Digital Dream-Making, answered by youth. The final of the 20th China Creative Challenges Contest – CHINGMU "Digital Dream-Making" Special Contest will officially kick off from July 16–19, 2026 at the CHINGMU MCP Boundless Studio in Shanghai. Creative teams from universities across the country will gather in Shanghai, using technology as their brush and creativity as their wings, to explore new frontiers of digital art in a 48-hour extreme challenge.

1. Competition Background

The China Creative Challenges Contest (3C) is a national-level competition included in the National College Student Discipline Competition Analysis Report published by the China Association of Higher Education. It is China's first authoritative competition spanning digital art, digital design, digital creativity, digital media, and digital technology innovation – comprehensive in scale, interdisciplinary, multi-specialty, with broad participation across institutions. It is also China's first competition to elevate its philosophy to a philosophical level, the first to provide free copyright protection and deposit for submissions, and the first to impose clear limits on the number of entries – making it a benchmark in the field of university creativity.

The CHINGMU "Digital Dream-Making" Special Contest bypasses provincial evaluation and goes directly to the national finals. It focuses on the integration of digital art and technological innovation, encouraging participants to leverage cutting-edge technologies such as optical motion capture and virtual production, and serves as a national-level professional platform for young creators to showcase their talents and connect with the industry.

2. Final Information

Final Dates: July 16–19, 2026

Final Venue: CHINGMU | MCP Boundless Studio

(No. 1 Building, South Gate, International Yuan Shu Innovation Port Industrial Park, Lane 1190, Zhentai Road, Baoshan District, Shanghai）

Organizer: China Creative Challenges Contest Organizing Committee

Co-Organizer: Shanghai CHINGMUTechnology Co., Ltd.

3. Competition Categories

The competition features four core tracks: 3D Animation Short Film, Virtual Production Short Film, Digital Human Performance Show, and AI Storyboard Creation. All tracks adopt a "50% preliminary submission + 50% on-site final" comprehensive scoring mechanism, with national first, second, and third prizes awarded.

4. Schedule

5. Final Competition Guidelines

(I) Applicable to All Tracks

1. The final participant list will be based on the registration information submitted in the preliminary system. No roster adjustments are permitted. It is allowed for the actual number of participants to be fewer than the registered number (e.g., 4 registered, 2 participating).

2. Instructors may guide students on-site and assist with putting on motion capture suits, but may not operate computers.

3. Participants may decide whether to return to their hotel or dormitory during the competition. Those who leave must not carry computers, USB drives, or any data-storage devices. Violation will result in disqualification.

(II) 3D Animation Short Film, Digital Human, and AI Storyboard Creation Tracks

1. At least one student must attend the on-site competition; otherwise, the team will be considered withdrawn and the award automatically reduced to National Excellence Award.

2. Teams must bring their own laptops (i7 CPU, 32GB RAM, RTX 4060 or above) with required software pre-installed (list available in the finalist group chat). Digital Human track teams should bring their own speakers.

3. Teams must bring their own digital assets. Background music should be royalty‑free. Any copyright disputes are the sole responsibility of the participants and not affiliated with the organizing committee or co‑organizer.

(III) Virtual Production Track

1. This track is conducted remotely. The organizing committee will install monitoring cameras; participating teams must ensure cameras are placed in an open area with a full view of the team's creative process.

From the intense preliminary selections to the ultimate final showdown, every team arrives at the competition with creativity honed over time and a deep passion for their craft. We wish all participants the very best – give it your all on this stage, deliver work you are proud of, achieve outstanding results, and carve out your own shining path in the boundless world of digital art!

Review of Past Highlights: