Submission Guidelines

Organizer: Ube City, Ube Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee, The Mainichi Newspapers
Sponsor: UBE Corporation

• Submission Guidelines (English)
• 作品征集简要 (Chinese)
• 공모요강 (Korean)

• The application form is here.

Application Form</a >

The Ube Sculpture Triennale was launched in 1961 as an international competition for outdoor sculptures, sparked by a post-war civic movement seeking urban beautification and enrichment of heart and mind. On March 26, 2024, it was officially recognized by Guinness World Records® as the “longest-running outdoor sculpture competition.” Award-winning works, along with entries from past exhibitions, now adorn the city and serve as valuable cultural resources utilized in education, tourism, and various other fields. The “Ube Sculpture Triennale 2027” will be held at the Sculpture Hill in Tokiwa Park, showcasing 15 outdoor sculptures and 30 selected models. After the exhibition, the Grand Prize (Ube City Prize) and the UBE Corporation Prize-winning works will be permanently installed in public spaces within the city. The City of Ube is very much looking forward to your ambitious works.

Application Period	Wednesday, October 1, 2025 – Sunday, January 18, 2026
Delivery of Work Models	Friday, January 30 – Sunday, February 1, 2026 (Submission deadline)
Preliminary Screening	Saturday, February 7, 2026 (Screening of work models)
Exhibition of Submitted Models	Sunday, February 8 – Sunday, March 8, 2026
First Submission of Work Descriptions	Deadline: Friday, April 17, 2026
Delivery and Installation	Wednesday, September 1, 2027 – Friday, September 24, 2027
Secondary Screening	Saturday, October 23, 2027 (Screening of outdoor sculptures)
Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition	Sunday, October 24, 2027 – Sunday, May 7, 2028
Exhibition Period of Full-Scale Sculptures	Sunday, October 24, 2027 – Sunday, December 2, 2029

Specifications for Submitted Works

A) Only new, unpublished works will be accepted.
B) Maximum size of the actual work must not exceed 900cm (total dimensions of height, width, and depth, including the pedestal). C) The total weight must be within 10 tons, and the work must be transportable on a standard 10-ton truck without the need for special traffic permits etc.
D) Works must be suitable for installation in outdoor public spaces, with earthquake- and resistance to wind pressure, safe to touch without risk of damage, and requiring minimal maintenance.
E) Works must not infringe upon the rights of third parties.

*Any work not conforming to the above specifications will not be eligible for selection.

Awards

Grand Prize (Ube City Prize)	5,000,000 yen (Sculpture Purchase and Model Purchase Prize)
UBE Corporation Prize	4,000,000 yen (Sculpture Purchase and Model Purchase Prize)
The Mainichi Newspapers Prize	800,000 yen
Ube Chamber of Commerce and Industry Prize	300,000 yen
Shimane Yoshika Town Prize	200,000 yen
Yamaguchi Prefectural Art Museum Prize	200,000 yen
Iwami Art Museum Prize	200,000 yen

*Further awards to be announced in short.

Special Awards

– Yanagihara Yoshitatsu Prize 1,500,000 yen (Model Purchase Prize)
– Ube Citizens Prize 500,000 yen (Model Purchase Prize)

* For the winning works of the Grand Prize and the UBE Corporation Prize, the full-scale sculptures and work models, and for the Yanagihara Yoshitatsu Prize and the Ube Citizens Prize, the work models, together with the prize money, will become the property of Ube City.
* The Yanagihara Yoshitatsu Prize (Special Award) will be awarded to a work deemed suitable for Yanagihara Yoshitatsu.
* Ube Citizens Prize will be determined by visitors’ vote during the final exhibition. If the winning work of the Grand Prize also wins Ube Citizens Prize, only the award title will be granted without the cash award.
* The contents of the prizes are subject to change.

