/ Hall of Fame
In 1998 the 1st Bodypainting Festival of Europe took place in Seeboden. The Event was unique in its form. It was a very small event with a lot of interested visitors, but it was nothing like the big event it is these days.
After the next period, a bodypainting contest was the main part of the festival. One after another, artists from all over Europe came to the European Bodypainting Festival, which it had been called since 1999. Because of the worldwide media coverage on TV and in magazines artists also came also from other parts of the world to the festival.
The event was updated to the World Bodypainting Festival in 2003 while the brand European Bodypainting Festival is co-existent and the European Championships are part of it. This might change, once the worldwide association will produce a separate event for the EBF.
The World Bodypainting Festival is the biggest bodypainting event worldwide and every year the world awards are presented in different categories.
In 2011 the festival moved a few kilometres further to the lake Wörthersee into the town Poertschach. The picturesque village on the lake hosted for 6 years the festival.
For the 20th anniversary, we decided to keep developing the festival for the future in more urban space and we moved in 2017 to the city Klagenfurt. The state capital offers a wonderful open-air park surrounded by historical buildings such as the theatre, the art house, and the city galleries.
When the COVID pandamic hit, we developed a system within 2 months to present the World Championships in an online format. 600+ participants in the first year was a record for participation ever since. Another Covid year followed and we did live installation awards and the competition was once again online.
In 2022 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the WBF and it was the last outdoor event in Klagenfurt. In the following years we had to cut back to a smaller environment and decided to move to an indoor location, the Arena in Klagenfurt, Austria.
In 2025, the WBF introduces (again) a new format. We have been faced with challenges during the 27 years. We will have a break of the usual festival format. Instead of the traditional single-location festival, we will take our vibrant community on a journey, celebrating art, culture, and connection in some of the super inspiring locations. The special thing about the World Championships is that they are hosted in various host cities throughout the year, while there is still only one World Champion Title in each category.
Here you can find all the winners from the beginning of the festival. In the first year, there was no contest. Different categories were added year by year. We don't show any Amateur Award categories, as these are not World Champion titles
We have an extended report of all winners after every festival.
With the launch of the new website in spring 2020 we are not taking over the last years report, instead you can review every category on the old website. After 2020 you will find here on the new page the full information.
Alex Barendregt, Festival Director
/ All World & Special Awards & Online Champions
2024 back to 1998
- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021 Covid II
- 2020 Covid
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2009
- 2010
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2003
- 2002
- 2004
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1998
WBF Special Edition
World Award: Creative Make-up
Sanna Juhala (Finland)
Nina Vuori (Finland)
Roosa Leino (Finland)
WBF Special Edition
World Award: Camouflage
Florine Colledara (France)
Nicola Loda (Italy)
Vanessa La Mouche des Marquises (France)
World Award: Brush/Sponge
Marley Elisa (Italy) Cavicchio Francesca (Italy) Loda Nicola (Italy)World Award: Airbrush
Yuri Falzetti (Italy) Postacchini Lucia (Italy)
Presslauer Elisabeth (Austria)World Award: Open Category
Rigozzo Federica (Italy)
Hajlaoui Houyam (Belgium)
Kim Jinra (South Korea)World Award: UV Effects
Marian Folga, Natalia Mlynarz (Poland) Camille Cottalorda, Sita Vilaca (France) Nadja Hluchovsky, Birgit Linke (Austria)World Award: Camouflage Bodypainting
