Since its launch in 1998, the World Bodypainting Festival has grown into the world’s leading celebration of bodypainting art. Over 27 years, founder Alex Barendregt, along with his wife and co-producer Anna, has evolved the event through creativity, community, and challenges — all while bringing together artists and audiences from across the globe to a grand celebration of the world of body art and creative makeup artistry.
In 2025 the festival entered an exciting new chapter with the introduction of a dynamic, multi-location format — expanding beyond a single destination into a traveling one. Rather than holding the event in a single city, the World Championship events, along with WB Academy and other programming, now travel to inspiring destinations worldwide including Italy, Finland, Spain and Austria among others.
Each host city contributes its own unique cultural influence, creating a richer and more diverse festival experience — while maintaining one ultimate World Champion title per category. We took a look back at the artists and artistry of the past year’s programming while looking forward to all that comes next for the World Bodypainting Festival for this feature.
Upcoming events are noted below and are subject to change.
France: French Bodypainting Award 2026 – Paris June 6
Croatia: Hvar Bodypainting Festival Croatia – June 13-14
Italy: WB Academy – Photo Day with Tobias Spranger and Lora
Tulchinski.
Italy: World Championship in Camouflage and Facepainting –
Sterzing/Vipiteno – July 3-4
Italy: Jam Session – Sterzing/Vipiteno – July 3-4
Finland: World Award: Creative Make-up & Nordic Awards – Helsinki
October 17-18
Austr ia: Austrian Bodypainting & Make-up Awards – Vienna –
November 14-15
Global: Online Awards – November 20-22
Spain: World Award – Bodypainting & Show Awards – Águilas, 2027 Special thanks to the artists (listed first and in bold text) and photographers whose work is featured in the following photo story.
Page 85
Vilija Vitkute
Photo Daniel Janesch
Page 86 – Clockwise from top left:
Sanna Juhala
Photo Tobias Spranger
Angela Youngs
Photo Alex Barendregt
Lora Tulchinski
Photo Tobias Spranger
Miguel Angel Hernandez
Photo Alex Barendregt
Page 87
Yuri Falzetti/Christel Van Den Panhuyzen
Photo Alex Barendregt
Page 88 – Clockwise from top left:
Nicola Loda
Photo Tobias Spranger
Vanessa Nicolle
Photo Alex Barendregt
Maika Morales Huetas
Photo Tobias Spranger
Begona Martinez Canovas
Photo Alex Barendregt
Page 89
Federica Rigozzo
Photo Daniel Janesch
Photos Courtesy of World Bodypainting Festival
