The Challenge
Give Buddy a new story.
We’re inviting artists to reinterpret the Buddy Bear through their own creative lens. Your design could draw from your heritage, your environment, your experiences, your artistic practice, or simply the way you see the world.
There is only one question:
WHAT WOULD YOUR YoruBUDDY LOOK LIKE?
- The brief
Where Nigeria meets Germany
Create a visually striking, eye-catching Buddy Bear that reflects and celebrates the connection between Germany and Nigeria.
We encourage you to bring in elements inspired by Nigerian culture, with a special focus on Lagos and the Southwest: motifs, patterns, colours and symbols that show the richness and diversity of Nigeria. You might look to recognisable Nigerian art traditions such as the Osogbo school, the Ibadan school or your own visual language.
Design at a small scale.
Make your design proposal on canvas, as a drawing or as a digital illustration.
Show the whole bear.
Clearly show how the final painted bear would look. Front and back views are welcome.
One file, JPG or PDF.
Upload a single file with a short statement explaining your concept.
Make it yours.
Your work must be original and created by you.
Record your process
Record a pitch video not longer than 3 minutes explaining your idea and what inspired your design.
About the bear.
The Buddy Bear stands about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall with both arms raised high, a pose that says friendliness, optimism and welcome. The winning design will be transferred onto a full-size bear sculpture. Use the template to show your design on the bear’s shape.
- The prize
₦1,500,000 and a place in Buddy Bear history
The ten finalists
10
All ten finalists will have their designs exhibited at the German Consulate General in Lagos and will take part in a mentored pitch session with a leading Nigerian artist.
- Exhibited in Lagos
- Mentored live pitch
- Shown online for public voting
The winner
₦1,500,000
The winning artist receives a cash prize of ₦1,500,000 (one million, five hundred thousand naira). Their design will be painted onto the full-size Buddy Bear and unveiled as a public artwork, joining a family of Buddy Bears designed by more than 148 artists around the world.
It takes about 10 minutes, and it's free. You'll get a confirmation email once your entry is received.
Open to every Nigerian artist. By entering, you confirm the design is your own original work and you agree to the Competition Terms & Conditions.