2026 European Championship
Vote for your favorite sand sculpture
Which sculpture makes the biggest impression on you? Is it the technical craftsmanship, the story, the composition, or perhaps the first impression that sticks with you? Cast your vote through September 16 for the People’s Choice Award at the 2026 European Sand Sculpture Championship. You can vote via this special voting page
The five competition sculptures are part of the exhibition “The Roman Empire” at Zandsculpturen Garderen. So you can still view the artworks up close during your visit to the exhibition. Come take a look, discover the details, and decide for yourself which artist you think deserves the audience award.
5 participating sculptures
Fergus Mulvani - Ireland
Despite the well-known saying “All roads lead to Rome,” the opposite is actually more true. When the vast Roman Empire collapsed under its own weight and internal conflicts, it left behind an impressive legacy of engineering and architecture. The ancient routes built by the Romans became the lifeblood of modern Europe.
Benoit Dutherage - France
Mercury, son of Jupiter, god of war, and Maia, goddess of fertility, spring, and the month of May, is the messenger of the gods: lively as a spark, swift as a thought, and light as a whispered secret. With his winged sandals and the messenger’s caduceus, he travels between worlds. He carries wit, elegance, and a touch of mischief with him. The best-known myth tells that Mercury, shortly after his birth, left his cradle, stole Apollo’s herd, and covered his tracks by making the animals walk backward. This story already portrays him as cunning, resourceful, and bold, and explains why Jupiter ultimately made him the messenger of the gods.
Jeroen Advocaat - Netherlands
With the rise of the Roman Empire—a period in which the history of the gladiator was carved in stone for eternity—the path to decline began at the same time. What once seemed like the Empire’s unshakable administrative power began to crack, and gaps appeared in the system, until eventually only ruins remained.
Sergi Ramirez - Spain
A contemporary figure wearing a Roman helmet draws water from an aqueduct, inspired by the Aqueduct of Segovia. Bridging the past and the present, the sculpture evokes a legacy that continues to flow through time. The clean, volumetric forms connect classical essence with a contemporary vision.
Stachu Nowodworski - Poland
In *Automaton*, the Roman Empire takes the form of a tireless machine that transforms people into legionaries. The empire’s grandeur is built not only on discipline and organization, but also on the subjugation of the individual to the interests of the state. “You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” A fictional statement from the future, yet echoing an ancient mechanism of power. This sculpture serves as a reminder that behind every great empire lies an efficient machine, and countless individuals who become part of it, whether they choose to or not.
European Sand Sculpture Championship in Garderen
For a week, five leading artists from the Netherlands, Poland, France, Spain, and Ireland worked on impressive sand sculptures based on the theme of the Roman Empire. Each artist was given a 30-ton block of sand and worked with nothing but sand and water. Over the course of six working days, five unique works of art were created, each with its own story, style, and interpretation of the Roman Empire.