Winners Announced for BE OPEN Art's Oceania Regional Competition in 2025

BE OPEN Art: Winners of the Oceania Regional Competition Revealed

On July 7, 2025, BE OPEN Art, a non-profit online gallery founded by humanitarian expert Elena Baturina, proudly announced the winners of this year’s Oceania regional competition. This initiative is dedicated to supporting emerging artists whose work articulates their regional, cultural, and ethnic identities. It marks the third year of the BE OPEN Regional Art initiative.

In this competitive process, a community of BE OPEN experts selects artists that epitomize the artistic traditions of specific regions, helping them gain visibility. The recently concluded phase focused on artists from the Oceania countries, including Australia, Timor-Leste, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Spanning three months, the competition showcased the works of 20 emerging artists from the aforementioned countries on the online gallery. Each month, the public voted to identify the Regional Artist of the Month. The exciting culmination of this stage culminated in the selection of a monthly winner whose combined votes from the public and the BE OPEN artistic community determined the overall Artist of the Region.

The first recipient of this year’s award is Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, a self-taught artist and illustrator celebrated for her deep-rooted connection to her Māori identity. Through her visually captivating works, Huriana delves into themes of cultural heritage, identity, and the unique blending of personal and collective narratives. Her artistic practice not only challenges conventional artistic expressions but also actively honors and celebrates Māori and Pacific cultural traditions. In recognition of her talent, she received a scholarship of €500.

Additionally, the second scholarship recipient is Tania Calvo, a promising emerging artist from Vanuatu, chosen at the personal discretion of Elena Baturina. Tania draws inspiration from her diverse ethnic background and her profound ties to Vanuatu's artistic heritage, demonstrating a strong commitment to self-expression. Her personal mantra, “Always be yourself,” weaves authenticity and vibrancy into her art, earning her a scholarship of €300.

BE OPEN extends heartfelt gratitude to the Oceanic Art Society for their unwavering support in reaching out to Oceania’s artistic talents. The essence of this endeavor is to nurture emerging talent and select artists who are in the early stages of their careers with a strong social consciousness, focused on aesthetic solutions to contemporary issues.

The mission of the project is to uncover new voices in the art scene, inviting everyone to contribute to this vital dialogue in the artistic community. Through such initiatives, BE OPEN Art stands firmly in its dedication to promoting cultural diversity and artistic innovation across the vibrant oceanic landscapes.

Stay tuned for future rounds as BE OPEN continues its quest to highlight and uplift the voices of artists from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that their stories and talents are heard and celebrated around the world.