The Burj Khalifa Open Call is your chance to see your own art light up the world’s tallest building. Emaar, the developer behind the tower, has reopened this projection design competition to creators everywhere this year, after limiting the 2025 round to UAE residents.
Every evening, crowds across Downtown Dubai stop to watch the tower’s façade glow with colour and motion. This time, one of those shows carries your signature above the Dubai skyline.
So this guide walks you through who can enter, what to submit, the deadline, the rules and the prize. Every fact here comes straight from Emaar and the official Burj Khalifa website, so you plan your entry with confidence.
Burj Khalifa Open Call
The Burj Khalifa Open Call, also known as the Burj Khalifa projection design competition, is a public art contest run by Emaar that turns the world’s most famous landmark into a giant canvas. Artists submit an original three-minute audio-visual projection, and the best design is shown on the façade for audiences in Dubai and online.
This 2026 edition is bigger than before because it is now open to the whole world. Submissions opened on 8 July 2026 and the final deadline lands on 18 August 2026 at 11:59pm Dubai time, giving artists close to six weeks to create and send their work.
Think of it as an open audition where the stage is 828 metres of glass and light. The prize is not money this year, it is the sight of your motion graphics playing across a global landmark.
How Do You Enter the Burj Khalifa Open Call?
To get your artwork displayed on Burj Khalifa, you enter the Burj Khalifa Open Call by emailing your finished projection video and a short concept note to [email protected] before the deadline. There is no online form and no entry fee, so the whole artist submission happens over email.
Here is how to enter Burj Khalifa Open Call without missing a step. Emaar keeps the process simple, so follow the five steps below and your Burj Khalifa projection design submission is complete.
Large video files clog most inboxes, so Emaar asks you to share them through WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive only. Paste the link into your email rather than attaching the raw file.
If you have entered a film or design contest before, the Burj Khalifa Open Call format will feel familiar. The one difference is scale, because your finished piece plays out on a 200-storey wall of light.
Who Can Enter the Burj Khalifa Projection Competition?
Anyone aged 18 and above can enter the Burj Khalifa projection competition, whether they live in the UAE or anywhere else in the world. That is the headline change for 2026, since the 2025 edition was open to UAE residents only.
You do not need to be a professional artist to take part in the Burj Khalifa Open Call. Students, hobbyists, motion designers and full studios are all welcome to try.
Can teams apply? Yes — both individuals and groups can send a Burj Khalifa design competition entry, and Emaar names one winner per winning entry, so a group settles that in advance.
Full eligibility rules for the Burj Khalifa Open Call sit in the official Terms & Conditions on the Burj Khalifa website. Reading them once saves you from a simple mistake that rules out your work.
What Are the Submission Requirements?
The core Burj Khalifa projection competition requirements are a three-minute original video, delivered as an MP4 preview and a high-resolution MOV, with copyright-free music and a short concept note. Every visual must be your own work, made for the tower’s façade rather than a normal flat screen.
| Requirement | What Emaar asks for |
|---|---|
| Video length | Exactly 3 minutes of animation or motion graphics |
| Preview format | MP4 with the music built into the video |
| Projection format | High-resolution MOV file for the façade |
| Audio | A separate audio file, using copyright-free music only |
| Concept note | Up to 300 words on your inspiration and story |
| Originality | 100% original visuals; no AI-generated content |
This Burj Khalifa projection contest does not accept still images, so your idea has to move. A single painting will not work, yet a flowing piece of media art or digital installation built from that painting fits the brief perfectly.
To nail the technical side, download the official template and manual from the Open Call page. They give you the exact screen specifications, resolution and file details for a clean projection design submission.
Plan your export time too. Rendering a high-resolution three-minute MOV takes hours, so leave a buffer before the Burj Khalifa Open Call deadline rather than exporting on the final night.
What Does the Winner Get?
The Burj Khalifa Open Call winner gets their design projected on the façade, fully or partially, on a date chosen by Emaar. There is no cash prize in the 2026 Open Call, which is the clearest change from last year.
So the Burj Khalifa art competition prize this year is exposure rather than money. For most creators, a spot on one of the planet’s most photographed landmarks is worth more than a cheque.
Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar framed the wider idea well when he launched the earlier round, calling the tower “a canvas for creativity and innovation — open to everyone with a talent to share”. That spirit still drives this Emaar Open Call.
What Are the Judging Criteria?
This Burj Khalifa creative competition scores entries on creativity, originality, impact and technical feasibility. In plain terms, the design has to feel fresh and original, move people, and run cleanly on the façade.
Two rules sit above the Burj Khalifa Open Call scoring, and both are strict:
- Your entry must respect UAE cultural values.
- Emaar disqualifies AI-generated designs on sight.
Judges favour strong visual storytelling that suits a landmark of this size. Bold shapes, clear motion and a theme rooted in Dubai’s innovation land better than fine detail that blurs at 828 metres.
How Big Is the Burj Khalifa Façade You Design For?