Rohmen Linda (Norway) Ghin Martina (Italy) Colledara Florine (France)World Award: Facepainting
Nadja Hluchovsky (Austria) Scaut Lara (Belgium) Patta Giovanna (Italy)World Award: Special Effects Make up
Del Cano Ramirez Yurena (Spain) Penazzo Anna (Italy) Maccaferri Garcia Marta (Spain)World Award: Creative Make-up
Li Yi Feng (Taiwan) Hajlaoui Houyam (Belgium) Leino Roosa (Finland)Special Award: Drag Make-up
Li Yi Feng (Taiwan) Tonina Sarah (Austria) Li Jia-Jing (Taiwan)Special Award: Make-up Battle
Bonjour Bacigalupi Ines (Uruguay)WBF Online Awards (no World Championship title) Category: Brush/Sponge
Vitali Silvia (Italy)
Aranda Rebollar Alejandra Guadalupe (Mexico)
Chapovalov Anna (Italy/USA)WBF Online Awards (no World Championship title) Category: Open Techniques
DiRubbo Barbara Danielle (Chile) Castelan Ana Maria (Mexico) Sun Min Hye (South Korea)WBF Online Awards (no World Championship title) Category: Creative Make-up
Kymaelaeinen Elina (Finland) Bae Su Hyun (South Korea) DiRubbo Barbara Danielle (Chile)World Award: Brush/Sponge
Federica Rigozzo / Italy Lucia Postacchini / Italy Jose Alfaro / MexicoWorld Award: Open Category
Yuri Falzetti / Italy Jinra Kim / Korea
Katrin Rausch / GermanyWorld Award: Team Show
Emilia & Gilberta Bianchin / Italy Silke Kirchhoff & Moona Jin Weaner / Germany, South Korea Veronica Bottigliero & Iris Pfeiffer / Italy, AustriaWorld Award: UV Effects
Marian Folga Wiktoria Wedzicha / Poland Claudia Kraemer & Enrico Lein / Germany Adrian Castro Gomez & Alexis Arenas / MexicoWorld Award: Camouflage Bodypainting
Johannes Stoetter / Italy Elena Tagliapietra / Italy Bettina Strodl / AustriaWorld Award: Facepainting
Adrian Castro Gomez / Mexico Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Alexis Arenas / MexicoSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Olena Semets / Ukraine Jenny Corro / Italy Houyam Hajlaoui / BelgiumSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Jasmiina Walters / Finland
Virag Ritli / Hungary Nadja Hluchovsky / AustriaSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Jasmiina Walters / FinlandWBF Online Awards (no World Championship title) Category: Brush/Sponge
Dalla Torre Serena / Italy Castelan Ana Maria / Mexico
Mendez Luis Diego / Costa RicaWBF Online Awards (no World Championship title) Category: Open Techniques
Tsimpi Efi / Greece Sanchez Galdon Irene / Spain Villanueva Diaz Edith / MexicoWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Sanatan Dinda / India Silke Kirchhoff / Germany Francesca Cavicchio / ItalyWorld Award: Airbrush
Alla Krasnova / Italy Jinra Kim / Korea Veronica Bottigliero / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Alejandra Huert Gayol / Mexico Houyam Hajlaoui / Belgium Vilija Vitkute / SwedenWorld Award: Team Show
Enrico Lein & Claudia Kraemer / Germany 
Yuri Falzetti & Alex Hansen / Italy & Brazil Eva-Maria Schulz & Peter Tronser / GermanyWorld Award: Camouflage Bodypainting
Olena Semenets / Ukraine Martina Ghin / Italy
Vilija Vitkutje / SwedenWorld Award: Facepainting
Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Damayanti Garcia / Mexico Wiktoria Wedzicha / PolandSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Alejandra Huert Gayol / Mexico Melissa Thompson / USA Ana Luisa Diaz / MexicoSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Grace Castillejos Iglesias / Spain Jasmiina Walters / Finland Josep Lopez Marti / SpainSpecial Award: Commercial Rich Make-up
Olena Semenets / Ukraine Jasmiina Walters / Finland Tanya Potapchuk / UkraineSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Olga Levitskaya / UkraineWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Francesca Cavicchio / Italy Lucia Postacchini / Italy Marian Folga / PolandWorld Award: Airbrush
Alex Hansen / Brazil Giusy Campolungo / Italy Lucia Postacchini / ItalyWorld Award: Facepainting
Jin Low Guan / Malaysia Yu-Pin Kao / Taiwan Ana Maria Castelan / MexicoWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Moona Jin Weaner / South Korea Alejandra Gayol Huert / Mexico Noe Duran / MexicoWorld Award: Camouflage Bodypainting (LIVE Category)
