A Guide To May 2026 Photo Awards & Open Calls

PhEST Pop-Up Open Call, Lodz Photo-Match: Portfolio Review, Tansweer Awards, Prix Virginia, LUMA Rencontres Dummy Book Award, Camille Lepage Award, E·CO/26 - About Time, and Passage Art-Residency-Program are among the opportunities we selected this month.

PhMuseum 2026/27 Online Masterclasses Program

Deadline 28 May / No entry fee

Five different programs offer a variety of methods to work within the field of photography. Over eight months, participants are invited to bring a body of work to life, to fully engage with their practice, to question, test, and reflect on their ideas and methodology. You can select one or more programs delving into five fields: Artistic Development (CURAE with Erik Kessels), Conceptual Thinking (IDEA with Charlie Engman), Documentary Photography (CRITICAE with Aaron Schuman), Transmedia Storytelling (MEDIAE with Salvatore Vitale), and Photobook-Making (FOLIO with Vasantha Yogananthan feat. Cécile Poimbœuf-Koizumi, co-founder of the publishing house Chose Commune ).

Alternating collective tutoring, seminars, individual sessions, and studio visits, each masterclass exists in a community-driven environment, and provides concrete opportunities to exhibit, publish, and distribute your visual project. Upon the program's conclusion, one or more participants across all five Masterclasses will be selected for a solo or duo exhibition at PhMuseum Lab in Bologna, Italy (November 2027). Additionally, the photobook dummies produced during FOLIO will be exhibited at Photobook Mania in October 2027.

Learn more and apply here.

PhMuseum Days 2026 Photography Festival Open Call

Deadline 7 May / Entry fee €30

Themed Archipelago, the 5th edition of the open call offers visual artists the opportunity to exhibit at the PhMuseum Days International Photography Festival, taking place from 1-4 October in Bologna, Italy. For the first time, the festival will be held alongside Photobook Mania – PhMuseum's publishing fair – creating a complete platform to enjoy contemporary photography in person.

At least 3 artists will be granted a solo show within the Festival’s new main venue, the historical Ex Ospedale dei Bastardini. Another project will be selected for a solo public installation on former municipality billboards. Both opportunities provide full production coverage (up to €2500+VAT for exhibitions in the main venue), a €300 artist fee, and a contribution to travel expenses to attend the inaugural weekend. Plus, up to 40 single images will be chosen to take part in a sculptural, public collective installation at Archiginnasio di Bologna, while up to 20 works will be screened. Furthermore, as an applicant, you can claim a free festival pass.

All entries will be reviewed by a jury comprised of Pacifico Silano (Visual Artist), Tara L. C. Sood (Photographer and Filmmaker), Rita Puig-Serra Costa (Photographer), and Giuseppe Oliverio (PhMuseum Founding and Artistic Director). The review will happen in May, with the results being announced in June.

More information about the open call at this link.

PhEST Pop-Up Open Call 2026

Deadline 13 May / No entry fee

PhEST invites multidisciplinary artists and photographers to submit works centered on the theme WHAT IF? This edition encourages a creative interrogation of our current times and the exploration of future possibilities, moving beyond the certainty of reality to inhabit a space of possibility. The call is open to all visual media – including photography, painting, sculpture, video, and more –and seeks profound, intimate works that imagine divergent scenarios as a way to reflect on the infinite choices available to humanity.

Six distinct prizes will be awarded, including two solo exhibitions at the next festival edition in Monopoli – one dedicated to an international artist and another to an artist residing in Puglia – as well as the UniBa Award, which grants a dedicated exhibition for the best international short film. In terms of technical and editorial support, one artist will receive a FUJIFILM Camera X-T5 + lens 16-80mm Kit, offered by Fujifilm Italia, while two others will secure international visibility through publications on PhMuseum (including a copy of the PhMuseum Annual) and the LensCulture website. Furthermore, a broader selection of finalists will have their work showcased during the festival’s opening-night projections.

The jury is composed of Giovanni Troilo (Artistic Director at PhEST), Arianna Rinaldo (Curator of Photography at PhEST), Giuseppe Oliverio (PhMuseum Artistic and Founding Director), and Laura Sackett (Co-Founder & Creative Director at LensCulture).

Submissions are welcome until 13 May. More info on PhEST's website.

Lodz Photo-Match 2026: Portfolio Review

Deadline 15 May / No entry fee

Lodz Fotofestiwal invites 20 photographers to meet 20 curators from all over Europe in an unusual formula of portfolio review, which emphasizes networking, equality and the widest possible presentation of works and photographic institutions. The event is held in two days, 19-20 June 2026. The first day, dedicated to presentations and matching, allows both photographers and experts to introduce themselves, their work, and their practice through brief live presentations. The second day focuses on meetings, where all participants attend private, scheduled meetings based on the selections made on the preceding day.

Reviewers include experts such as Anna Surroca and Irene Monteagudo, Arianna Rinaldo, Asta Vaičiulytė, Beata Łyżwa-Sokół, Emma Bowkett, Giulia Brivio, Grażyna Siedlecka, Henri Airo, Iris Sikking, Kristyna Müller, Luca Vianello and Silvia Mangosio, Łukasz Pawłowski, Nela Eggenberger, Pablo Berástegui, Peggy Sue Amison, Sandino Scheidegger, Sergio Valenzuela Escobedo, Tomasz Gutkowski and Witek Orski.

