The call for Stories on Three Wheels opens on March 01, 2026.

Early Bird Registration closes on March 22, 2026.

Standard Registration closes on March 29, 2026. No submissions will be accepted after the final deadline.

Last Call for Registration closes on April 05, 2026. 

Submission portal will remain open till April 05, 2026. No submissions will be accepted after the final deadline.

The physical exhibition will be held. Selected artists will be notified by the end of April. Dates to be declared after submission is closed. A digital exhibition will be accessible for an extended period after the completion of the physical exhibit

Submission Form links will be shared after successful registration. All deadlines follow the Pacific Time (PT, GMT -8, Los Angels/ Seattle)

Stories on Three Wheels is open internationally. There are no age restrictions.

Early Bird fees are USD 12.00 per submission for participants across all categories. Students with active enrollment status can register for USD 8.00 per submission during the early bird period. (Closes March 22, 2026)

Standard registration fees are USD 16.00 per submission for participants across all categories. Students with active enrollment status can register for USD 12.00 per submission during the standard registration period. (Closes March 29, 2026)

Last Call for registration fees are USD 30.00 per submission for participants across all categories. Students with active enrollment status can register for USD 20.00 per submission during the last call for registration period. (Closes April 05, 2026)

Fees apply per submission. All works must be original and created by the applicant. AI generated work is not permitted in any category.

Stories on Three Wheels recognizes outstanding work in three categories: Photography, Illustration, and Short Film. Each category will include two Winners, two Jury Special Mentions, and one Public Choice Award. In every category, one Winner will be selected under the theme Rickshaw as a "Form of Urban Catalyst" and one under Rickshaw as a "Form of Artistic Living Expression".

Exhibition

All shortlisted entries will be exhibited at Alliance Française de Dhaka as part of the official exhibition.

All recognized works, including Winners, Jury Special Mentions, and Public Choice Awards, will also be exhibited in New York City at the Fall Rickshaw Exhibition hosted by Placemaking Bangladesh and Bengalis of New York.

Winners

A total prize pool of BDT 120,000 will be awarded to six winners across all categories. They will also receive:

• A royalty sharing publication contract in Placemaking Bangladesh’s upcoming book on informal urban catalysts.

• A featured interview presented by Placemaking Bangladesh and Bengalis of New York during the Bengali Film Festival in New York City.

• A compensated speaking engagement as featured artists in two curated Urban Artist Panel Talks forming part of the forthcoming Urban Catalyst campaign 

• Official certification.

Jury Special Mentions

Two Jury Special Mentions will be selected in each category. In addition to exhibition in Dhaka and New York, they will receive official certification.

People’s Choice Award

One Public Choice Award will be presented in each category based on audience engagement. These works will be exhibited in both Dhaka and New York and will receive official certification.

1. Illustration Challenge

• Number of Submissions: Up to 2 artworks

• Maximum Size: A3

• File Format: PDF only

• Accepted Types: Digital and hand-drawn illustrations both

• In case of hand-drawn illustrations, participants may scan and submit the work digitally or mail it physically to the designated address. All mailing costs must be borne by the participant. The artwork will be returned after the jury review and exhibition.

• •Each submission must include a brief description or story (maximum 200 words) explaining the idea or narrative behind the work.

2. Photography Challenge

• Number of Submissions: Up to 2 photographs

• Maximum Print Size: S8R – 8” × 12” (20.3 cm × 30.5 cm)

                   (6R and 8R sizes are also acceptable)

• Orientation: Not specified

• All images must be cropped to fit the accepted print ratios.

• Each submission must include a brief description or story (maximum 200 words) explaining the idea or narrative behind the work.

3. Reel Making Challenge

• Number of Submissions: 1 reel only

• Maximum Duration: 90 seconds

• Orientation: Portrait (Instagram Reel format)

• Aspect Ratio: 9:16

• Resolution: 1080 × 1920 pixels

• Content Flexibility: Participants may creatively present stories, project ideas, visuals, or mixed media within the video

• Each submission must include a brief description or story (maximum 200 words) explaining the idea or narrative behind the work.

Note: Participants may purchase additional registrations if they wish to submit more than two works. Each registration allows a new set of submissions under the same category.

Initiator
Placemaking Bangladesh
A research and advocacy platform exploring informal urban catalysts and everyday placemaking practices.

Powered By
Claymire
A design research and cultural strategy platform supporting the curatorial and publication vision of the initiative.

Venue Partner
Alliance Française de Dhaka
Host of the official physical exhibition.

Documentation Partner
Saturday Bangladesh
Supporting visual documentation and media outreach.

