Mestre Painting Prize 2026, winners announced

The same Jury then decided to award two scholarships offered by Il Circolo Veneto to finalists under 25 years of age, and three special mentions:

• a scholarship for FLORA MAFFEZZOLI for the work Deposition,”
• a scholarship to STALTARI GIOELE SASHA for the work Bring Me Light,  
• a special mention from the Jury to EMANUELA CECCON for the work “Intimate conversation”
• a special mention from the Jury to YUXING CHEN for the work “Cold green”
• a special mention from the Jury to KRISTINE KVITKA for the work “Miracles of the Forest”

The special award consisting of an Artist Residency announced by Elisabetta Barisoni Art Historian, Director of the Museum Area Ca’ Pesaro, Museo Fortuny, responsible for MUVE in Mestre, has been awarded by the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia to CANDY ROBERTA for the work Incontro (diptych). The artist residency will take place at the cultural production space at the Emeroteca dell’Arte, managed by the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia. 



The CGIA of Mestre has awarded its purchase prize to CHIARA VELLINI for the work Limen   The prize was presented by Past President Roberto Bottan. The works will be exhibited at the Mestre headquarters of the Association, continuing to enrich the art collection.

The Rotary Club Venezia Mestre has awarded its purchase prize to ANDREA BENATTI for the work Lacerazioni celesti, which will be donated to IPAV to be displayed at the Antica Scuola dei Battuti. The prize was presented by the Jury President of the club, Angela Fiorella.

Federfarma Venice has awarded its purchase prize to MARTA SFORNI for the work Astral Equivocation, which will be donated to USSL3 to be displayed at the Ospedale all’Angelo. The prize was presented by the Association President Andrea Bellon.

The Associazione Trasparenze has awarded its prize to REBECCA ZEN for the work Intermezzo. The prize consists of a solo exhibition offered by the Association at the Giacomuzzi Gallery in Mestre. The prize was presented by the President of the Association, Anny Lazzari.

The Popular Jury has identified the work of NOEMI DE POLO, “Two Parts of the Same Soul” as the winner, to whom the trophy in bronze, created based on a sketch by Giulio Bertacchini, was awarded by the jury president Adriano Checchetto. This sketch was selected from those created by the students of the Sculpture Course of Prof. Giuseppe D’Angelo at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, displayed at the exhibition at Candiani.

The Organizational Coordinator Christiano Costantini concluded the evening by reminding everyone of the next appointment at the conference room of the Candiani Center at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, May 27: Marco Dolfin, Art Historian and Secretary of the technical jury, will give a presentation on the winner works of the various awards of the current edition of the competition. Following that, there will be a drawing for recognition prizes for the collaboration provided by the members of the Popular Jury present at the conference.

The exhibition of the finalist works continues and is open until June 7 at MUVEC every day except Monday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, last entry at 5:00 PM. On Friday and Saturday, it is open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, last entry at 7:00 PM.

Photo Credit by Gabripan



Mestre Painting Award 2026: winners announced and prizes awarded at the Toniolo Theatre

First prize to Carlo Martini with “Spiraglio”, second to Mauceri Elìa with “Lo sfratto” and third to Tagliapietra Andrea with “Piazzale Candiani” During the ceremony on Friday, May 22 at the Toniolo Theatre in Mestre, the winning works were announced and prizes were awarded to the winning artists.

The Ceremony, conducted by Ilaria Marchiori, began with the institutional greeting from the Municipality delivered by the President of the City Council Ermelinda Damiano. It featured the presence of the members of the Technical Jury, of great depth and prestige, composed of experts and professionals from the national artistic and cultural scene. The President is the art historian Gianfranco Maraniello, Director of the Modern and Contemporary Museum Hub in Milan. 

The components are Elisabetta Barisoni, Art Historian, Head of the Museum Area at Ca’ Pesaro, Museo Fortuny, responsible for MUVE in Mestre, and Matteo Piccolo, Curator of the International Gallery of Modern Art in Venice – Ca’ Pesaro, appointed by the Foundation of Civic Museums of Venice; Saverio Simi De Burgis, Art Critic and Historian, Lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice in Contemporary Art History and History and Methodology of Art Criticism, appointed by the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice; Stefano Cecchetto, Art Historian, curator and critic, appointed by the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation; Francesca Rossi, Art Historian, Francesca Rossi, Head of the Culture Area of the Municipality of Milan; Michele Bonuomo, Art Historian and exhibition curator, Director of the monthly magazine ‘Arte’ Cairo Editore; Marco Dolfin, Art Historian and critic, curator of the finalists’ exhibition and secretary of the Jury.

