Projection Mapping Contests and Awards: Major Competitions in Japan and Abroad and Recent Winners

Contests in which projection mapping works compete, and awards honoring events that have been staged, are held in Japan and abroad. At the “1minute Projection Mapping Competition” in May 2026, “Touch Talk” by Signal Bleed of Brazil won the Grand Prize. On Saturday, November 14, the final of the “Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award Vol.11” takes place at Tokyo Big Sight. Using organizers’ official announcements, this article sets out the main competitions’ organizers, entry requirements, venues and latest results.

What is a projection mapping contest? Short videos projected onto real buildings

In all the contests covered in this article, creators submit videos, which are projected onto the exterior walls of real buildings for judging. The works are short: the 1minute Projection Mapping Competition sets a length of 1 minute to 1 minute 59 seconds, and the Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award (PMA TOKYO) a maximum of 1 minute 30 seconds. PMA TOKYO Vol.11 lists five judging criteria: “planning,” “concept,” “technique,” “staging” and “production.”

There are also awards that honor events already staged. The “Projection Mapping Tokyo Award,” presented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, selected three works from those staged in Tokyo. Some competitions also have prizes decided by audience SMS voting in addition to those chosen by judges.

The contests are also tied to policies for shaping the city at night. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has held the light festival “TOKYO LIGHTS” since 2021; in 2026 it moved the venue from Meiji Jingu Gaien to Nishi-Shinjuku and projected works by creators from around the world onto the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building. The metropolitan government positions both this festival and the Tokyo Award under “promotion of nighttime tourism” in Strategy 14 of the “2050 Tokyo Strategy.”

At “TOKYO Night & Light,” the permanent show on the same building, screenings of four student works began on March 27, 2026. The students created them over about three months under the guidance of top creators (Tokyo Metropolitan Government). Places to compete and places to nurture overlap on the same building. Show times and works are compiled in our guide to TOKYO Night & Light.

1minute Projection Mapping Competition: An international competition since 2012

The 1minute Projection Mapping Competition is an international competition that began in 2012. It has been planned and run by the Projection Mapping Association of Japan (representative director: Michiyuki Ishita). Creators compete with short works of just over a minute, and the official website describes the competition as drawing attention as a gateway to success worldwide.

The venue has changed from year to year. According to the archive on the official website, it was held at Zushi City Zushi Elementary School in Kanagawa Prefecture in 2013 and 2014, and at the Niigata City History Museum (Minatopia) in 2015 and 2016. It continued at the Palace Huis Ten Bosch in 2017, the Miyazaki Prefectural General Cultural Park in 2018 and the Honmaru Square of Odawara Castle Park in 2019. From 2021 to 2024 it was held at the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in Meiji Jingu Gaien; the archive has no entries for 2020 or 2025.

The 13th edition in 2026 was held as part of the light festival “TOKYO LIGHTS 2026” (May 23–31). The theme was “Dialogue,” and the works of 18 finalists, selected from 412 entries, were projected onto the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building. The five prizes decided at the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 30, 2026, were as follows (Projection Mapping Association of Japan announcement).

• GRAND PRIZE: “Touch Talk,” Signal Bleed (Brazil)

• SECOND PRIZE: “Aporia,” VPM (Spain)

• THIRD PRIZE: “The Beauty of Collision,” Bigcool (Thailand)

• Tokyo Tokyo Prize: “1Pulse,” Anionavision (Romania)

• Audience Prize: “Infinite Dialogue,” Taro Narahara (Japan)

The description of the Grand Prize work “Touch Talk” begins with a scene in which two voices that should reach each other cannot hear each other, and dialogue collapses into noise. It then depicts how listening to the other’s voice gives rise to connection.

According to the entry guidelines, the prize money is ¥2 million for the Grand Prize, ¥500,000 for second place, ¥200,000 for third place, and ¥100,000 each for fourth place and the Audience Prize. The Grand Prize also comes with an invitation to the next competition as a guest artist.

The 12th edition in 2024 was held from September 14 to 16, with the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in Meiji Jingu Gaien as the projection target. The Grand Prize / Tokyo Governor’s Prize went to “Room 808” by Kentaro Tanaka (Japan), and the Second Prize / TOKYO LIGHTS Prize to “ECHO” by Elektrick.me (Bulgaria). Tanaka screened the invited work “MAD DREAMS” at the 2026 competition and also served as a judge.

