Arting 2026 Project
" city_transformations "
Competition rules:
The competition is for industrial design projects that propose solutions that improve the functioning of humans and their environments, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and energy conservation. Projects should address questions related to the broad topic of urban transformation.
Comment
We live in a time of transformation in all areas of life. This requires a genuine assessment and the search for ways to adapt. What role should design play? We believe that a creative approach, vision, and courage will make design a tool for economic, social, and cultural transformation.
In 2026, Arting is experimentally introducing a process that will lead from design concepts, through prototypes, to implementation. Hence, the limitation to three specific themes, drawing inspiration from "three centuries of Bielsko-Biała's industrial culture," in the context of the city's designation as "Polish Capital of Culture." The fourth theme is free-form concepts related to the concept of "city transformation."
Topics:
1. Fiat 126 p.2.0 / Beskid 2.0 - 45 years of legend
2. Above the treetops - small flying objects
3. New drives - small commercial vehicles
4. Concepts around transformation
Expanding on topics
1. Fiat 126p 2.0 / Beskid 2.0 - 45 years of legend
2026 will mark 45 years since work began on the innovative small-engine car from Bielsko-Biała. The vehicle under development incorporated pioneering solutions, particularly in its bodywork, but also responded to the needs of society at the time. Although it never entered mass production, the Beskid remains a source of admiration and ignites the imagination about the unrealized ambitions of the Polish automotive industry.
The competition's challenge is to examine the Beskid Mountains from various perspectives: from the exterior – its appearance and character, through the technical solutions that need to be updated, to the needs of future users, which have undergone radical changes over the past 45 years. What should the modern Beskid Mountains be like? This is the question that the Arting 2026 competition participants will answer, as they tackle this very topic.
2. Above the treetops - small flying objects
The third decade of the 21st century is bringing dynamic development to small flying objects: from small consumer drones to larger, multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicles, agile, single-person aircraft resembling scooters, and larger flying objects that bridge the gap between cars and airplanes. As roads become narrow and increasingly inefficient, railways become too slow, and the pace of life accelerates, we look to the skies with hope. Technology also comes to our aid – new drives, increasingly efficient batteries, advanced connectivity, and artificial intelligence – all these phenomena allow flying objects to become increasingly efficient, intelligent, and even safer.
The challenge of the competition is to identify a problem area (in the fields of logistics, security, recreation, agriculture, etc.) where the use of small flying objects could contribute to improving the situation. Note: the solution doesn't always have to be a drone – the topic allows, and even encourages, experimentation, thinking outside the box, and proposing new, perhaps not yet existing, utility objects.
3. New drives in small commercial vehicles
For several years now, the popularity of electric vehicles has been growing exponentially. There are several reasons: they're increasingly affordable, easier to operate, and the technology used in them is constantly improving. Nevertheless, range remains a challenge, but does this apply to all vehicle categories?
The competition challenge within this track is to propose a vehicle or line of commercial vehicles powered by electric motors. A commercial vehicle should be understood primarily as a vehicle used to perform specific tasks in a specific environment: municipal services, police and fire departments, airport services, warehouse and/or production hall maintenance, or even green areas in parks or forests. The theme assumes a situation in which the vehicle does not have to cover significant distances, but is used locally based on a specific list of tasks that can be performed with its help. The main keywords include:
4. Concepts around the concept of transformation in the urban context.
Unconstrained reflection on solutions in material (e.g. objects, processes) and immaterial (e.g. values, creativity) areas.
New Arting 365 formula
The goal is to create a continuous process that transforms the best ideas into viable solutions. The model is based on three integrated pillars:
Pillar I: Arting Challenge (Defining Problems)
Goal: Identifying real urban and industrial challenges in cooperation with the City Hall and local companies.
Tool: The Projekt Arting competition, in addition to selecting winners, selects the best teams and concepts for further work.
Pillar II: Arting Design Sprint (Creating Prototypes)
Goal: Transform selected ideas into functional prototypes.
Process: Intensive, semester-long program (modeled after the Aalto University model) in which interdisciplinary student teams (e.g. designer, engineer, manager) create solutions under the guidance of mentors from academia and industry.
Pillar III: Arting Incubator (Implementation)
Goal: Filling the current gap – supporting the best prototypes on the way to commercialization or implementation.
Support: The program offers business mentoring, seed funding, and assistance in reaching investors and customers.
Participants:
The competition is open to students and graduates of industrial design, architecture, technical universities, industrial designers, architects, engineers and design teams.
Awards:
The competition offers a prize pool of PLN 40,000.
Deadline:
Competition entries with attachments should be submitted by June 30, 2062 to the following address:
People-Innovations-Design Foundation, 43-300 Bielsko-Biała, ul. Gazownicza 9, or send a link to the cloud files (wetransfer.com) to arting@flid.pl
Competition exhibition and conference in October 2026.
Organization:
The patron of the competition is the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała, Jarosław Klimaszewski.
The competition is organised by the City of Bielsko-Biała and the People-Innovations-Design Foundation.
