A Guide To December 2025 Photo Awards & Open Calls

Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation, The Rencontres d'Arles Curatorial Research Fellowship, Arab Documentary Photography Program Open Call, and Pride Photo Open Call are among the opportunities we selected this month.

2026 Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation

Deadline 1 December / No entry fee

The Discovery Award – Louis Roederer Foundation is aimed at bringing emerging photographic talent into the Rencontres d’Arles festival. Rather than individual artists applying directly, the award invites galleries, art centres, community spaces, and institutions to propose an exhibition project on behalf of the artists they support. The award offers two acquisition prizes: a €15,000 Jury Prize and a €5,000 Public Prize, both shared between the artist and the supporting structure. During the opening week of the festival, a jury chosen by Rencontres d’Arles awards the Jury Prize, while visitors vote for the Public Prize. Nadine Hounkpatin, this year's invited exhibition curator, will work with the selected artists and institutions from selection through to exhibition design and installation.

Discover more on their website.

The Rencontres d'Arles 2026 Curatorial Research Fellowship

Deadline 1 December / No entry fee

Supported by Jean-François Dubos and offering a €20,000 grant, the Rencontres d’Arles Curatorial Research Fellowship supports curators or curatorial collectives who want to develop an exhibition or research-based photographic project, potentially for presentation at the festival. The fellowship support begins with €5,000 to fund six months of initial research and conceptual development. Following this six-month period, the selected curator must submit a feasibility note to the festival’s artistic direction. If the report is accepted by the festival, a further €15,000 is awarded to support further production.

Submissions are open until 1 December, with no entry fee. Find out more on their website.

2026 Arab Documentary Photography Program Open Call

Deadline 10 December / No entry fee

The Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP) 2026, run by the Magnum Foundation in partnership with AFAC and the Prince Claus Fund, supports documentary photographers from the Arab world or working in the region, including displaced photographers whose proposed work remains rooted in their home countries. Up to eight photographers will be selected, each receiving a $7,000 grant, access to three intensive workshops, and ongoing mentorship. Projects may be traditional or experimental and can include multimedia elements such as audio or video.

Check details on their website.

RPS International Photography Exhibition 167 Open Call

Deadline 9 December / Entry fee £20 - £35

The RPS International Photography Exhibition 167 is part of the Royal Photographic Society’s long‑running touring exhibition program, welcoming photographers of all ages, styles, and backgrounds. This edition’s selection panel includes Max Gorbatsky, Irene Lombardo, Dr. Michael Pritchard, Lydia Goldblatt, and Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. From the entries, 100 works will be selected for exhibition in RPS-partnered venues, and prizes include a £1,000 IPE Award, a £1,000 Under-30s Award, and a fully supported two‑week solo show for one photographer. Selected photographers also receive written feedback from the selectors and a digital edition of the IPE Journal.

Discover more on their website.

Pride Photo 2026 Open Call

Deadline 31 December / No entry fee

The Pride Photo Foundation strives to explore a rich, multi-faceted, and diverse collection of stories representing the global LGBTQIA+ community. Pride Photo invites photographers whose work reflects LGBTQIA+ identities, issues, and stories, and embraces a wide variety of visual approaches, including documentary, portraiture, collage, and AI-assisted work. Selected images are awarded €500 each, exhibited in Amsterdam.

You can apply until 31 December. Visit their website for more info.

Lumínic Festival 2026 Open Call

Deadline 15 December / No entry fee

The Lumínic Festival 2026 in Sant Cugat del Vallès, in Barcelona, Spain, invites photographers worldwide to submit projects exploring the poetic power of images. It encourages photographic projects that are poetic, evocative or conceptually suggestive. Two selected photographers will receive either €500 in production support or a €500 fee if the work is already completed, while further ten projects will be selected for exhibition, either as a projection at the opening or as part of a group show at the Blanca Gallery during the festival.

Find out more on their website.

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Other Deadlines

Helsinki Analog Festival 2026 Open Call / Deadline 14 December / Entry fee €20

The Helsinki Analog Festival 2026 invites artists worldwide to submit analog, handmade, and experimental works across various media, welcoming submissions that celebrate materiality and craftsmanship. Ten artists will be selected to exhibit at Photographic Gallery Hippolyte in Helsinki, Finland, from 2 April to 3 May 2026. Each selected artist receives a €500 expense allowance to support transport or material costs. The theme for 2026 is Body, focusing on embodied artistic practices and physical, sensory engagement.

Parallel Voices 26 Open Call / Deadline 15 December / Entry fee €20

Nine selected portfolios will be showcased in the Photometria International Photography Festival 2026 in Ioannina, Greece, as part of a group exhibition entitled Parallel Voices , and may receive discounted accommodation to support their participation. All topics and approaches are welcome, encouraging personal vision, strong storytelling, and diverse perspectives. The jury is composed of Panagiotis Papoutsis, Achilleas Tziakos, and Panagiotis Pappas.

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Visit our awards page or download our iOS awards app to get a complete view of the best photography opportunities that are currently open for entry.