42 countries will participate in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon. At a press conference Host Broadcaster RTP also revealed the slogan and theme artwork for the 2018 edition, All Aboard! 2018 marks the first time that the competition will be held in Portugal, after Salvador Sobral gave the country its first win in 53 years of competing.

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest is taking shape. Earlier today Host Broadcaster RTP held a press conference in Lisbon where the list of participating countries was released and the theme artwork for 2018 was unveiled.

All Aboard for Eurovision 2018!

Portugal as a country has always connected Europe to the rest of the world through the ocean, and 500 years ago Lisbon was the centre of many of the world’s most important sea routes. Today, Lisbon is using the ocean’s connectivity as inspiration with the slogan All Aboard, inviting the international community to come together for this year’s competition.

Theme artwork for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contestm All Aboard! © EBU

Europe is a collective of many, and this has also inspired RTP’s design team to introduce multiple logos for 2018, rather than a single image. The main logo depicting a shell comes with twelve other derivations, which are predicated on the concept of the varying life in the oceans and depict the wonders of a floating world, such as plankton and a range of other organisms which are essential for balance in aquatic ecosystems.

Check out the different variations below!

Theme artwork for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contestm All Aboard! © EBU

Through these multiple logos, the creative concept portrays key themes such as diversity, respect and tolerance. The logos will be creatively adapted and have a variety of uses in the run up to the event, including being displayed all over Lisbon next May. Gonçalo Madaíl, Creative Manager of RTP said: "For centuries, Portugal explored the world by sea. Today, Lisbon is more and more the city of all colors, a great harbour of cultures and sounds that welcomes you all to come aboard!"

Participants in 2018

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest will see 42 countries take to the stage in Lisbon. The 2018 edition will be a special year for Sweden which will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first appearance in 1958. Russia is also returning to the contest after a year's absence.

Jon Ola Sand, the EBU’s Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: "We are extremely happy with the creative theme and logos for this year’s contest, which resonate with Lisbon’s history and underscore Eurovision’s core values, including diversity, very well. The Ocean connects all of us, and its variety can provide good inspiration for each of the 42 participating broadcasters that we look forward to seeing in Lisbon next May."

Albania (RTSH)

Armenia (AMPTV)

Australia (SBS)

Austria (ORF)

Azerbaijan (ICTIMAI TV)

Belarus (BTRC)

Belgium (VRT)

Bulgaria (BNT)

Croatia (HRT)

Cyprus (CYBC)

Czech Republic (CT)

Denmark (DR)

Estonia (ERR)

Finland (YLE)

France (FT)

Germany (ARD/NDR)

Georgia (GPB)

Greece (ERT)

Hungary (MTVA)

Iceland (RÚV)

Ireland (RTE)

Israel (IPBC/KAN)

Italy (RAI)

Latvia (LTV)

Lithuania (LRT)

Malta (PBS)

Moldova (TRM)

Montenegro (RTCG)

The Netherlands (AVROTROS)

Norway (NRK)

Poland (TVP)

Portugal (RTP)

Romania (TVR)

Russia (C1R)

San Marino (RTV)

Serbia (RTS)

Slovenia (RTVSLO)

Spain (TVE)

Sweden (SVT)

Switzerland (SRG/SSR)

Ukraine (UA:PBC)

United Kingdom (BBC)

Thumbs up from the Reference Group

The Reference Group, the governing body of the Eurovision Song Contest met in Lisbon to continue planning for the 2018 event. Representatives of Host Broadcaster RTP presented their proposals for the Eurovision Village, the venue and press centre. A number of issues were discussed including hotel accomodation, transportation and ticket sales. More information concerning ticket sales will be released in the coming weeks.

Following the meeting, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand, stated that the Reference Group were extremely satisfied with the progress in Lisbon so far. "The preparations are going very well. I am impressed with the way they [RTP] have moved forward, it is a complicated task and this is the first time that Portugal has taken on this task. They have really made a good impression," he said.

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group in Lisbon © Stijn Smulders

The Semi-Finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 will take place on Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 12th May.