Vilija Vitkutje / Sweden Gesine Marwedel / Germany Christiane Rempel / GermanySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Melissa Thompson / USA Meredith Johns / USA Julie Samyn / FranceSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Atly Kateryna / Ukraine Jasmiina Walters / Finland Jin Low Guan / MalaysiaSpecial Award: Rich Smokey Make-up
Mandy Cheuk / China Jasmiina Walters / Finland Yulia Bentsak / UkraineWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Noe Duran / Mexico Daniele Piovano / Italy Claudia Kraemer / GermanyWorld Award: Airbrush
Alex Hansen / Brazil
Yulia Vlasova / Russia Udo Schurr / GermanyWorld Award: Facepainting
Noe Duran / Mexico Adrian Castro Gomez / Mexico Alexis Arenas / MexicoSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Efi Tsimpi / Greece Tatiana Velichkina / Russia
Kaiho Sato / JapanSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Joyce Spakman / Netherlands Tatiana Velichkina / Russia Emma Räsänen / FinlandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Tera Bakker / Netherlands Francesca Cavicchio / Italy Kirchhoff Silke / GermanyWorld Award: Airbrush
Benoit Bottola / Guadeloupe Yulia Vlasova / Russia Emanuele Borello / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Vilija Vitkute / Sweden Gabriela Hajek-Renner / Austria Gloria Bordin / ItalyWorld Award: Team Show
Enrico Lein & Claudia Kraemer / Germany Scott Fray & Madelyn Greco / USA Yuri Falzetti & Lucia Postacchini / ItalyWorld Award: Facepainting
Tatiana Vasilenko / Ukraine Emma Raesaenen / Finland
Lawrie Pixie Lisette / UKWorld Award: Installation Art
Birgit Mörtl / AustriaSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Moona Jin / South Korea Houyam Hajlaoui / Belgium Olena Semenets / UkraineSpecial Award: Creative Make up
Svitlana Masik / Ukraine Jasmiina Walters / Finland
Vic Lai / Hong KongSpecial Award: Purple Brush
Tatiana Herhis / Ukraine Yana Shtepa / Ukraine Nataliia Mazur / UkraineSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Andrea Milanovic / SerbiaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Marzia Bedeschi / Italy Sanatan Dinda / India Kirchhoff Silke / GermanyWorld Award: Airbrush
Benoit Bottola / Guadeloupe Alexander Hansen / Brazil
Miguel Angel Guapacha / ColombiaWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Sofia Bue / New Zealand Houyam Hajlaoui / Belgium
Jelena Pidjasa / LatviaWorld Award: Team Show
Matteo Arfanotti & Nick Wolfe / Italy, USA Giulia Ronzoni & Gloria Bordin / Italy Eva-Maria Schulz & Micha Joos / GermanyWorld Award: Facepainting
Rotem Lots-Zaiden / Israel Henriett Szabo / Hungary Claudia Kraemer / GermanyWorld Award: Installation Art
Gilberta Bianchin & Emilia BianchinSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Andrea Benocci / Italy Pirson Marie-Eglantine / Belgium Kristina Komarowa / RussiaSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Olena Kharchenko / Ukraine Daria Kushnir / Ukraine
Maryna Halachova / BelarusSpecial Award: Purple Brush
Olga Levitskaya / Ukraine
Corina Tudor / Romania Yana Shtepa / UkraineSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Iwona Rzad / PolandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Sanatan Dinda / India Marzia Bedeschi / Italy Cheryl Ann Lipsteu / USAWorld Award: Airbrush
Benoit Bottola / Guadeloupe Alexander Hansen / Brazil Leonardo Giacomo Borgese / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Ludwig Decarli / Austria Olga Popova / Russia Benedetta Carugati / ItalyWorld Award: UV Effects
Andra Budaie / Romania Claudia Kraemer & Gert Leeftink / Germany, Netherlands Tatiana Velichkina / RussiaWorld Award: Facepainting
Marilena Censi / Italy Pauline Meola / France Arianna Barlini / ItalyWorld Award: Installation Art
Evelyn Huki & Santi Hitorangi / Easter Island, Rapa NuiSpecial Award: Bodypainting Team Category
Yulia Vlasova & Olga Sokolova / Russia Irina Shmeleva & Olga Popova / Russia Tiziana La Monica & Silvia Vitali / ItalySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Olga Popova / Russia Andrea Benocci / Italy Houyam Hajlaoui / BelgiumSpecial Award: Purple Brush
