the cornerstone of the competition. An international jury will select 110 works for the exhibition, and the winners will receive 1,000 and 500 euros, sponsored by the Franco-German Cultural Fund.
The awards ceremony will take place on October 24, 2026, United Nations Day, during the opening of the exhibition at CCU Tlatelolco. The show will remain open to the public until January 30, 2027. Full submission guidelines and registration are available on the biennial's official website.
This article was written with artificial intelligence assistance based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.