Open for Collaboration

Stories on Three Wheels welcomes educational institutions, cultural organizations, and media platforms interested in supporting this initiative through academic engagement, workshops, coverage, or strategic amplification.

Institutions aligned with the themes of urban culture, informality, and visual storytelling are invited to connect with the organizing team to explore partnership opportunities.

By submitting work to this challenge, participants agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions, which govern eligibility, submission, intellectual property, privacy, and use of submitted materials.

Eligibility and Originality

The challenge is open to participants worldwide. All submissions must be original works created solely by the participant and must not have been previously published, exhibited, or submitted to other competitions. Any form of plagiarism, misrepresentation of authorship, or unauthorized use of third-party material will result in immediate disqualification without notice.

Compliance with Submission Guidelines

Participants are solely responsible for ensuring that their submissions comply with all technical specifications, category requirements, and deadlines outlined in this brief. Late, incomplete, or non-compliant submissions may be disqualified at the discretion of the organizers. The organizers are under no obligation to provide individual feedback or justification for disqualification decisions.

Intellectual Property and Usage Rights

Participants retain full copyright ownership of their submitted works. By participating in this challenge, participants grant Claymire and Placemaking Bangladesh a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, and perpetual license to display, reproduce, publish, archive, and otherwise use submitted materials for national and international exhibitions, academic publications, scholarly research, educational use, promotional materials, and project documentation. This includes use across print, digital, and online platforms. All uses will include appropriate credit to the submittee wherever reasonably possible. No additional permission or compensation will be required for these uses.

Submission Limits and Registration

Each registration permits submissions only within the limits specified for each category. Participants wishing to submit additional works must complete additional registrations. Submissions exceeding category limits without the appropriate registration may be disqualified.

Jury Process and Decisions

All submissions will be reviewed by a jury appointed by the organizers. Jury decisions regarding selection, exhibition, awards, and publication are final, non-negotiable, and binding. No correspondence or appeals regarding jury outcomes will be entertained.

Amendments and Right to Modify

Claymire and Placemaking Bangladesh reserve the right to amend, update, or modify any aspect of the challenge, including but not limited to submission requirements, timelines, jury composition, and these terms and conditions, at any time. Any changes will be communicated through official channels and will take effect upon announcement.

Privacy and Data Protection

Participants’ personal data will be collected and processed solely for purposes related to the administration, communication, exhibition, publication, and documentation of this challenge. Claymire and Placemaking Bangladesh commit to handling personal information in a responsible and secure manner and will not sell, distribute, or disclose participant data to third parties unrelated to the operation of this challenge. Personal data will be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined herein, in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy regulations.

Guiding Principles

This challenge is informed by Placemaking Bangladsh & Claymire’s broader commitment to thoughtful, user-centric, and sustainable design practices. Submissions are encouraged to reflect multidisciplinary thinking, careful research, and meaningful narrative engagement with social, cultural, and urban contexts. While creative freedom is central to the challenge, works demonstrating depth, sensitivity, and contextual awareness may be particularly valued.

Do I need to be based in Bangladesh to participate?

-No. The challenge is open internationally. The rickshaw exists in many cultural contexts, and we welcome perspectives from different cities and lived experiences.

Does my work need to be documentary?

-No. Documentary approaches are welcome, but interpretation, abstraction, symbolism, and poetic storytelling are equally encouraged. What matters is a thoughtful engagement with the rickshaw as an urban presence.

Can I collaborate with someone?

-Yes. Collaborative submissions are allowed. However, one individual must complete the registration, and all collaborators must be properly credited.

Can I submit work that includes identifiable people?

-Yes, but you are responsible for ensuring ethical representation and, where necessary, obtaining consent. The organizers are not liable for disputes related to image rights or permissions.

Can I submit work created before this call was announced?

-Yes, as long as the work has not been previously published, exhibited, or submitted to other competitions.

Does the rickshaw have to be the central subject?

-The rickshaw should be meaningfully present in the work. It may be foregrounded or embedded within a larger narrative, but it should play a clear conceptual role.

Can I interpret “Rickshaw as Urban Catalyst” or “Rickshaw as Artistic Living Expression” in my own way?

-Yes. These themes are intentionally open-ended. We encourage critical, emotional, social, spatial, or experimental interpretations.

What language should the written description be in?

-All written descriptions should be in English.

If selected, will I need to ship my physical work?

-For photography and printed illustrations we will accept digital submissions. For hand painted illustrations, further instructions will be provided to shortlisted participants. Shipping costs, if applicable, are the responsibility of the participant unless otherwise stated.

What happens after the exhibition?

-Selected works may be featured in publications, research documentation, digital archives, and future programming connected to the Urban Catalyst initiative.