Kseniia Marechek / Kyrgyzstan Veronika Dziuba / Ukraine Irina Vasina / RussiaSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Alesya Plastinkina / Russia Veronika Dziuba / Ukraine Andrea Kepiro / HungarySpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Veronika Dziuba / UkraineWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Sanatan Dinda / India Tera Bakker / Netherlands Silvia Vitali / ItalyWorld Award: Airbrush
Elisabeth Presslauer / Austria Alex Hansen / Brazil Benoit Bottola / GuadeloupeWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Yulia Vlasova / Russia Gergely Lengyel / Hungary Houyam Hajlaoui / BelgiumWorld Award: UV Effects
Claudia Kraemer / Germany Harald Wolf / Germany Nadja Hluchovsky & Natascha Zenig / AustriaWorld Award: Facepainting
Silvia Vitali / Italy Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Claudia Kraemer / GermanyWorld Award: Installation Art
Birgit Mörtl / AustriaSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Giacomo Borgese Leonardo / Italy Andrea Benocci / Italy Nadja Hluchovsky / AustriaSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Darya Iodzel / Belarus Karen Yiu / Hong Kong
Maria Cozzman / MoldovaSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Elena Matveeva / RussiaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Min Ah Kim / South Korea Sanatan Dinda / India Roxanne Horn / NetherlandsWorld Award: Airbrush
Alex Hansen / Brazil Francesca Tariciotti / Italy Umberto Zanoni / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Sofia Bue / New Zealand Ludwig Decarli / Austria Benedetta Carugati / ItalyWorld Award: UV Effects
Kristina Elizarova & Olga Sokolova / Russia Art Colour Ballet / Poland Liliana Hopman / ColombiaWorld Award: Facepainting
Claudia Kraemer / Germany Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Silke Kirchhoff / GermanySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Tatiana Proshchekalnikova / Russia Yulia Vlasova / Russia Moona J Weaner / South KoreaSpecial Award: Creative Make-up
Karen Yiu / Hong Kong Gabriella Szvitil / Hungary Matilda Inozemtseva / UkraineSpecial Award: Make-up Battle
Larisa Tulchinski / IsraelWBF Installation Art Award
Emma Cammack / UKWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Riina Laine / Finland Johannes Stötter / Italy Evgenia Parhatskaja / SwedenWorld Award: Airbrush
Alex Hansen / Brazil Kerstin Bülow / Germany Flavio Bosco / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Birgit Linke / Austria Benedetta Carugati / ItalyWorld Award: UV Effects
Scott Fray / USA Matteo Afranotti / Italy Emanuela Peretto / ItalyWorld Award: Facepainting
Scott Fray / USA
Helena Jordana Skuhrovcova / Czech Republic Marilena Censi / ItalySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Lorie Hamel / Canada Irina Shmeleva / Russia Andrea Benocci / ItalySpecial Award: Creative Make up
Alla Voronova / Russia Birgit Mörtl / Austria Yuliya Litvinova / RussiaJury Recommendation: WBF Installation Art Award
Trina Merry / USAWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Matteo Afranotti / Italy Riina Laine / Finland Johannes Stötter / ItalyWorld Award: Airbrush
Scott Fray / USA Flavio Bosco / Italy Peter Tronser / GermanyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Houyam Hajlaoui / Belgium Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Yulia Vlasova / RussiaWorld Award: UV Effects
Marina Vakhlialina / Russia Agnieska Glinska / Poland Olga Sokolova & Yulia Vlasova / RussiaWorld Award: Facepainting
Matteo Afranotti / Italy Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Claudia Kraemer / GermanySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up Award
Sofia Bue / New Zealand Julian Bartram / New Zealand Yulia Vlasova / RussiaJury Recommendation: WBF Installation Art Award
Birgit Mörtl / AustriaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Johannes Stötter / Italy Einat Dan / Israel Min Ah Kim / South KoreaWorld Award: Airbrush