After the institutional greetings initiated by the President of the City Council Ermelinda Damiano, with interventions by Mattia Agnetti for the Foundation of Civic Museums and Daniela Mattiuzzi, President of the patrons’ group, who highlighted the importance of private patronage for supporting culture and the Award in particular, the President of the Veneto Circle and Organizational Coordinator of the Award Christiano Costantini and the General Secretary of the Veneto Circle Silvia Polese, launched the award ceremony phase.

Before the competition awards, the “Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented with a plaque to Luciano Zarotti by the jury president Gianfranco Maraniello. The award was motivated as a testament and recognition of his career, his relentless research, and his great ability to create art, combining the ancient with the modern, in his own original expressive language.  

The “Recognition in Memory” was awarded to the winner of the fifth edition of the painting prize of 1962, Laura Padoa, for her contribution to artistic research in Venice, where she was an original and independent presence, with her poetic synthesis painting and her commitment to promoting the recognition of the female role in the visual arts. The plaque was presented by the President of the jury Gianfranco Maraniello to the artist’s grandson Umberto Padoa.

The Technical Jury has announced the following winners of the 2026 edition of the Award:

• First purchase prize of 5,000.00 euros, awarded to CARLO MARTINI for the work Spiraglio, which will become part of the permanent collection of Ca’ Pesaro (International Gallery of Modern Art in Venice). The winner was also presented with a glass trophy from Murano, an original work by Maestro Matteo Tagliapietra  on the initiative of the Promovetro Consortium of Murano. Additionally, Fidesarte offers the artist a solo exhibition at its exhibition spaces in Mestre.
• Second prize purchase of 3,000.00 euros, awarded to MAUCERI  ELÌA for the work The Eviction which will be displayed at the Municipality of Mestre to enhance the collection that is being formed year after year.  Additionally, the prize organization offers the artist a solo exhibition at the exhibition space of the Provvederia in Mestre.
• Third prize purchase of 2,000.00 euros, awarded to TAGLIAPIETRA ANDREA for the work Piazzale Candiani, which will be displayed at the Laurentianum hall in Mestre.   

The same Jury then decided to award two scholarships offered by Il Circolo Veneto to finalists under 25 years of age, and three special mentions:

• a scholarship for FLORA MAFFEZZOLI for the work Deposition,”
• a scholarship to STALTARI GIOELE SASHA for the work Bring Me Light,  
• a special mention from the Jury to EMANUELA CECCON for the work “Intimate conversation”
• a special mention from the Jury to YUXING CHEN for the work “Cold green”
• a special mention from the Jury to KRISTINE KVITKA for the work “Miracles of the Forest”

The special award consisting of an Artist Residency announced by Elisabetta Barisoni Art Historian, Director of the Museum Area Ca’ Pesaro, Museo Fortuny, responsible for MUVE in Mestre, has been awarded by the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia to CANDY ROBERTA for the work Incontro (diptych). The artist residency will take place at the cultural production space at the Emeroteca dell’Arte, managed by the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia. 

The CGIA of Mestre has awarded its purchase prize to CHIARA VELLINI for the work Limen   The prize was presented by Past President Roberto Bottan. The works will be exhibited at the Mestre headquarters of the Association, continuing to enrich the art collection.

The Rotary Club Venezia Mestre has awarded its purchase prize to ANDREA BENATTI for the work Lacerazioni celesti, which will be donated to IPAV to be displayed at the Antica Scuola dei Battuti. The prize was presented by the Jury President of the club, Angela Fiorella.

Federfarma Venice has awarded its purchase prize to MARTA SFORNI for the work Astral Equivocation, which will be donated to USSL3 to be displayed at the Ospedale all’Angelo. The prize was presented by the Association President Andrea Bellon.

The Associazione Trasparenze has awarded its prize to REBECCA ZEN for the work Intermezzo. The prize consists of a solo exhibition offered by the Association at the Giacomuzzi Gallery in Mestre. The prize was presented by the President of the Association, Anny Lazzari.

The Popular Jury has identified the work of NOEMI DE POLO, “Two Parts of the Same Soul” as the winner, to whom the trophy in bronze, created based on a sketch by Giulio Bertacchini, was awarded by the jury president Adriano Checchetto. This sketch was selected from those created by the students of the Sculpture Course of Prof. Giuseppe D’Angelo at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, displayed at the exhibition at Candiani.

The Organizational Coordinator Christiano Costantini concluded the evening by reminding everyone of the next appointment at the conference room of the Candiani Center at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, May 27: Marco Dolfin, Art Historian and Secretary of the technical jury, will give a presentation on the winner works of the various awards of the current edition of the competition. Following that, there will be a drawing for recognition prizes for the collaboration provided by the members of the Popular Jury present at the conference.

The exhibition of the finalist works continues and is open until June 7 at MUVEC every day except Monday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, last entry at 5:00 PM. On Friday and Saturday, it is open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, last entry at 7:00 PM.

Photo Credit by Gabripan