Judges

Tsutomu Mizusawa (Chairperson)	Art Historian / Art Critic
Keiji Uematsu	Sculptor
Teiko Hinuma	Professor at Joshibi University of Art and Design
Teppei Fujiwara	Architect and Associate Professor at Yokohama Graduate School of Architecture
Michitaka Kono	Director of Hagi Uragami Museum
Saki Nagato	Director of The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama
Takayuki Nasu	Chief Curator of Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art
Akira Nonaka	Deputy Director of Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Misato Fudo	Director of The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama Specially Appointed Director of Himeji City Museum of Art
Sakiko Takahashi	Editor, Arts and Cultural News Department, Tokyo Headquarters of The Mainichi Newspapers
＜Advisor＞ Tadayasu Sakai	Art Critic
＜Positioning Committee＞ Teppei Fujiwara	Architect, Associate Professor of Yokohama Graduate School of Architecture

Preliminary Screening (Work Model Screening)

All submitted sculpture models will undergo the preliminary screening. The results will be announced on the official website of the Ube Sculpture Triennaleand in the Mainichi Newspaper. Successful applicants will also be notified in writing at a later date.

Screening Date

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Process

1. 30 pieces will be selected as models to be accepted.
2. 15 pieces will be selected from among the 30 models as works for full size production.

Results Announcement

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Notes

Accepted models will be kept under the management of the Secretariat until the end of the exhibition period, and may be used for PR displays and educational activities.

Application Procedure

(1) Payment of Entry Fee and Return Shipping Fee

Fees

Entry Fee

• From Japan: 10,000 yen

• From overseas: Free (Applicants whose registered address at the time of application is overseas are exempt from the fee.)

• Students: Free (A copy of the student ID must be attached at the time of application.)

Return Shipping Fee

• Within Japan (work model): 3,000 yen (including packing fee)

• Within Japan (photographs): 1,000 yen (including packing fee)
*Not required if return is not requested.

*No payment of shipping fee is required if you do not wish the model to be returned.

• Overseas: Return to overseas is not available.

Bank account

Swift code

YMBKJPJT

Bank code

0170

Branch code

029

Account number

ordinary account 6374281

Corporate principal

NAKASO Toshifumi

Corporate name

Ube Sculpture TriennaleSecretariat

Name of the bank

THE YAMAGUCHI BANK, Ltd. Ube branch

* Applicants must cover the bank charge.
* The entry fee and shipping fee, once paid in, are not refundable even when the work wins the competition.
* Please note that the application shall be void if the paid-in amount is insufficient.

(2) Application

Please fill in the required information on the entry form available on the official website of the UBE Sculpture Triennale.
After your application has been received, you will be sent an “Entry Number” and a label sheet</span > by e-mail.
* Once submitted, the entered information cannot be changed.

Application Period Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 9:00 – Sunday, January 18, 2026, 17:00

(3) Delivery of Work Models

The Preliminary Screening will be either made on the work models or photographs of the work models. Please deliver either one to Ube Sculpture Triennale Secretariat.

Items to be delivered

Work model of sculpture

Please submit your work model either by method (A) or (B) below. Please indicate your “Entry Number” and do not include any other information that could identify the applicant.

(A) Actual work model: Approx. 1/10 model (aggregation of three dimensions must not exceed 90cm) of the full-scale sculpture.

*Please make sure to indicate the Entry Number on the back or the bottom of the model.

(B) Photographs of work model: Printouts of three photographs (taken from front and two other sides of your choice) of the model, each printed on A3 paper. We accept both vertical and horizontal images.

* Indicate the Entry Number on the backside of the photographs.
* Please make sure it is clear which photograph shows the front view.
* Do not frame the photographs.
* JIS A3 paper size <297mm x 420 mm>
* If you have explanatory materials, please compile them on not more than one single sheet of A3 paper, indicate your “Entry Number” on the back, and send them together with the work. The material will be placed alongside the work during screening (by method (A) or (B)).
* Submission of work model photographs or explanatory materials in electronic data format is not accepted.

Delivery Method

– Applicants must deliver their actual work model or work model photographs to the Exhibition of Submitted Models venue either by “personal delivery” or “delivery by shipping company”. On the packing box or envelope, please attach the designated label sheet as well as an image indicating the top/bottom and front of the work.

– Please make sure to submit the work model in a box and the photograph in an envelope for storage and return shipment.
*If there are issues with the packing at the time of delivery, we will not be able to use a shipping company. In this case, participants will have to remove the work by themselves.

