Description of the call:

In 2025, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) marks its 10th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we are inviting creative individuals to visually represent the mission that has guided us since 2015: defending media freedom across Europe. If you are a student, creative professional, or simply passionate about press freedom and independent journalism, we invite you to take part in our open call for poster designs that will officially open on May 12th, 2025. Deadline for submissions is June 1st, 2025. The winner will receive an award of 500€ and their poster will be used for ECPMF’s events and activities. The shortlisted posters will be published on our website and social media. Your artwork could help us inspire, engage, and amplify our message in this important anniversary year!

Context:

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) is a non-profit organisation that was founded in Leipzig, Germany, 2015. Its mission is to promote, preserve and defend media freedom. We do this by monitoring violations, providing practical support and engaging diverse stakeholders across Europe.

In 2025, ECPMF is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a series of events in Leipzig across two seasons. These events will highlight the importance of press freedom, raise awareness of current threats, and increase ECPMF’s visibility in Leipzig and Saxony. Organised in collaboration with local partners, the events aim to engage a wider audience, strengthen local ties, and remain cost-effective amid financial constraints. In light of this celebration we would like to have a visual representation of our work and open a call for poster design.

For whom is this open call? 

• For individual students, creative professionals, anyone who is passionate about media freedom and independent journalism and can express it in an artistic way. 
• The applicant must have an EU-based bank account.

How to apply? 

• Submissions for this open call will be accepted via a form that will be provided after the call is officially open until 23:59 CET on 1 June 2025. 
• Applicant’s name, surname and email address should be included (to be contacted solely for communication related to this open call).

Requirements for the poster submission:

• Format: A2 size (420 x 594 mm), suitable for both print and digital use.
• Logo Space: Please leave appropriate space on the poster design on the upper right corner for the placement of the ECPMF logo.
• Buzzwords/themes to be addressed/inspired by: press freedom, safety of journalists, journalism in exile, independent press, investigative journalism, freedom of information, media pluralism, cross-border journalism, human rights, democracy, journalists at risk, solidarity.
• Geographical scope: Submissions should be relevant to the Council of Europe Member States, Russia, Belarus and Kosovo.
• Language: If you choose to use text in your design, you are welcome to use any official EU language. However, please also provide an English version of the poster alongside your submission.
• Originality: Submissions must not involve the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and must be free of plagiarism.
• Number of submissions: One individual can only submit one poster.

How are the submissions assessed?

All applications will go through a pre-evaluation process based on the objective eligibility criteria (see above). Once the eligibility screening is complete, the submissions applications will be reviewed based on the subjective criteria (see below) by the evaluation committee. A shortlist of posters will be selected. All shortlisted candidates will be informed about this decision by the end of June and will be featured on the ECPMF’s website and social media channels. After that the evaluation committee will select a single winner who will be awarded with the money prize at the end of June.

The committee will assess the quality of each eligible application based on the following subjective criteria:

• Visual Impact

• Creativity and Originality

• Emotional Engagement

• Clarity of Message

• Aesthetic Harmony and Quality

• Relevance in context of the ECPMF work

For any questions regarding the open call or the application process you can contact: info@ecpmf.eu with subject: “Poster Design Open Call”

Please thoroughly read the Legal disclaimer and Rights Transfer Agreement for Art Submission:

By submitting poster (the “Work”) to the 10th Anniversary Open Call organized by the ECPMF, the submitting party (the “Applicant”) hereby acknowledges, understands, and agrees to the following terms and conditions:

• Single Submission Limitation: Each Applicant may submit only one (1) poster. Multiple submissions from the same individual, whether under the same or different identities, will result in disqualification of all entries from that Applicant.

• Assignment of Rights: The Applicant hereby irrevocably assigns, transfers, and conveys to ECPMF, including its successors, licensees, and assigns, all rights, title, and interest in and to the Work, including without limitation all intellectual property rights, worldwide and in perpetuity. This assignment includes, but is not limited to, the exclusive right to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly display, and create derivative works from the Work, in any format or medium now known or later developed, for any purpose consistent with ECPMF’s mission and activities.

• Use for Organizational Purposes: ECPMF shall have the unrestricted right to use the Work in connection with its 10th anniversary celebrations and in any current or future programs, campaigns, events, exhibitions, publications, and promotional materials, whether digital or physical. This includes the right to alter or adapt the Work (e.g., by adding titles, modifying elements, or integrating the Work into larger designs) as reasonably necessary for such uses.

• Prohibition of AI-Generated Content and Plagiarism: The Applicant represents and warrants that the Work is entirely original and created solely by the Applicant without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or platforms. Furthermore, the Applicant affirms that the Work does not incorporate, in whole or in part, any plagiarized content or unauthorized use of existing works. Any submission found to violate these terms will be disqualified and may result in legal liability.

• Waiver of Moral Rights: To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, the Applicant hereby irrevocably waives any and all moral rights in the Work, including, without limitation, the right to object to any modification, distortion, or use of the Work – such as the addition of the ECPMF logo, event titles, or other contextual adaptations – and agrees not to assert any such rights against ECPMF, its affiliates, partners, or representatives.

• Compensation: Only the winning submission, as selected solely at the discretion of Evaluation Committee, will be eligible to receive compensation in the form of a one-time prize of 500 euros. All other submissions shall be deemed voluntary contributions. By submitting a Work, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that they will not receive any form of monetary compensation, royalties, or other remuneration for their submission or for any subsequent use of the Work by ECPMF.

• Originality and Legal Compliance: The Applicant further represents and warrants that the submitted Work is not subject to any contractual or legal restriction that would prevent the transfer of rights as outlined herein. The Applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless ECPMF from any claims, liabilities, or expenses arising from any breach of these representations.

• Acknowledgement: While ECPMF is under no obligation to provide credit, it may, at its sole discretion, acknowledge the Applicant in connection with the use of the Work where feasible.

By submitting the Work, the Applicant affirms that they are legally authorized to enter into this agreement and fully accept the terms set forth above