Elisabeth Presslauer / Austria Flavio Bosco / Italy Melanie Hill / GermanyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Scott Fray / USA Birgit Mörtl / Austria Yulia Vlasova / RussiaWorld Award: UV Effects
Kristina Elizarova / Russia Magdalena O'Connor / New Zealand Wolf Reicherter / GermanyWorld Award: Facepainting
Nadja Hluchovsky / Austria Evelina Iacubino / Germany
Lone Wolf Kirkegaard / GermanySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up Award
Yulia Vlasova / Russia Julian Bartram / New Zealand Vladimir Cara / Romania, CanadaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Scott Fray / USA Johannes Stötter / Italy Choi Hee-Kyung / South KoreaWorld Award: Airbrush
Chris OBSN Oberheber / Austria Melanie Hill / Germany Elisabeth Presslauer / AustriaWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Birgit Mörtl & Melanie Rodel / Austria Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Fiorella Scatena / ItalyWorld Award: UV Effects
Agnieska Glinska / Poland Kristina Elizarova / Russia Riina Laine / FinlandWorld Award: Facepainting
Brian Wolfe / USA Evelina Iacubino / Germany Claudia Kraemer / GermanySpecial Award: Special Effects Make up Award
Alex Hansen / Brazil Eileen Napowanez / Germany Hyun Yong Jin / South KoreaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Nick & Brian Wolfe / USA Hee-Kyung Choi & Park Ju Hee / South Korea Lucie Broulliard / CanadaWorld Award: Airbrush
Chris OBSN Oberheber / Austria Alex Hansen / Brazil Patric McCann / USAWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Carolyn Roper / UK Birgit Mörtl / Austria Ludwig Decarli / AustriaWorld Award: UV Effects
Agnieska Glinska & Joanna Ciesla / Poland Wolf Reicherter / Germany Birgit Mörtl / AustriaWorld Award: Facepainting
Lucie Brouillard / Canada Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria John Vargas / USASpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Yolanda Bartram / New Zealand Alessandro Piva / Italy Alex Hansen / BrazilWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Lucie Brouillard / Canada Fray Scott / USA Utting Carly / UKWorld Award: Airbrush
Kris Bülow / Germany Chris OBSN Oberheber / Austria Flavio Bosco / ItalyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Bartram Yolanda / New Zealand & Alex Hansen / Brazil Ludwig Decarli / Austria Lorie Hamel / Canada & Julie A. Fusilier / USAWorld Award: UV Effects
Petra Tronser / Germany & Fredi Schmid / Switzerland Anna Pogodzinska / Poland Harald Wolf / GermanyWorld Award: Facepainting
Millot Lymari / Mexico Lucie Brouillard / Canada Viktoria Schablinger / AustriaSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Peter Tronser / Germany Ludwig Decarli / Austria Alex Hansen / BrazilWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Anna Lo Jarl / Sweden Gabi von der Linnepe / Germany Mark Reid / USAWorld Award: Airbrush
Alex Hansen & Nicholas Herrera / Brazil, USA Chris OBSN Oberheber / Austria Julia Vlasova / RussiaWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Fiorella Scatena / Italy Yolanda Bartram / New Zealand Ingrid Bingler / GermanyWorld Award: UV Effects
Agnieska Glinska / Poland Inga Kavaleristova & Arta Kristeine / Latvia Wolf Reicherter / GermanyWorld Award: Facepainting
Priscila Dionis Aragon / Spain Nick Wolfe / USA Lucie Brouillard / CanadaSpecial Award: Special Effects Make up
Peter Tronser / Germany Nicholas Herrera / USA
Jeannette Rhyner / SwitzerlandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Carolyn Roper / England Nick & Brian Wolfe / USA Lucie Brouillard / CanadaWorld Award: Airbrush
Patrick Mc Cann & Udo Schurr / USA, Germany Chris Oberheber / Austria Alex Hansen / BrazilWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Patrick Leis / Denmark Fredi Schmid / Switzerland Birgit Mörtl / AustriaWorld Award: UV Effects
Agnieska Glinska & Joanna Ciesla / Poland Anna Pogodzinska / Poland Birgit Linke / AustriaWorld Award: Facepainting
Bibi Freeman / England Lucie Brouillard / Canada Gabriele Hajek-Renner / AustriaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Raphaelle Fieldhouse / Wales Gabi von der Linnepe / Germany Gert Leeftink / NetherlandsWorld Award: Airbrush
