ISEA 2026 Open Call Explores Digital Calligraphy and Typography
ISEA 2026 digital calligraphy takes center stage with a new special track exhibition open call. The exhibition explores evolving calligraphy, letter art, and typography in electronic arts. It is presented as part of ISEA2026 in Dubai. International digital artists are invited to submit work that bridges traditional lettering and computational practices. SEGD member Yeohyan Ahn is serving as guest curator.
This ISEA 2026 open call for digital calligraphy and typography focuses on how calligraphic and lettering practices have evolved through electronic and emerging art since the early 2000s. The exhibition connects ancient calligraphic traditions—shaped by spiritual, philosophical, and cultural systems—with contemporary practices that use creative coding, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and data-driven processes.
This ISEA 2026 digital calligraphy exhibition examines how lettering practices intersect with creative coding, artificial intelligence, and data-driven design in contemporary electronic arts.
The exhibition highlights calligraphy not only as a visual art form, but also as a cognitive and meditative practice. It examines how focused “flow,” memory, identity, and expression are reshaped through digital culture and computational tools. The curated exhibition will be presented as part of ISEA2026 in Dubai, with additional online and hybrid components to support international participation.
Eligible Media and Topics
Artists are invited to submit works engaging with:
- Digital and computational calligraphy
- Letter art and expressive typography
- Creative coding and algorithmic lettering systems
- AI-driven and data-informed typographic practices
- Cultural, spiritual, and linguistic identity through code
- Calligraphy as a cognitive, meditative, or therapeutic practice
Who Can Apply
The open call welcomes international digital artists working across Latin and non-Latin scripts, including Arabic, English, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Artists who cannot travel to Dubai may participate through hybrid or online exhibition formats and artist talks.
Key Dates
- Open Call Deadline: February 16, 2026 (11:59pm GST)
- Notification: March 5, 2026
- Final Works Due: March 15, 2026
- Exhibition Dates (Dubai): April 10–19, 2026
- Online Exhibition: Dates to be confirmed
Submissions must be completed through the EasyChair application form as outlined in the open call. Questions can be directed to the guest curator via email.
For SEGD members working in digital media, typography, and experiential design, this is a timely opportunity to contribute to an international exhibition shaping the future of letterforms in electronic arts.