TEHRAN -- The official call for entries has been announced for the 8th National Calligraphy Biennial of Iran, a major celebration of the country’s rich scriptural heritage. 
Slated for autumn 2025 in Qazvin, the biennial seeks to honor the enduring contributions of Iran’s master calligraphers while spotlighting emerging talents and deepening national appreciation for the art of beautiful writing.
Organized by the Iranian Calligraphers Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, this year’s event carries special significance. 
The competitive section will be held in memory of Master Seyed Ali Akbar Golestaneh, one of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Iranian calligraphy.
The biennial features six key categories: Nasta’liq, Shekasteh-Nasta’liq, Thuluth,    Naskh, Ta’liq and Contemporary Calligraphy.
Artists are invited to submit works inspired by Qur’anic verses, hadiths, classical Persian poetry, and themes such as national identity, resilience, hope, and progress.
Competition Guidelines
Each participant may submit one work per category, except in the Contemporary Calligraphy section, where up to three entries are permitted. All submitted pieces must have been created between 2023 and 2025 and must not have won awards in previous festivals.
Submissions will be judged in two stages—initially through digital files, and subsequently in live performance for selected finalists. The final round will take place across provincial capitals with oversight from local representatives of the Calligraphers Association and the Ministry of Culture.
Final works must match the initial submissions in content and style. Accepted size formats (including passe-partout) are 35×50 cm, 50×70 cm, and 70×100 cm, with no framing. For framed pieces delivered in person, the maximum allowed length is 150 cm.
The deadline for online submissions is November 6, 2025.
Each style will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of calligraphy masters:
Nasta’liq: Gholamhussein Amirkhani, Ahmad Falsafi, Ali Shirazi, Mehdi Fallah, Hussein Gholami, Ali Ashraf Sandoghabadi, Ali Akbar Yekah, Reza Zedvar, Mir Heydar Mousavi
Shekasteh-Nasta’liq: Yadollah Kaboli, Mojtaba Malekzadeh, Seyyedeh Soghra Husseini, Ali Fakhari, Ali Agha Husseini
Naskh: Reza Banirazi, Muhammad Ali Ghorbani, Alireza Bakhshi
Thuluth: Ahmad Abdolrezaei, Ali Rezaeian, Majid Jadidi
Ta’liq: Mojtaba Malekzadeh, Ghafoor Eskandari, Peyman Parsmehr
Contemporary Calligraphy: Ali Tan, Ahmad Abutalebian, Masoud Najabati
In each category, three top winners will be honored:
First place: 500 million IRR + Certificate of Honor + Biennial Trophy; Second place: 400 million IRR; Third place: 300 million IRR
This year’s biennial is made possible through the combined support of the Iranian Calligraphers Association in Qazvin, the General Directorate of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Qazvin Province, the Visual Arts Center of the Ministry of Culture, the Contemporary Visual Arts Development Institute, the Qazvin Governor’s Office, and Qazvin Municipality and Islamic Council.
The Biennial Policy Council is chaired by Aydin Mahdizadeh, Director General of Visual Arts at the Ministry of Culture, with Ali Houshmand, Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Qazvin, serving as Secretary. Council members include Mojtaba Malekzadeh, Ali Ashraf Sandoghabadi, Ahmad Abdolrezaei, Ali Tan, Seyed Heydar Mousavi, Alireza Bakhshi, Jafar Vahedi, and Babak Alborznia—guiding both the content and execution of the event.
For full submission guidelines, eligibility details, and updates on the academic, exhibition, and international programming, applicants are encouraged to visit the official biennial website: www.bic