Notes

– The Secretariat will not be held responsible for any damage on the model found at the time of delivery.

– The Secretariat will handle submitted models with utmost care from their receipt until return, but will not be held responsible for any damage due to structural or material characteristics of the model or force majeure.

Place of Delivery

Ube Sculpture Triennale Secretariat
Tokiwa Kosui Hall, Tokiwa Park, 254 Okiube, Ube City, Yamaguchi Pref., 755-0001, Japan Tel. +81-836-34-8562 (Weekdays: 9am–5pm)
*Applicants are responsible for all delivery costs.

Period of Delivery

Friday, January 30, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026, 10:00–16:00
*The Secretariat will not be held responsible for receipt and storage outside the above timeframe.

(4) Work Model Removal

Except for the 30 selected works, please remove your model as outlined below. Models cannot be removed during the Exhibition of Submitted Models.

Personal Removal

Applicants should come to the Exhibition of Submitted Models venue during the following period:
– Sunday, March 8, 2026, 15:00–17:00
– Monday, March 9 – Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:00–16:00

Removal by Shipping Company

If a designated shipping company handles the removal, the Secretariat will carry out packing, and the models will be returned sequentially from Friday, March 13, 2026, onward.
* Up to 100,000 yen will be applied to all models as insurance coverage.
If the insurance is required, we will process the insurance claim based on the replacement price.
The following content is a disclaimer:

1. Damage caused by natural disasters such as wind and flood damage, earthquakes, and lightning strikes.
2. Damage caused by defects in the work model itself.
3. Minor scratches, dents, etc. that occur on the work when there is no abnormality in the outer packaging.
4. Other damages not attributable to the contractor, damages due to force majeure (vibrations that may occur during transportation, etc.
5. Damage to the work due to improper packing by the applicant.

* The Secretariat refuses to remove the model by shipping company if the model has a structure not suitable for transport.

* Claims for compensation for damage on the model during delivery must be notified to the shipping company within 14 days upon delivery.

Shipping company for Pick-up
Nippon Express Shimonoseki Branch or Hofu Branch, General Logistics Section 9-39
Eki-minami machi, Hofu City, Yamaguchi, Japan 747-0801
Tel: 0835-21-0232
(As of August, 2025)

Note:
– Work Models and work model photographs cannot be returned overseas. They will be disposed of by the Secretariat after the end of the Exhibition of Submitted Models.
– If applicants who requested personal removal of actual work models or work model photographs fail to collect them within the specified period, the Secretariat will dispose of them.
– The Secretariat will not be held responsible for any damage caused by insufficient strength of the models when relocating them (including transportation by vehicle).

Secondary Screening (Screening of Outdoor Sculptures)

A secondary screening will be conducted for the 15 works that were selected for full-scale production and realized as actual sculptures. The results will be announced at the Award Ceremony, as well as on the official website of the Ube Sculpture Triennale and in the Mainichi Newspaper. Each award recipient will also be notified in writing at a later date.

Screening Date

Saturday, October 23, 2027

Award Ceremony

Saturday, October 23, 2027, 18:00–20:00 (venue to be decided)
*Travel and accommodation expenses for participation in the ceremony are the responsibility of the participants.

Production Procedure for Full-Scale Sculptures

Exhibitors whose works have been designated for full-scale production must produce the full-scale sculpture in accordance with the following guidelines and deliver it within the designated delivery period.

* Applicants who applied with model photographs must send a model to the Secretariat by Friday, April 17, 2026. However, applicants applying from overseas are not required to submit a model.
* If the submitted model is needed during the production of the full-scale sculpture, please contact the Secretariat.

(1) Production Procedure

1. Delivery of relevant documents: The Secretariat will send you the Notice of Designation for Full-scale Production, together with the Work Description form.
2. Submission of Work Description: Please fill in the Work Description and send it back to the Secretariat by Friday, April 17, 2026.
3. Consultation: Based on the work description, discussions will be held regarding the structure of the work and its foundation, as well as the installation method.
4. Progress Report: The Secretariat will check with you on the work progress. We will also ask you for your cooperation in providing us with necessary materials, as we publish the production processes as part of our promotion project.