Name: 1minute Projection Mapping Competition
Organizer: Projection Mapping International Award TOKYO Executive Committee (2026; co-organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, supported by Shinjuku City, planning cooperation by the Projection Mapping Association of Japan)
First held: 2012
Entry requirements and theme: Works from 1 minute to 1 minute 59 seconds. The 2026 theme was “Dialogue”
Venue and projection target: In 2026, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building (screened at Tomin Plaza). From 2021 to 2024, the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in Meiji Jingu Gaien
Latest results: 2026 (13th) GRAND PRIZE “Touch Talk,” Signal Bleed (Brazil), and others (see above)
Official website: https://1minute-pm.com/

Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award (PMA TOKYO): Competing on the walls of Tokyo Big Sight

PMA TOKYO is a contest in which works are projected onto the inverted-triangle exterior wall of the Conference Tower at Tokyo Big Sight, measuring 94 m wide by 30 m high. The history on its official website says it was established in 2015 and held its first edition on this wall. On the other hand, a June 2026 announcement by ULTRA PLANET, which handles planning and production, states that it has been held on the same wall “since 2016.”

The competition has also aimed to nurture young talent. In an April 2023 announcement, IMAGICA GROUP introduced the award as “a gateway to video production for young creators.” Its stated goals include discovering and developing people who will be at the core of the future content industry, and advancing and spreading spatial video technology. With Vol.8 that year, eligibility was expanded from students only to creators aged 30 and under.

Vol.10, held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, had the theme “voyage” and a maximum length of 1 minute 30 seconds. The call for entries listed prize money of ¥300,000 for the top prize and ¥150,000 for the Excellence Award, with eligibility described as “around 30 or under as a guideline, but with no age limit.” According to the official website, attendance was 10,674.

According to an announcement by Josai International University, whose students won, the top prize went to “-Flux-” by the team “Suwatan J,” made by Keisuke Asano, a graduate of the university’s Faculty of Media Studies, and Karen Tokoro, a third-year student in the faculty. The university says 23 of the 50 entries were screened at the screening event.

Vol.11 in 2026 is organized by the PMA TOKYO Executive Committee, with planning and production by ULTRA PLANET Inc. The theme is “ReBORN,” entry was open regardless of age or nationality, and participation was free. The teams advancing to the final are scheduled to be announced on Friday, October 30, and the screening, judging and awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 14. Companies that plan and produce the competition and produce events around the country are covered in our article on production companies. Details are in our article on PMA TOKYO Vol.11.

Name: Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award (PMA TOKYO)
Organizer: PMA TOKYO Executive Committee (Vol.11; planning and production: ULTRA PLANET Inc.)
First held: 2015 (per the history on the official website)
Entry requirements and theme: For Vol.11, videos of up to 1 minute 30 seconds. Theme “ReBORN,” free to enter
Venue and projection target: Exterior wall of the Conference Tower at Tokyo Big Sight (94 m wide × 30 m high). Screening in the plaza in front of the Conference Tower
Latest results: 2025 (Vol.10) top prize “-Flux-,” Suwatan J (Keisuke Asano and Karen Tokoro; per Josai International University)
Official website: https://pma.tokyo/

Projection Mapping Tokyo Award: An award selecting events that have been staged

The Projection Mapping Tokyo Award honors events staged in Tokyo rather than creators who are about to make works. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the call for entries on December 18, 2025, covering works staged in Tokyo between April 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025. Eligible applicants were the municipalities, tourism associations, private businesses and others that organized or staged the events; individuals and religious corporations were not eligible.

According to the special page, three works were selected from 45 entries from the perspectives of regional revitalization and artistry. The top prize went to “Elder Shibusawa’s Banquet,” and the Excellence Awards to “Nakano Sunplaza Projection Mapping -To be continued-” and “Senso-ji Hozomon Gate / Five-Story Pagoda / Important Cultural Property Nitenmon Gate Projection Mapping.” The special page does not list the organizers of the winning works, the judges or their comments (as of October 21). The winners are introduced in our article on the Projection Mapping Tokyo Award.

There are also international awards that evaluate staged works by category. The US-based MUSE Creative Awards has an “Experiential & Immersive - Hologram / Projection” category (the 2026 results are covered in our roundup of awards).

Name: Projection Mapping Tokyo Award
Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (the entry rules on the special page name the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau as organizer)
First held: Entries invited in December 2025 (no mention of earlier editions)
Entry requirements and theme: Projection mapping staged in Tokyo between April 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025, regardless of location, scale, paid or free admission or genre
Venue and projection target: Works staged in Tokyo
Latest results: From 45 entries, top prize “Elder Shibusawa’s Banquet” and two Excellence Awards
Official website: https://www.tokyonightstory.com/campaign/pm-tokyo-2025/

Competitions abroad: iMapp Bucharest and the Video Mapping Festival

Romania’s “iMapp Bucharest” is organized by the City of Bucharest through ARCUB as part of the city’s “Bucharest City Days” celebrations. The projection surface is the roughly 23,000-square-meter facade of the Palace of Parliament. In the main “Winners League,” seven winners of partner festivals in Hungary, Japan, Germany, France, China, the United States and Brazil compete for the Grand Prize. There is also a Jury Prize decided by an international jury and an Audience Prize decided by audience SMS voting.

