CENTER Santa Fe Calls for Entry 2026

In 2026, CENTER Santa Fe offers $16,000 in funding, group exhibition at their gallery and education hub in Santa Fe, admission to the Review Santa Fe portfolio reviews, featured publication within LENSCRATCH, access to seminars, and more.

Overview

CENTER’s Calls for Entry accept submissions from photographers and lens-based artists around the world for all available categories. Applications can be submitted in any language, and there are no restrictions regarding time. Works that have been previously submitted may be re-submitted as they invite new jurors each year. Applicants may submit multiple projects within the same category as well as the same project to multiple categories. Work derived from all photographic processes are welcome, as well as video and mixed media that is photo-based for specific categories.

Practical Info

Applicants must fill out the application form, including their images and a project statement. The Early Discount deadline is set for 30 January with a $35 entry fee for most categories. After that date, rates increase by $10 per category. CENTER Santa Fe invites photographers to join the Members Circle to save on entry fees, free access to seminars, and more.

There are several categories open now to foster projects throughout their many phases of development:

• Project Launch Grant

The Project Launch Grant supports a complete or nearly completed documentary or fine art photography series. The $5,000 grant package includes an exhibition at CENTER’s gallery in Santa Fe, admission to Review Santa Fe, a public project presentation, access to professional development seminars, publication with LENSCRATCH, inclusion in CENTER’s annual printed Program Guide, and inclusion in the CENTER Winners Online Gallery & Archive.

The juror for the 2026 is Diane Waggoner (Curator, Department of Photographs, National Gallery of Art).

• Project Development Grant

The Project Development Grant provides financial support to a fine art, documentary, or photojournalistic work-in-progress. The $5,000 grant package includes an exhibition at CENTER’s gallery, admission to Review Santa Fe, public project presentation, access to professional development seminars, publication with LENSCRATCH, inclusion in CENTER’s annual printed Program Guide, and inclusion in the CENTER Winners Online Gallery & Archive.

The jury for 2026 open call is Shana Lopes (Assistant Curator of Photography, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art).

• Me&Eve Award

The Me&Eve Award provides $1,000 in financial support to a female or LGBTQIA+ photographer 40 years of age and over. The Project Advancement package also includes an exhibition at CENTER’s gallery, admission to Review Santa Fe, public project presentation, access to professional development seminars, publication with LENSCRATCH, inclusion in CENTER’s annual printed Program Guide, and inclusion in the CENTER Winners Online Gallery & Archive.

The juror for the Me&Eve Award is Barbara Tannenbaum (Curator of Photography, The Cleveland Museum of Art).

• The CENTER Awards

The CENTER Awards recognize outstanding images, singular or part of a series, in three categories: Personal, Social, and Environmental. A broad and inclusive interpretation of the themes is encouraged. The Personal Award recognizes work engaging in the exploration and expression of the power of self-representation and/or underrepresented experiences. The Socially Engaged Award recognizes work addressing social issues. All projects exploring social topics or themes are eligible. The Environmental Award recognizes work focusing on the state of the ecological environment. Topics may include but are not limited to, conservation, biodiversity, ecology, climate change, or other issues concerning the natural world. All projects exploring ecological relationships, topics, or themes are eligible. The Project Advancement package consists of the winners' exhibition at CENTER’s gallery, admission to Review Santa Fe, public project presentation, professional development seminars access, publication with LENSCRATCH, inclusion in CENTER’s annual printed Program Guide, and inclusion in the CENTER Winners Online Gallery & Archive.

The jury for the 2026 CENTER Awards is composed of Marina Chao (Curator, Center for Photography at Woodstock) for the Personal Award, Jeffrey Henson Scales (Photography Editor, The New York Times) for the Socially Engaged Award, and Dominique Hildebrand (Climate & Environment Photo Assignment Editor, The Washington Post) for the Environmental Award.

• Excellence in Teaching Award

The Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award honors a high school, college, or postgraduate teacher’s dedication and commitment to their students and the photographic field. Educators in all areas of photographic teaching are eligible, including but not limited to fine art, documentary, history, and criticism. Educators must be nominated by their student(s) or colleague(s) to be considered and must possess a genuine passion for teaching, an ability to excite students to learn, respect for students as individuals, and an enduring artistic curiosity. The award package includes $5,000, and access to professional development seminars. Here are 3 easy steps to submit a nomination: gather the educator’s name, title, affiliation, contact details, and a nomination statement limited to 3 paragraphs; fill out the Award Nomination Form, and submit the free nomination before the final deadline.

For 2026, the juror is Eric T. Kunsman (Photographer, Book Artist, and Assistant Professor in the Visual Communications Studies Department at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf – RIT).

• Multimedia Award Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship

The Multimedia Award recognizes storytellers using lens-based media for narrative-driven projects, including photography, video, new media, photojournalism, installation, and web-based works. The award package includes admission to Review Santa Fe, access to professional development seminars, publication with LENSCRATCH, an exhibition at CENTER’s gallery, a public project presentation, and inclusion in CENTER’s printed Program Guide and Winners Online Gallery. The selection committee for 2026 is the Blue Earth Council.

• Excellence in Works by Hand Award

The Jay and Susie Tyrrell Excellence in Works By Hand Award is a $2,500 awarded to a Review Santa Fe participating photographer who, by their hand, works to make unique objects of art. The aim is to encourage the preservation of historical photographic processes as well as works whose process may include collage, emulsion transfer, painting, sewing, and the use of sculpture and ceramics. Review Santa Fe reviewers vote on works that have been juried into Review Santa Fe for the award.

• Review Santa Fe: Portfolio Reviews

The Review Santa Fe Photo Symposium marks its 25th year in 2026, taking place October 22–25 in historic downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico, and remains CENTER’s premier juried portfolio review event and conference for photographers and lens‑based artists seeking audience expansion, critical discussion, and community connection. The program serves local, national, and international participants with portfolio reviews by esteemed industry professionalsfrom organizations such as The New York Times, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Harvard Art Museums, NPR, and many others, giving invited artists the opportunity to engage directly with editors, curators, publishers, gallerists, and museum representatives. In addition to the portfolio reviews, Review Santa Fe offers a Portfolio Walk & Photographic Book Fair, scholar lectures, panel discussions, project presentations, and partner programs that are free and open to the public, bringing together a global network of selected artists and up to fifty representatives from museums, book publishers, and media outlets to explore a wide range of contemporary, social, environmental, and political photographic work.

About CENTER Santa Fe

Founded in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1994, the nonprofit organization CENTER supports socially and environmentally engaged lens-based projects through education, public platforms, funding, and partnerships. Through their advancement of artists and their work, it serves to deepen public understanding of lens-based media’s complex history and ongoing cultural significance. By establishing partnerships between artists and scholars, editors, students, and the art world, they advance projects that respect all people, open minds, and engage our shared humanity.