* If structural issues are identified in the sculpture or its foundation, improvements must be made after consultation.
* If the produced sculpture is significantly different from the submitted work model, it may be excluded from the Secondary Screening.

(2) Production and Delivery of Works

Delivery Period

Wednesday, September 1 – Friday, September 24, 2027
(excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)

Delivery Location

Sculpture Hill
(3-4-29, Nonaka, Ube City, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan)

Placement of Works

Exhibition locations will be decided at the Sculpture Exhibition Committee. Please indicate your preference in the Work Description.

Pedestal of Works

Pedestals (steel, concrete, etc.) and the components used to secure them (anchors, bolts, etc.) will be regarded as part of the work. Please include structural drawings of the pedestal in the Work Description. The cost of producing the drawings and fabricating the pedestal shall be borne by the exhibitor.

Foundations of Works

Based on the submitted structural drawings of the work and pedestal, the foundation (wood, concrete, crushed stone, etc.) will be designed. The Secretariat will bear the cost of design and construction.

Transportation of Works

All costs related to transporting the work to the delivery site (including packing costs) shall be borne by the exhibitor.

Packing Materials

Packing materials cannot be stored. Disposal costs will be borne by the Secretariat.

Installation Work

The costs related to unloading, unpacking, and installation (including crane work) will be borne by the Secretariat. However, assembly of multiple parts requiring manual work will be regarded as part of the work’s production. If additional costs are incurred for work beyond the scope of installation, they may be charged to the exhibitor.
* While the Secretariat will take the utmost care during installation, please note that no comprehensive property insurance will be provided.

Exhibition Period

From delivery and installation until Sunday, December 2, 2029 (the work will remain installed even after the exhibition period).
* During the exhibition period, property insurance (Municipal Property Disaster Mutual Aid) will be provided.

(3) Grant Payment

A production grant of 2,400,000 yen will be provided for the creation of the work. The grant will be paid in two installments:
First installment: 1,200,000 yen (end of May 2026)
Second installment: 1,200,000 yen (end of December 2027)
*If for any reasons the artist becomes unable to present the work, if structural defects are found in the completed work, or if the completed work differs significantly from the submitted model, the full amount must be refunded immediately.
* Costs related to transportation of the work at delivery and deinstallation, as well as travel and accommodation expenses, shall be borne by the exhibitor.

(4) Deinstallation of Works

Deinstallation Period

Monday, December 3, 2029 – Thursday, February 28, 2030

* If transportation is difficult during winter due to snow, please consult with the Secretariat.

Collection Site

Sculpture Hill (3-4-29, Nonaka, Ube City, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan)

Removal Work

The costs of excavation of the foundation, removal of fixing hardware, and loading onto the transport truck will be borne by the Secretariat.

* While the Secretariat will take the utmost care during deinstallation work, please note that no comprehensive property insurance will be provided.

Transportation of Works

All costs related to transportation (including packing costs) shall be borne by the exhibitor.

Packing Materials

The costs of procuring packing materials and carrying out packing work shall be borne by the exhibitor.

Other Provisions

A) The organizer reserves the right to display and use images of the works for inclusion in the exhibition catalog and for publicity purposes and reserves the right to produce and sell goods (such as postcards and related goods) using images of the works.
B) Both models and full-scale works may be photographed by the general public during exhibition and display, limited to non-commercial personal use (including posting on social media).
C) The installation site of works that become the property of Ube City will be determined by the Sculpture Exhibition Committee, and after installation, may be reviewed as necessary, including repair, relocation, or removal.
D) Personal information provided for application will not be used for purposes other than reception, management, screening, and communication; however, the names, addresses (up to municipality), and ages of selected applicants and those designated for full-scale production may be published.
E) During the exhibition period of the full-scale works (including the post-exhibition installation period), the Secretariat will take the utmost care in management; however, no responsibility will be assumed for damage caused by natural disasters or other force majeure.
F) In addition to the provisions of these guidelines, matters deemed necessary will be determined by the Secretariat on a case-by-case basis.