Ferenc Hottya / Hungary Patrick Mc Cann & Udo Schurr / USA, Germany Chris Oberheber / AustriaWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Birgit Mörtl / Austria Birgit Linke / AustriaWorld Award: UV Effects
Bella Volen / Bulgaria Zane Pallo / Latvia Agnieska Glinska & Joanna Ciesla / PolandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Sahra Bull / Australia Gabi von der Linnepe / Germany Sara Sonia Alvarez / SpainWorld Award: Airbrush
Craig Tracy & Jeral Tidwell / USA Chris Oberheber / Austria Udo Schurr & Patrick Mc Cann / Germany, USAWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Birgit Linke / Austria Patrick Leis / DenmarkWorld Award: UV Effects
An Segers / Belgium Wolf Reicherter / Germany Joanna Ciesla & Silwia Boryczko / PolandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Birgit Zauder-Linke / Austria Sahra Bull / Australia Agnieszka Glinska / PolandWorld Award: Airbrush
Mirtcho Mirtchev / Bulgaria Patrick Mc Cann & Udo Schurr / USA, Germany Ferenc Hottya / HungaryWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Fredi Schmid / Switzerland Gabriele Hajek-Renner / Austria Darren Marshall / AustraliaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Bert Verstappen / Netherlands Birgit Zauder-Linke / Austria Sahra Bull / AustraliaWorld Award: Airbrush
Mirtcho Mirtchev / Bulgaria Ferenc Hottya / Hungary Patrick McCann & Udo Schurr / USA, GermanyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Janny Cierpka & Enrico Lein / Germany Darren Marshall / Australia Fredi Schmid / SwitzerlandWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Raphaelle Fieldhouse / Wales Birgit Linke / Austria Einat Dan / IsraelWorld Award: Airbrush
Patrick Mc Cann & Udo Schurr / USA, Germany Udo Filon / Netherlands Ferenc Hottya & Craig Tracy / Hungary, USAWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Birgit Mörtl / Austria An Segers / Belgium Gabriele Hajek-Renner / AustriaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Annemarie & Günter Fahrner / Austria
Mike Shane / Luxembourg Marié Sallé / FranceWorld Award: Airbrush
Stefan Czech / Germany Janny Cierpka & Enrico Lein / Germany Wolfgang Macht & Charly Heitzmann / GermanyWorld Award: Special Effects Bodypainting
Fredi Schmid / Switzerland Ferenc Hottya / Hungary Birgit Mörtl / AustriaWorld Award: Brush/Sponge
Peter Heidinger / Austria Lothar Pölzl / Germany Karin Spreizer / AustriaWorld Award: Airbrush
Ferenc Hottya / Hungary Pepi Neuber / Austria Fredi Schmid / SwitzerlandNo category
Fredi Schmid / Switzerland Pepi Neuber / Austria Peter Heidinger / Austria
No contest at the first Bodypainting Festival of Europe. Bodypainting artists presented their artwork in a park to the public audience.
/ The World Bodypainting Festival
Milestones of our History
1997
EBF Plan
Inspiration for an event by Veruschka von Lehndorff (Germany, born 1939). She was the world's first supermodel and pioneer in the art of bodypainting.
1997
1998
Foundation
The 1st Bodypainting Festival took place on one weekend, one day each in the 2 villages Millstatt & Seeboden, in Carinthia, the south of Austria.
1999
First Championships
After a bodypainting showcase in a public park in the first year, founder Alex Barendregt decided to create a competition, the European Bodypainting Awards were born.
1999
1999
Action Painting
The Viennese artist Ric Motha entertained the audience with his whip-brush-color-performance.
1999
First Photo Competition
Photography was always an essential part of the festival. The first winner of the photo competition was Werner Köstenberger.
1999
2000
New Categories, new Park
The artists already competed in 2 differente categories. The new location was a bigger park in Seeboden.
2001
Special Effects
A new and exciting category was introduced to the competition. With spectacular special effects there were nearly no limitations in the artists creativity.
2001
2000
First photo catalogue
To bundle all the memories and keep them forever, the photo catalogue was launched for the first time.
2005
First fine art exhibition
The first fine art exhibition took place during the festival week.
