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35 Photography Awards and Open Calls: July Edition
Welcome to this month’s edition of Feature Shoot’s opportunities roundup, where we deliver a tightly curated selection of the best awards and competitions for photographers straight to your inbox.
July’s awards open calls include a $5,000 production grant from Magnum Photos, an international competition with a prize pool worth over $70,000, and a funded residency in Western Australia’s breathtaking South West region (plus a grant of $7,500).
For commercial photographers, there’s an opportunity to get your work in front of the decision-makers at Meta, Adidas, and BBDO. Plus, lots more waiting to be discovered.
Caesar's Bay, Brooklyn, 2022 © Sean Sirota
Applications are open for the Fall 2023 session of the Magnum Foundation Fellowship. The program includes a $5,000 production grant, with fellows producing an in-depth documentary project in NYC.
“Fellows receive mentorship and project development support from Magnum Foundation staff and our extended network throughout the duration of the fellowship,” the Foundation shares. “In addition to producing a project, fellows gain arts administration by spending 16 hours a week working in the Magnum Foundation office.” (Fellows receive an additional $25/hour for this in-office work.)
Applications are due by August 1st.
This year, the International Photography Awards (IPA) is offering $47,500 in cash prizes, a best-of-show exhibition in NYC and beyond, and Lucie Statues to be presented at the annual Lucie Awards Gala.
The winner of the International Photographer of the Year Award (professional) receives a $12,000 cash prize, and the Discovery of the Year Award winner (non-professional) takes home $6,000. Category winners receive $1,200 (professional) or $600 (non-professional), two tickets to the Gala, and a $500 allowance towards travel/accommodation costs.
The extended deadline is July 13th.
Queer|Art presents the fourth annual edition of this $10,000 grant, developed in collaboration with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara, to provide critical support to Black trans women visual artists.
“Winning artists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance to bolster their creative development in the field,” the team shares. Four finalists will also receive $1,250 awards. Applications are open through July 12th.
Since 2004, Head On in Sydney has awarded more than $800,000 in cash and prizes and gone on to tour their exhibitions internationally. As part of this year’s Head On Photo Festival, the awards will include categories such as Portrait, Landscape, and Student, plus a new category: Environmental by Australian Geographic. The prize pool is worth over $70,000 and includes three AUD$10,000 cash awards. The last day to enter is July 16th.
As part of the 2023 Lucie Scholarship Program, the Lucie Foundation offers this cash grant in the amount of $3,000 for a professional and $1,000 for an emerging photographer. Additional prizes include vouchers for fine art printing and services, fine art paper, and more. Submit by August 1st to be considered.
The Lucie Foundation will also award two grants for those working in the photojournalism and documentary field, with $3,000 going to a professional and $1,000 awarded to an emerging photographer. Additional prizes will include fine art printing and services and gear from Sony. The deadline for submissions is August 1st.
Landscape with Oak Trees & a Hunter (English Encounters) 2019 © Roei Greenberg (Camera Clara Photo Prize & Gallery Baudoin Lebon [Paris])
Since 2012, the Camera Clara Prize has recognized outstanding work made using a view camera. “The sum of 6,000 euros will be offered to the winner by Joséphine de Bodinat Moreno,” the team shares. Applications are due by July 31st.
Now in its seventh edition, this photo festival in Cadaqués, Spain, welcomes work from photographers worldwide, with seventeen projects to be selected for exhibition. The call for submissions will remain open through July 20th.
Magnum Foundation has teamed up with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project (EHRP) to support “photographic projects on the changing shape of organized labor in the United States,” with up to eight projects chosen to be featured in a publication on the Mother Jones website (with a possibility of print publication).
“Each selected project will receive a grant of up to $4,000,” the team at Magnum Foundation explains. “This grant includes a $2,000 creative fee, up to $1,000 in expenses, and a $1,000 publication fee. Additional funding is available for selected projects that require extensive travel.” Applications are due August 1st.
Open Doors Gallery presents this annual photography award for emerging artists in the first ten years of their practice. This year, the winner will receive a prize worth £2,000, and the shortlisted artists will have the opportunity to participate in a group exhibition at Photo Book Cafe in London (presented by Open Doors). They’re also offering long-term mentorship opportunities. Submissions are due by July 30th.
The 2023 Edition of Production Paradise’s Spotlight Awards for commercial photography include industry leaders from adidas, Airbnb, Meta, Elle, NatGeo, The Economist, Ogilvy, BBDO, and more. There are thirteen categories, and the prize pool is worth over $30,000. The deadline for entries is July 18th.