The 11th edition, held on September 19 and 20, 2026, had the theme “PAST. FORWARD.” The results had not been posted on the official website as of October 21. On September 9, the 1minute official website reported the participants, noting that Zoltán Varga, who won the Grand Prize at the 2022 1minute competition, would compete as “Studio Zoltán Varga (Hungary).”

Name: iMapp Bucharest Winners League
Organizer: City of Bucharest (through ARCUB)
First held: Not stated on the official website (2026 was the 11th edition)
Entry requirements and theme: Winners of partner festivals compete. The 2026 theme was “PAST. FORWARD.”
Venue and projection target: Facade of the Palace of Parliament (about 23,000 square meters)
Latest results: Results of the 2026 edition not yet posted on the official website as of October 21
Official website: https://imapp.ro/imapp/

The “Video Mapping Festival” in northern France reached its 9th edition in 2026, touring cities in the Hauts-de-France region from its opening in Lille on April 10 and 11 to its close in Amiens on October 16 and 17. The festival’s “Video Mapping Contest” was opened as an international call by Rencontres Audiovisuelles at the end of 2025, and the selected works were projected onto the facade of the “La Voix du Nord” building in Lille.

In results announced on April 11, 2026, the Grand Prix went to “SPEC” by John Tettenborn & Kourtney Lara Ross (Germany). The audience award, the Prix du Public, went to “Foreign_v2” by Kubakub (Austria), and the Mention du Jury to “La rubrique des pigeons” by Raphaëlle Martinez (France). The winners of the Grand Prix and the audience award were offered, as additional prizes, opportunities to create work at the next iMapp Bucharest and at Lyon’s “Fête des Lumières.”

Name: Video Mapping Contest (Video Mapping Festival)
Organizer: Rencontres Audiovisuelles
First held: Not stated on the official website (2026 was the festival’s 9th edition)
Entry requirements and theme: International call for professionals in mapping, video, animation, digital art and related fields
Venue and projection target: Facade of the “La Voix du Nord” building in Lille
Latest results: 2026 Grand Prix “SPEC,” John Tettenborn & Kourtney Lara Ross (Germany), and others (see above)
Official website: https://videomappingfestival.com/video-mapping-contest-palmares-2026/

Editor’s perspective

Lining up the competitions shows that what is evaluated falls broadly into two categories: competitions of creators’ ability to make short videos for a designated building, and awards that select the achievements of events staged in a region. In the former, the question is how to reinterpret the same exterior wall within constraints of just over a minute or 1 minute 30 seconds.

Mechanisms that link winning to the next production opportunity also stand out. The 1minute competition invites its Grand Prize winner to the next edition as a guest artist, and the Video Mapping Contest offered its winners opportunities to create work at iMapp Bucharest and in Lyon.

iMapp Bucharest gathers the winners of competitions around the world to compete against one another. Besides prize money, the opportunity to project onto the next building is being passed along through connections among competitions across borders.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go to watch the contest finals?

The final of PMA TOKYO Vol.11 will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in the plaza in front of the Conference Tower at Tokyo Big Sight. According to the organizer’s announcement, admission is free and no reservation is required.

Can anyone enter?

It depends on the competition. PMA TOKYO Vol.11 was open regardless of age or nationality, and entry was free. The 1minute competition sets a length of 1 minute to 1 minute 59 seconds, and its 2026 edition received 412 entries from 65 countries and regions.

How much is the prize money?

At the 2026 1minute competition, the Grand Prize was ¥2 million and the Second Prize ¥500,000. At PMA TOKYO Vol.11, the Grand Prix is ¥300,000, the runner-up prize ¥100,000 and the Judges’ Special Prize ¥50,000. The Projection Mapping Tokyo Award presents commemorative gifts, with no mention of prize money.

Can the winning works be seen later?

The PMA TOKYO Vol.11 entry guidelines say that outstanding works are planned to be screened regularly at Tokyo Big Sight. The 1minute competition released an after-movie of its 2026 edition on its official website on August 19.

*Information as of October 21, 2026. Please check the official websites for the latest information.

*Top image: The announcement of the top prize at the 10th Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award (from Josai International University’s press release)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on official announcements and public materials from each organizer and institution (as of October 21, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: Among the winning works mentioned in this article, “Senso-ji Hozomon Gate / Five-Story Pagoda / Important Cultural Property Nitenmon Gate Projection Mapping” (ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS 2025) was planned and produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).