PhMuseum 2026 Photography Grant

Now in its 14th edition, The PhMuseum Photography Grant aims to support visual storytelling through cash prizes, exhibition opportunities, and more.

Overview

The PhMuseum Photography Grant is an annual initiative designed to support the production and promotion of visual projects through cash prizes, exhibitions at international festivals, educational activities and exposure on both printed and online media.

Practical Info

To participate, photographers are invited to submit one or more projects centered around a specific theme, narrative, or concept. All approaches are welcome, from classic to more experimental work. Each project should have between 5 and 20 photos.

The main grant recipients will share a total of €10,000 in cash, split into a €5,000 First Prize, a €2,000 Second Prize, and a €1,000 Third Prize. Additionally, the New Generation Prize awardee will be granted €2,000.

Three applicants will be granted solo shows thanks to our collaboration with leading photography institutions. For the eighth consecutive year, the team of PhEST (Monopoli, Italy) will select a project to be exhibited during the 11th edition of the festival in Summer 2026. For the seventh time in a row, another work will be exhibited at Getxophoto (Getxo, Spain), selected by head curator Maria Ptqk for the main programme of the 20th edition of the Basque festival. In addition to the show production, the selected artist will receive a €400 fee and accommodation for 2 nights during the Opening Week. Moreover, a third artist will exhibit at PhMuseum Lab (Bologna, Italy) in February 2027 during ArteFiera, the oldest art fair in Italy, whose program also includes more than 80 exhibitions across town. The prize includes production costs plus travel and stay.

Plus, Krzysztof Candrowicz and Mafalda Ruao will invite an artist to join Photo-Match at Lodz Fotofestiwal 2026. The organization will cover travel and accommodation to allow the prize recipient to attend the innovative presentation and portfolio review in Lodz, Poland, in June 2026.

Additionally, nine applicants will receive a free 30-minute online portfolio review with a mentor of their choice from PhMuseum Education individual program.

Up to 40 shortlisted projects will be screened at Lodz Fotofestiwal (Lodz, Poland), Kranj Foto Fest (Kranj, Slovenia), and PhMuseum Days (Bologna, Italy). All submissions will be eligible for publication in the second edition of PhMuseum's printed Annual Magazine, which will be launched at the next edition of PhMuseum Days in October 2026.

All entries will be reviewed by an independent jury comprised of Rafał Milach (Visual artist, Photographer, Artivist, and Educator), Charlotte Cotton (Curator, Writer, and Creative Consultant), Carmen Winant (Artist and the Roy Lichtenstein Endowed Chair of Studio Art at the Ohio State University), and Sergio Valenzuela-Escobedo (Artist and Researcher). The review will happen in March, with the shortlist being announced in April.

About PhMuseum

PhMuseum is a curated platform dedicated to the visual language and its culture. Since 2012 we have been focused to find innovative ways to display photography, engage, educate, and connect. Their mission is to discover, support and promote photographers, working as an innovative talent incubator.

Over more than a decade, they have supported more than 100 photographers with €240,000 in cash prizes and another 300 with exhibition, residency and screening opportunities at festivals such as Kranj Foto Fest, PhEST, Getxophoto, Organ Vida, Cortona OTM, Lagos Photo, Verzasca Foto, JIPFest and their own PhMuseum Days.