Read more on Lodz Fotofestiwal's website.

Tansweer Awards 2026

Deadline 1 May / No entry fee

The Tasweer Project Award supports photographers based in Western Asia and North Africa (WANA) with a grant of QAR30,000 (€7,000) to develop, initiate, or complete a photographic project. Selected artists will be invited to present their work as part of the Tasweer Photo Festival Qatar. Alongside financial support, the award offers curatorial guidance, mentorship, and opportunities to engage with an international network of practitioners.

Additionally, the Tasweer Single Image Award invites photographers from the same region to submit one image reflecting their personal experience or narrative. Each selected artist receives a QAR2,000 (€450) prize and the opportunity to showcase their work in an online exhibition, as well as participate in the festival’s wider public programme.

Find out more details on their website.

Prix Virginia 2026

Deadline 7 May / No entry fee

The Prix Virginia is granted every two years to women photographers of any age or nationality. The prize offers a €10,000 cash grant, recognition, and professional exposure, specifically for original bodies of work that have not been previously exhibited or published in France, nor commissioned for commercial or editorial purposes.

The jury awards one main prize recipient and selects up to ten additional photographers for recognition. Notably, the prize is intended to celebrate existing artistic achievements rather than to fund the future completion of a project.

You can apply until 7 May with no entry fee. Read more on their website.

LUMA Rencontres Dummy Book Award 2026

Deadline 13 May / No entry fee

Organized by Les Rencontres d’Arles and the LUMA Foundation, the award is designed to support the publication of an unpublished photography book. Open to professional photographers and artists of all ages and nationalities, it provides a production budget of €25,000 to transform a physical dummy into a finished book. The jury prioritizes experimental and innovative editorial forms, provided they are technically and financially viable.

All shortlisted dummies will be featured in the festival's official program in Arles from July to October 2026, with the prize recipient to be publicly announced on 10 July 2026 at the Théâtre Antique during the festival's opening week.

2026 Book Awards

Deadline 13 May / No entry fee

Les Rencontres d'Arles Book Awards celebrate the excellence of photographic publishing across three categories: the Author’s Book Award, the Historical Book Award, and the Photo-Text Book Award, the latter supported by the Fondation Jan Michalski. Open to professional artists of all nationalities, the awards carry a €6,000 prize per category, shared equally between the publisher and the author. Eligible works must have been published between May 13, 2025, and May 13, 2026, including self-published titles and limited reissues.

Finalists and prize recipients will be exhibited during the 2026 festival in Arles, France, and later at the Jimei x Arles festival in China, with the official recipients announced at the Théâtre Antique on 7 July 2026.

Submissions are open until 13 May with no entry fee. Read more on their website.

Camille Lepage Award 2026

Deadline 4 May / No entry fee

The Camille Lepage Award supports photojournalists committed to long-term projects with an €8,000 grant. Established in memory of Camille Lepage, who died while reporting in the Central African Republic, the award aims to help a photographer complete an ongoing reporting project that aligns with the values of commitment and advocacy for communities in conflict zones.

The selected photographer will be officially announced at the Visa pour l’Image-Perpignan festival, in Perpignan, France, in September 2026. The funding is intended to ensure the project’s completion within one year, with the final work scheduled to be showcased at the 2027 edition of the festival through either a dedicated exhibition or a featured screening.

More information about the open call at this link.

10th Singapore International Photography Festival 2026 Open Call

Deadline 17 May / Entry fee €25-38

For its 10th biennale edition, the Singapore International Photography Festival will award three Singaporean or Singapore-based artists, offering cash prizes of SGD$2,000 (€1,300) each to recognize artistic excellence in three categories: Best Portfolio, Best Published Photobook, and Best Dummy Photobook.

Shortlisted works will be featured in the SIPF Open Call Showcase from mid-October to late November 2026. Beyond the exhibition, selected artists are invited to the official award ceremony and have the opportunity to engage with the public through artist talks, tours, and workshops.

Learn more on their website.

E·CO/26 - About Time

Deadline 10 May / No entry fee

The E·CO/26 – About Time open call invites artistic collectives from Ibero-America and Africa to develop visual, audiovisual, or transmedia projects exploring the relationship between time, memory, and territory. The initiative seeks to foster collaborative networks and new narratives that rethink the past to better understand the present and envision alternative futures. A total of twelve projects (six from each region) will be selected based on their interdisciplinary approach and their ability to address the social and cultural realities of their communities.

Selected collectives will receive a €5,000 production grant and benefit from a collaborative development process featuring virtual mentorship from specialists. Completed works will be showcased through global exhibitions, digital platforms, and social media managed by the VIST Foundation, NEWF, and AECID. The call is open to both established collectives and newly formed groups of creators, provided they are residents of the eligible regions and their projects align with the thematic focus on ancestral knowledge and life cycles.

Applications are welcome until 10 May with no entry fee. Read more on their website.

