Whether you’re here to share your creativity or join the celebration, every splash counts!
Submit Your Work
Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! is a brand-new, multi-country celebration of creativity and care for our planet. Our goal remains simple: to inspire children and families through imagination and action. We do this by focusing on three core pillars:
LEARN: Discover the magic and science of the marine world.
PLAY: Engage creativity through art, film, and storytelling.
PROTECT: Inspire positive action for the environment.
We know that everything in nature is connected and we welcome works that explore not only the sea, but wider ecological themes: from water and wildlife to climate and sustainability. Whether you make films, write stories, draw comics, or have an engaging idea for a campaign, we would love to hear from you. Your creativity can help make the ocean smile again!
Why It Matters
Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! brings together art, storytelling, science and film to help children discover the beauty and fragility of our planet.
Your work can inspire them to become the next generation of Ocean Guardians through imagination, empathy and action.
Choose Your Wave: Submission Categories
The Ripple Reel (Short Film & Animation)
We’re looking for short films that inspire children and families to care for our blue planet, not only about the ocean, but about all connected ecological issues: water, climate, wildlife, sustainability and hope.
We accept:
- Animation
- Live Action
- AI-assisted projects
- Documentaries
Requirements
Submission Opens: December 1, 2025
Early Bird Deadline: January 31, 2026
Final Deadline: 30 April, 2026
Submission Fee: 15€ (Standard) / 7€ (Youth/Student).
Maximum length: 20 minutes
Language: Any, but English subtitles required (.srt file must be provided).
Include: a 30-second trailer for online promotion and 3 stills.
Films must be suitable for children and family audiences (ages 3+).
Submissions through FilmFreeway and ShortFilmDepot only.
Awards
- Ripple Award for Best Film (Jury Prize) - Jury to be confirmed
- Children’s Choice Award is voted for by our young audience members during the festival.
Winners will have:
- An online Q&A with the children during the festival.
- Their film showcased in SplashFest! media and festival press releases.
- The option to be considered for future Bubble Buddies Bay educational screenings.
Selected films will be:
Screened in all festival locations (Greece, Italy, UK, and Germany)
Promoted with trailers on our YouTube channel and social media.
Featured on a dedicated festival page on our website.
Ocean Scroll: Tales & Scripts (Writing & Education)
Do you tell stories that make people think? This category is for writers, educators, and storytellers who use the power of the written word.
Submissions
Submission Fee: 10€ (Standard) / 5€ (Youth/Student).
Formats: Short stories, poems, scripts, or non-fiction educational pieces designed for children.
Language: any but English translation is compulsory.
Length: Maximum 2,000 words.
Theme: Submissions should focus on a theme of learning or protection related to the ocean, wildlife, or sustainability.
Submissions must be suitable for children and family audiences (ages 3+).
Submissions through the form below.
Awards
The Ocean Scroll Award will be given across these three categories:
- Best Short Story/Fiction
- Best Comic/Visual Narrative
- Best Scientific Story for Kids/Educational
Winners will:
- Be published in an individual eBook
- May also be printed as a limited-edition collection after the festival.
- Receive a digital certificate.
- Be featured on the Bubble Buddies Bay website
- Have the possibility to take part in online readings or interviews
Selected works will be:
- Published in an eBook anthology promoted on our website and shop.
- May also be printed as a limited-edition collection after the festival.
- Promoted on our social media and newsletter.
Art Splash! (Visual Arts & Recycled Creations)
The ocean is full of colour, texture and movement, and we want to see it through your eyes! Artists of all ages are invited to share their paintings, photographs, sculptures or mixed-media creations inspired by the sea, its creatures, and our connection with the environment. Your artwork can explore beauty, fragility, hope or protection, from coral reefs to riverbanks, from microscopic life to vast horizons.
How to Submit:
Submission Window: Opens December 1, 2025 and Closes May 1, 2026.
Submission Fee: 10€ (Standard) / 5€ (Youth/Student).
Submit high-quality photos of up to three original artworks via our submission form
Physical artwork will not need to be shipped unless selected for exhibition, if that happens, we’ll contact you to coordinate safe transport.
