Pick:26 Book Award

One selected photobook will receive a cash prize of €2,000 and will be included in the next edition of the Athens Photo Festival main exhibition program at the Benaki Museum / Pireos 138 in Athens, Greece.

Overview

The APhF Pick:26 Book Award is an annual juried competition open to all photobooks worldwide that were produced or published between January 2025 and March 2026. By honoring outstanding photobooks, Athens Photo Festival acknowledges the pivotal role this medium plays in the contemporary art scene in pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and fostering an ever-evolving dialogue within the realm of photography and materiality. The shortlisted books are selected by a five-member jury, specialized in photobooks and photography internationally.

Practical Info

Submissions must be sent through the online entry form. Applicants must also send one physical copy of their submitted dummy book alongside the submission form, ensuring it is postmarked no later than 28 April 2026. The book should be sent to the following address: Hellenic Center of Photography, Stratigou Kontouli 3, 117 42 Athens – Greece. Information required for each photobook submitted includes the photobook title, photographer name, year of publication, publisher, designer and/or editor information, a description of the project, a short biography, photobook dimensions, number of pages, the edition number or print run, and an image of the photobook cover.

The photobook must be primarily photography-driven, whether in the form of new or archival images. The inclusion of other artistic disciplines is welcome, providing the overall work is focused on photography. All photobooks must have been physically produced between January 2025 – March 2026 to be eligible for submission (from any location worldwide), and must be published in an edition of no fewer than 100 copies.

One selected photobook will receive a cash prize of €2,000 and will be included in the next edition of the Athens Photo Festival main exhibition program at the Benaki Museum / Pireos 138 in Athens, Greece. Plus, 10 shortlisted photobooks will be featured in the APhF printed catalog, while 20 shortlisted photobooks will be presented in the APhF Pick:26 Book Award exhibition at the Benaki Museum / Pireos 138 in June–July 2026. All submitting artists will receive complimentary entry tickets to APhF:26, and all submitted books will be housed in the Athens Photo Research Center Library.

The jury is composed of Marta Weiss (Curator of Photography, Victoria and Albert Museum), Katy Hundertmark (Curator and Editor, Foam), and Sylvia Sachini (Curator, APhF Book Program).

About Athens Photo Festival

Founded in 1987 on the initiative of the late Stavros Moresopoulos, the festival began as the International Month of Photography in Athens. It is Greece’s longest-running photography festival and one of the oldest internationally. In 2008, it adopted the name Athens Photo Festival, reflecting an expanded scope and a programme that has grown to include a wider range of programs responsive to contemporary social and aesthetic contexts.

Over nearly four decades, the festival has remained committed to advancing photography and lens-based practice in Greece, while serving as a vital meeting point for contemporary photography—connecting artists, audiences, and ideas.