Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize 2026
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Opens18 Nov 2025
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Deadline12 Jan 2026
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Link
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Entry feeFREE
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Author
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The Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize 2026 is a major new annual award dedicated to celebrating contemporary photographic practice in Ireland.
Overview
The prize revolves around the theme Community | Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine, an Irish proverb meaning “It is in each other’s shadow that we live.” The organizers want to encourage entrants to reflect on connection, belonging, and shared life in contemporary Ireland, especially in a world increasingly defined by digital ties and a search for identity. Submissions are open to all photographic genres: portraiture, documentary, conceptual, experimental, and the prize explicitly welcomes work that explores communal life, marginalised perspectives, and socio-political issues.
Practical Info
The competition is open to photographers and lens-based artists aged 18 or over who are Irish or based in Ireland (including Northern Ireland).
Accessibility is a clear priority for the organizers. There’s an information webinar (on December 1), and they commit to supporting artists who might face barriers in submitting via Picter—whether due to digital accessibility, disability, or other issues. Entrants who need help can request step-by-step guidance, have staff submit on their behalf (if they consent), or use alternative formats of the submission info.
One of the prize’s biggest draws is its €25,000 total fund, making it one of the most significant photography awards in Ireland. The breakdown includes a first prize of €10,000, two runners-up with €2,500 each, plus a €10,000 bursary specifically to support a photographer from an underrepresented community. Prize recipients and shortlisted artists will have their work exhibited at Photo Museum Ireland in a free public show, and up to 30 shortlisted photographers will receive a €100 honorarium each to participate in that exhibition.
In addition, the first prize winner and the two runners-up will be invited to join the Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize Collection: if they agree, their work will become part of the collection and be displayed in Taylor Wessing’s Dublin offices.
The jury is composed of Trish Lambe, Darren Campion, Zoe Harrison, Anne Nwakalor, and Fintan O’Toole.
About Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize
The Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize 2026 is a major new annual award dedicated to celebrating contemporary photographic practice in Ireland. It’s a collaboration between the international law firm Taylor Wessing, the charity Business to Arts, and Photo Museum Ireland, designed to provide a high-profile national platform for photographers and lens-based artists at all career stages. Taylor Wessing itself brings a strong commitment to the arts: they have a long history of supporting photography (including their sponsorship of the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize in the UK). Business to Arts, on its part, acts as a bridge between corporate support and the artistic world, helping to channel meaningful investment into cultural initiatives. And Photo Museum Ireland, as the national centre for contemporary photography, offers both institutional gravitas and real curatorial, promotional, and educational strength.