Awards
Art Splash! Award (Jury Prize for Best Visual Creation, emphasising sustainability)
The winner will be:
- Invited to hold a personal exhibition at the SIFCA Art Centre (Greece) and at Pescino 17 agli Orti (Italy) - two beautiful venues dedicated to art and environmental dialogue.
- Featured in the online Bubble Buddies Bay Art Gallery on our website.
Selected works will be:
- Promoted across our social media channels during the festival.
- Featured in the online Bubble Buddies Bay Art Gallery on our website.
The Guardian Tide: School Challenge (Conservation & Campaigns)
The Future is made in the Classroom. This special challenge is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of activists and problem-solvers. We know that small, local actions can create a huge Guardian Tide of change, and we want to celebrate the best ideas coming out of schools and youth groups across Italy, Greece, Germany and the UK.
The Challange
We are looking for the best, most creative PROPOSAL for a local ocean/water conservation campaign. This could be:
- A plan for a recycling system in the school.
- An awareness poster series.
- A local clean-up drive event proposal.
- A short educational video designed by the students.
- Or something so original we couldn't even imagine it. Be creative!
Submissions
Submission Opens: December 1, 2025.
Final Deadline: 1 May, 2026.
Submission Fee: FREE. We want to remove all barriers to entry for schools participating in this conservation challenge.
Format: Any including Artwork, video, AI-generated, Pdf, and so on.
Upload your work via our online form.
All work must be original and unpublished (or you must hold all necessary rights).
Awards
The Lighthouse Prize: The top 3 campaigns will be showcased on the Bubble Buddies Bay website and the student will receive a prize pack full of eco-friendly surprises.
Splashfest General Rules & Conditions
To keep the Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! fair, transparent and joyful for everyone, please read the following general rules before submitting your work.
1️⃣ Eligibility
Submissions are open worldwide to individuals, schools and organisations that share our ocean and environmental values.
2️⃣ Original Work
By submitting, you confirm that your work is your own original creation and that you hold all necessary rights to share it.
Any use of copyrighted material (music, images, footage, text, etc.) must have the proper permission or be free for non-commercial educational use.
3️⃣ Submissions
A small entry fee applies to submissions in the competitive sections (Film, Story, Art). This contribution helps support the organisation of the event and the preparation of materials for children.
10% of all entry fees will be donated to a charity of our choice. Details and proof of donation will be published on the Bubble Buddies Bay website.
Incomplete submissions or files that do not meet the stated technical requirements may be rejected without review.
Submissions must be sent through the official form or links provided.
Each applicant may submit up to three works per category, unless otherwise stated.
Submitted works could be in any language, but please provide an English translation.
All works must be suitable for a general family audience (ages +3).
Further details can be found on the dedicated pages.
4️⃣ Selection and Notification
The selection committee will review all eligible works.
Only selected participants will be contacted by email.
The organisers’ decisions are final.
5️⃣ Partecipation and Attendance
We cannot cover travel or accommodation costs, but artists, writers, and filmmakers are welcome to join us at their nearest festival if they wish.
Selected participants who attend will be featured in festival materials and online presentations.
6️⃣ Shipping and Handling (Artworks)
All shipping and insurance costs are the responsibility of the artist.
We recommend using sturdy packaging and proper insurance.
The organisers cannot accept responsibility for damage or loss during transportion.
7️⃣ Promotion and Use
By submitting, you grant Webra Group Ltd. and Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! the right to use excerpts, images or summaries of your work for non-commercial promotional and educational purposes, including websites, social media, eBooks or printed catalogues.
All creators retain full copyright of their work.
If your story, film, artwork or campaign is selected for publication or exhibition, we’ll send you a simple contributor agreement confirming that you retain ownership of your work, we can promote and include it in festival-related materials, and no commercial use will occur without your written consent.
8️⃣ Data and Permission Format
Personal data will be used solely for festival communication and will not be shared with third parties.
Schools and parents/guardians are responsible for obtaining consent forms for any child appearing in photos, videos or artwork submissions.
9️⃣ Disqualification
The organisers reserve the right to reject any entry that:
- Violates copyright or ethical standards,
- Contains inappropriate or offensive content.
- Fails to respect environmental or inclusivity guidelines.
By submitting your work, you confirm that you have read and agree to these rules and conditions.
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