The Documentary Group at the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) presents the Documentary Photography Awards (DPA), with submissions open across three categories: Open, Student, and RPS Members. “The selected projects will feature in a UK touring exhibition, currently planning to cover London, Bristol, Newcastle with other events in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland,” RPS shares.
Bursaries of £500 and £300 will be awarded to the winners of the Open and Student Category, respectively. They’re also offering development support from a leading photographer. Entries are due by July 31st.
This funded residency in Western Australia’s South West region is open to artists working in all disciplines and at all stages of their careers. “The residency is focused on site-specific projects, created during an eight-week period through research and collaboration while living at The Farm,” the team shares.
“In addition to accommodation in our self-contained artist’s studios, the successful artist or group will receive a grant of $7,500 (ex. GST) to cover out-of-pocket expenses.” Applications close on August 1st.
“Each year, we provide residencies to approximately 115 individuals,” the team at Ucross Foundation in Wyoming shares. “Residencies range from two weeks to six weeks in length. At any one time, there are up to ten individuals in residence, typically four writers, four visual artists, and two composers. Ucross provides each artist with living accommodations, meals, work space, and uninterrupted time so that the artists can focus on their creative process.”
There is no charge for the residency. Applications for general studio residencies in Spring 2024 and Fellowships for Native American Visual Artists and Writers in Spring and Fall 2024 are open through July 15th.
Houston Center for Photography (HCP) has announced their annual Fellowship Awards: “One Houston-based artist (residing within a 100-mile radius of Houston) will receive the Carol Crow Memorial Fellowship and another artist, from anywhere in the world, will receive the HCP Fellowship.
“The two selected artists will each be awarded $3,000 and a solo exhibition at HCP. The competition is open to all photographic, film, video, and lens-based installation work.” The juror this year is the renowned photographer, educator, and organizer Zora J Murff. The final deadline is July 16th.
Filter Photo in Chicago presents this pin-up exhibition in conjunction with this year’s Filter Photo Festival. Photographic work 10 x 10 inches or smaller is eligible: “Works in progress, one-offs, inkjet prints, silver gelatin, alternative processes, camera-less—all types of 2D photo-based work are welcome.” The exhibition will be curated by Anna Goldwater Alexander, the Director of Photography at WIRED. The call for submissions is open through July 28th.
The ROTLICHT Festival for analog photography is headed to Vienna in November, with the main exhibition set to present the work of twenty winners selected through this open call. These artists will also receive a €200 fee and a travel allowance of €150.
The theme this year is Zeitgeist: “The Rotlicht Festival seeks to create a platform for artists to engage critically with the pressing issues of our times, sparking dialogue and inspiring change.” Submissions are due by July 31st.
The German photography magazine ProfiFoto presents this award, designed to help photographers turn the images in their imagination into reality. “The search is not for finished works on a given theme, but for image ideas that arouse curiosity for more,” the magazine explains.
“A jury of experts will award prizes to five photography projects. The jury will also select the three best works from the total of ten winning works in the two competition sections each year. These will receive cash prizes totaling 3,000 euros (1st place: 1,500 euros, 2nd place: 1,000 euros, 3rd place: 500 euros).”
The winning entries will be published in ProfiFoto and featured in a group exhibition. Submissions are due July 23rd.
Ralph Lauren is hiring: “The Photo and Video Producer is a production role involved in all facets of producing photo and video shoots across Polo brands within Ralph Lauren Advertising. Responsibilities include pre and post-production, sourcing photographers and videographers, booking studios/locations, organizing all shoot day logistics, managing freelance talent, and working closely with the design, creative, and project management teams.”
Gallery 253 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is accepting exhibition proposals from curators and artists: “This series is Gallery 263’s main exhibition program, amounting to three shows annually, and is the only way to be considered for a proposed group or solo exhibition.” The exhibition will take place from September 7th to October 7th, and the submission deadline is July 23rd.
The Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and the African Studies Centre (ASC) at Michigan State University have come together to launch this project, which is open to student photographers and students with an interest in photography from ten African universities that are part of the AAP consortium.
“InVision Africa seeks to showcase, inspire, and contribute to positive images of and stories about Africa in the context of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” the organizers explain. “The goal is to inspire creative engagement between research/science and culture and art.”
The 1st Prize winner receives $1,000, a visit to Michigan State University, and a Canon camera kit. The 2nd Prize winner receives $750, with $500 going to the 3rd Prize winner. Submissions are due by July 31st.