You are designing for the largest lit surface of any building on Earth. The Burj Khalifa stands 828 metres tall in the heart of Downtown Dubai, and Guinness World Records recognises its LED façade as the largest LED display in the world.
That scale explains why this Burj Khalifa visual design competition rewards bold, immersive visuals over tiny detail. A face that reads clearly on a phone screen turns into a smudge across a tower this tall, so simple, high-contrast digital art wins.
It also explains the copyright-free music rule for the audiovisual side. A façade projection at this level draws huge audiences and press, so every asset has to be cleared for public use.
Want to picture the setting before you design? Our guide on Dubai Summer Surprises 2026 shows how Downtown Dubai fills with crowds and light shows through the summer, the same audience your work would reach.
When Will the Winning Design Be Displayed?
The Emaar Burj Khalifa Open Call shows the winning design on the façade on a date Emaar sets after judging, which follows the 18 August 2026 deadline. The official call does not fix a public screening date, so the projection lands on a schedule Emaar controls.
Keep an eye on the official Burj Khalifa channels for the reveal. Emaar contacts winners directly, so use an email address you check often when you submit artwork for Burj Khalifa.
Planning a trip around the season? See how hot Dubai gets in July and whether it is too hot to visit Dubai in summer, since most façade shows look best after sunset.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Burj Khalifa Open Call?
The Burj Khalifa Open Call is a projection design competition run by Emaar, inviting artists aged 18 and above to submit an original three-minute audio-visual design for the Burj Khalifa façade. The 2026 edition is open worldwide, not just to UAE residents. Submissions opened on 8 July 2026 and close on 18 August 2026 at 11:59pm Dubai time. The winning design is projected on the world’s tallest building on a date chosen by Emaar, giving the artist global visibility on one of Dubai’s most famous landmarks.
How do I enter the Burj Khalifa Open Call?
To enter, prepare a 100% original three-minute projection video with copyright-free music, plus a concept note of up to 300 words. Export an MP4 preview with integrated music and a high-resolution MOV file with a separate audio track for the projection. Email everything to [email protected] before 18 August 2026, 11:59pm Dubai time. Share large files using WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive links only. There is no entry fee and no online form, so the whole submission happens over email.
Who is eligible for the Burj Khalifa Open Call?
Anyone aged 18 and above can enter, whether they live in the UAE or abroad. This is a change from the 2025 edition, which was open to UAE residents only. Both individuals and groups can submit, though Emaar names only one winner per winning entry. Full eligibility rules and exclusions are listed in the official Terms & Conditions on the Burj Khalifa website. You do not need to be a professional artist, so students, hobbyists and studios are all welcome to apply.
Are AI-generated designs allowed in the Burj Khalifa projection competition?
No. AI-generated or automatically generated designs are not permitted and will be disqualified. Every visual in your entry must be 100% original and created by you. The same rule bans copyrighted music, so any audio you use must be copyright-free. Branded, commercial or promotional content is also not accepted. Emaar sets these rules to protect the originality of the work shown on the Burj Khalifa façade, so keep your process files in case you are asked how the design was made.
Is there a cash prize for the Burj Khalifa Open Call 2026?
No. The 2026 Burj Khalifa Open Call does not include a cash prize. The stated reward is having your design projected on the Burj Khalifa façade, fully or partially, on a date set by Emaar. This is a change from the May 2025 edition, which offered a AED 100,000 cash prize alongside the projection but was open only to UAE residents. For most artists, the exposure of showing work on the world’s tallest building is the main draw of this year’s competition.
What are the submission requirements and file formats?
Your entry must be an original three-minute video, delivered as an MP4 preview with music built in and a high-resolution MOV file for the actual projection. A separate audio file is also required, and all music must be copyright-free. Still images are not accepted, so the design has to move. Include a concept note of up to 300 words explaining your inspiration. Download the official template and manual from the Open Call page for the exact screen specifications and resolution details.
Can international artists apply to the Burj Khalifa competition?
Yes. For the first time, the Burj Khalifa projection competition is open to artists from around the world, not just those in the UAE. Anyone aged 18 and above can submit, wherever they are based. The entire process runs by email to [email protected], so you do not need to be in Dubai to take part. This global reach is the biggest change for 2026, and the six-week window gives international artists time to plan, create and export their projection design submission.
When is the Burj Khalifa Open Call deadline?
The Burj Khalifa Open Call deadline is 18 August 2026 at 11:59pm Dubai time. Submissions opened on 8 July 2026, giving artists close to six weeks to enter. Late or incomplete entries are not accepted, so aim to send your files a few days early. Rendering a high-resolution three-minute MOV takes hours, so leave time for the export. After the deadline, Emaar reviews entries and picks the winning design, which is then projected on the façade on a date the company sets.
Sources: competition details from the official Burj Khalifa Open Call page by Emaar, with 2025 edition and prize context reported by Gulf News (10 July 2026).
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