Passage Art-Residency-Programme 2026

Deadline 30 May / No entry fee

The Passage Art-Residency-Programme offers two photographers or filmmakers a four-week residency in Wittenberg, Germany, during October 2026. Participants will engage with one of two specific research contexts: the industrial heritage and transformation of the Ferropolis/Zschornewitz power station, or the extensive visual and historical archives of the Research Library for Reformation Studies. The program aims to explore the cultural landscape of the region, fostering artistic reflections on energy, industrial transition, and the production of knowledge.

Selected artists will receive a €5,000 grant, accommodation, and a potential €1,000 childcare supplement. In exchange, residents are expected to conduct a one-day workshop for local youth, participate in a public artist talk, and cooperate with the filming of a documentary about their creative process. While the residency provides funding and logistical support for these activities, artists are responsible for their own travel, local transport, and living expenses.

Find out more on their website.

The Hasselblad Foundation Nature Photography Grant 2026

Deadline 8 May / No entry fee

The Hasselblad Foundation Nature Photography Grant provides a SEK 100,000 (€9,200) award to promote and advance nature photography as an artistic and documentary genre within the Nordic region. Open to photographers from or based in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, the grant seeks innovative projects that explore the environment, landscape, and biodiversity.

The jury consists of Mats Björkman (Senior Lecturer, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg), Andréas Hagström (Archive and Library Manager, Hasselblad Foundation), Jenny Nordquist (artist and curator), and Louise Wolthers (Head of Research / Curator, Hasselblad Foundation). They will prioritize submissions that address urgent issues such as human impact on the climate and the protection of biodiversity, particularly those incorporating interdisciplinary collaborations.

More information about the open call at this link.

Sonntag Grant Photobook Open Call

Deadline 31 May / Entry fee €10

The Sonntag Grant for Photography, in collaboration with Replika Publishing, invites FLINTA artists to submit conceptual or material-based projects for the production of a new photobook. Designed to support under-represented voices and experimental forms, the grant focuses on projects at an advanced or finished stage rather than fully realized dummies.

The prize recipient will work closely with Replika on the final editorial and design direction. The selected artist will receive 50 copies of a minimum 350-copy print run and will be featured in a launch event at Bildband Berlin, with the organization covering accommodation and up to €300 in travel costs.

Open Panoràmic 2026

Deadline 25 May / No entry fee

Celebrating its 10th edition and the bicentenary of photography, the Panoràmic Festival in Barcelona invites artists to respond to the theme Burning With Desire. The festival seeks projects that explore the image as a tool for narrative, memory, and political change, questioning the role of photography and cinema in an age of digital saturation and artificial intelligence. Applicants can submit work across three categories: Still Image, Audiovisual Essay, and Installation & Other Formats, provided the projects align with the festival's reflection on the "living tension" between the history of the medium and its future.

Nine selected finalists will receive a €400 fee and participate in the Open Panoràmic exhibition at the Fundació Lluís Coromina. Additionally, one special mention will be awarded in each of the three categories, with the recipient receiving a €1,000 prize.

More information on the festival's website.

Encontros Da Imagem Award 2026

Deadline 10 May / Entry fee €35

Encontros da Imagem is looking for projects based on photography and video practices produced within the last five years. Exploring the theme Territory And Identity, the call is open to a wide range of projects – from documentary to experimental. A jury will select composed of Arianna Catania, Alexia Alexandropoulou, and Arianna Rinaldo will selected three projects for solo exhibitions, with one overall prize recipient receiving a €2,000 cash grant. Plus, additional 17 projects will be featured in a collective video screening.

The selected works will be showcased between 18 September and 1 November 2026 across various Portuguese cities, furthering the festival's mission to promote visual literacy and democratic access to photography.

More information on Encontros Da Imagem's website.

Encontros da Imagem Photobook Award 2026

Deadline 25 May / Entry fee €25

The Portuguese festival invites submissions for its two main categories: Best Published Book and Best Dummy Award. Both prize recipients will receive a €1,000 cash prize, with the jury – composed of Franek Ammer, José Farinha, and Sara Giuliattini – evaluating projects based on their contribution to contemporary photography and the festival's theme, Territory And Identity.

For its 36th edition, Encontros da Imagem intends to present different proposals for contemporary photography, highlighting the diversity and richness of the different approaches, from documentary projects to those that want to explore the limits of photographic construction. Selected works will be part of the festival's mission to promote visual literacy across northern Portugal from 18 September to 1 November 2026.

PORTRAITS – Hellerau Photography Award 2026

Deadline 3 May / Entry fee €30-50

Inspired by the legacy of Germany’s first garden city, the Hellerau Photography Award invites photographers worldwide to submit works under the theme Escapism, exploring poetic counter-models to modern social and ecological crises.

Selected finalists will be part of a major exhibition at the Festspielhaus Hellerau in Dresden, Germany, as well as satellite shows, and will be included in the official annual catalog. Prize recipients will be announced in Autumn 2026, with cash prizes of €5,000 for first place, €2,000 for second, and €1,000 for third, alongside opportunities for public engagement through artist talks and portfolio reviews.