2005
2006
Festival TV
We introduced the first professional Festival TV with live video editing and daily reviews on the festival highlights.
2008-2019
Colour Splash Paint Party
As Alex's hotel room got too tight, we moved the aftershow party to the main venue. Colors were flying around after Sebastian Langer from Kryolan had decided to spice up the party with colours. "We need some more paint in here!", by DJ Matt Emulsion was born.
2008-2019
2009
Technical Steps
The technical development in all areas of the festival let us do the first flight of a drone. The jury got a special programed software to vote electronic.
2010 R.i.P
Last Festival in Seeboden
With a very atmospheric festival and a huge fireworks on the lake it was time to say goodbye from Seeboden. Politics and problems in the neighborhood forced us to look for a new venue.
2010 R.i.P
2011
New Location
The first year in the new venue Pörtschach at the lake Wörthersee, only a 45 min. ride away from the old venue was domineted by big emotions, turquise water and spectacular shows such as some great music acts (Shaggy).
2013
Installation Art Award
Artists have done installation art projects at the WBF some time before, but in 2013 we introduced another new cateogry, the Installation Art Award. 7 categories were already present at that time.
2013
2015
Make-up Battle
After introducing a new make-up category in 2014, we created another new format for make-up artists, a special live on stage award, the WBF Make-up Battle
2017
Reflection time, new venue
Shortly after the 19th edition, a reflection time came. In the end, we didn't give up and got an option for a new venue, Klagenfurt, that gave us new possibilities with all of their cultural institutions.
2017
2018
WBF Art Partner
After the first year in Klagenfurt we were connecting to many interesting institutions and partners. The festival week was full of opportunities for artists to present their art in galleries and museums.
2020
The COVID pandemic
This positive euphoria for the WBF 2020 was suddenly stopped. Everything changed in one day. Our initally small idea to organize a reduced live festival and an online contest turned into a hybrid mega event with 600+ participants from 55 nation in 17 time zones.
The FIRST World Championships (anywhere in the world) in Covid times that went from a live into an online format.
2020
2021
Double Edition Mag
Because we had no more funding and the pandamic ruled our lives, we decided to combine the magazine #23 & #24 into the first double edition.
2021
World Championships in Camouflage
In the 24th year of existance, we are introducing a brand new format, the World Award in Camouflage Bodypainting. The plan was already in 2020 but due to the COVID pandemic we had to postpone it to 2021. We are welcoming artists from 50+ nations in 14 different categories, plus additionally awards for photography, the model award and a DJ award.
2021
2022
25 Years Anniversary
The 25th anniversary was the first full Live Event after the COVID pandemic. Back in the beautiful Goethepark in Klagenfurt a worldwide community celebrated almost like back in the old days. The russian attack on the Ukraine had also a big effect on the festivals participants, costs in travel and infrastructure. Dispite the big loss of money for the organisation, we organized a big fundraiser to help a hopital in the ukraine by financing emergancy cars.
#wbf25years - it is the END of a story, and the beginning of a new one.
2023 - 2024
Moving into an indoor location
Generation Next was announced in 2022 and from 2023 we moved into an indoor location. The WBF always had to adapt to new situations and challanges. It showed in 2022 already how hard Covid hit us as a community and event organizer. Keep on fighting for our community was our goal.
The Exhibition ARENA in Klagenfurt should be the beginning of a new format. We decided to focus on the artform with photography and videography. Big music concerts and headliners were not part of the new plan. The indoor location gave contestants a very equal and fair basis for the contest. Amazing works were presented and captured.
The original spirit of the WBF as an outdoor event was missing, the contest though got a higher quality and the layout was benefitial for the World Awards.
2023 - 2024
2025 - present
WBF splits up
When we launched the World Bodypainting Festival in 1998 we didn’t expect that this will last for years nor for decades. We have been faced with challenges during the 27 years. In 2025 we will have a break of the usual festival format.
Instead of the traditional single-location festival, we will take our vibrant community on a journey, celebrating art, culture, and connection in some of the super inspiring locations.
The special thing about the World Championships is that they are hosted in various host cities throughout the year, while there is still only one World Champion Title in each category.