Magnum Photos has teamed up with Textile Exchange for the second year of Materials Matter: Textile Transformations, a competition for emerging photographers. “We’re looking for emerging photographers interested in telling the visual stories that take place when fibers and materials are cultivated, created, spun, woven, sewn, loved and cherished – gaining cultural and emotional significance through the journey,” the collective shares.
The overall winner receives a commission of £8,000 for Textile Exchange to document the stories behind some of its members, plus mentorship. Additionally, a runner-up will receive a commission to the value of £5,000 for Textile Exchange and coaching sessions with a Magnum Photographer and the Magnum Photos Education team.
The deadline for entries is June 21st.
Spanning twenty categories, this competition for color photography will culminate in a $2,000 Grand Prize for Professionals and a $1,000 Grand Prize for Amateurs. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners and Honorable Mentions will be included in the Chromatic Awards Annual Book. The early deadline is July 16th.
BBA Photography Prize
As part of this prize, BBA Gallery will select twenty-plus photographers to exhibit their work in Kühlhaus Berlin this fall. The 1st Prize winner will receive a solo show at BBA Gallery, a cash prize of €1,500, and an Artsy profile. The 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize, and People’s Choice Award winners will be awarded cash prizes of €1,000, €700, and €500, respectively, and Artsy profiles. Additionally, the winner of the MPB Award will receive a PR package. The deadline is July 17th.
The Analog Sparks (AS) International Film Photography Awards presents this competition for professionals, amateurs, and students working with analog photography. The Photographer of the Year title winner receives a $1,000 cash prize and a Best of Show exhibition at the House of Lucie Athens.
Additionally, the New Talent of the Year title winner earns $250 and a Best of Show Exhibition in the House of Lucie Ostuni. The category winners receive $50 and a Group Show in the House of Lucie Athens and in the House of Lucie Budapest. The final deadline is July 25th.
France Médias Monde (FMM), France Télévisions (FTV), and Radio France & the Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA) are sponsoring this award as part of the Visa pour l’Image-Perpignan photojournalism festival.
“The scope of the award covers virtual reality, interactivity or editorial video work released via social media,” the team explains. “In the context of non-stop news around the world, the Visa d’or franceinfo: Award for the Best Digital News Story recognizes an idea, content, and original work offering an interesting angle and perspective on the news.”
The winner will receive €8,000. Applications are due by July 25th.
Now in its seventh edition, the Red Bull Illume Image Quest is the largest adventure and action sports imagery contest, with categories open to photographers and videographers in all stages of their careers. Category winners receive trophies and other prizes and go on to travel the world. The deadline to submit is July 31st.
The reFocus Awards is offering more than $5,000 in cash prizes as part of the World Photo Annual, plus more opportunities to showcase your work. The extended entry deadline is July 29th.
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, offers time and space, a sense of community, financial support, and technical support for artists through its artist-in-residence program. The open call for the September 11 to November 15, 2024, residences runs through August 1st.
Now in its fourteenth edition, the Epson International Pano Awards for panoramic photography has announced a prize pool worth more than $40,000, including $14,000 in cash prizes. Submissions are due by July 17th.
The fourteenth edition of Circulation(s), a European festival of photography, has launched an open call for submissions: “The 14th edition of the Circulation(s) festival will take place at CENTQUATRE-PARIS, a cultural venue in eastern Paris, from April 06 to June 02, 2024, and will continue in the form of tours and off-site events in France and Europe.” Submit by July 23rd to be considered.
+KGP BOOKS and HUMBLE have teamed up to publish OF COVID (2020 - 2023), a photo book capturing our lives during the era of Covid. “Our objective is to curate a diverse collection of imagery that represents the multitude of people, experiences, and perspectives affected by this global crisis, encompassing cultural, economic, and geographical variations,” the publishers share.
Forty artists will be chosen for inclusion, and all will receive a free copy of the book. The deadline for submissions is July 30th.
As part of their monthly suite of competitions, Life Framer welcomes Ami Vitale as the juror for July’s theme, Planet Earth. As always, the winner will receive $2,000. The deadline for submissions is July 31st.
“CNN Underscored is seeking an individual passionate about online visual storytelling, brand development, e-commerce, product reviews, shopping content, and journalism,” the hiring team shares. “Four or more years of photo editing experience for a digital media publishing organization, including time spent developing original photos [is preferred].”
The theme for issue 120 of F-Stop Magazine is Community. “We are looking for photographers interested in being paired up with another photographer to collaborate on a project,” the editors explain. “Projects will be featured in an issue later in the year as part of our 20th anniversary.” The deadline for submissions is July 15th.
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