Photography Contest

Belfast Photo Festival: Open Submission 2025

Belfast Photo Festival: Open Submission 2025

Deadline |

01/31/25

Theme |

Open

Territory |

Worldwide

Eligibility |

Open to all

Entry Fees |

29 Euros

Prizes |

Exhibition
Belfast Photo Festival hosts an annual, world-leading, popular cultural event at locations citywide. We catalyse local debate, creative development and financial opportunities with a combination of commissions, exhibitions and global arts leadership. "One of the best photography festivals in the world" (Capture Magazine).

We invite photographers of all nations and backgrounds to apply to the Open Submission, to have their work viewed by an international panel of highly influential photography industry experts, with career enhancing opportunities on offer.

Opportunities include exhibition at the largest annual festival of photography in the UK and Ireland, before going on a European tour with significant media exposure and a range of awards including a £2,000 (Approx $2,700 / €2,300) cash prize.

Individuals and/or collectives are welcome to apply to the Photographs Category by entering between 1 and 15 photographs from a particular group series, completed project or body of work in development. To enter the Photo-Book category, add at least one image of your photo book project. This can be the cover, a product shot of the book dummy or some images of the book.

WHAT DO YOU WIN?
ALL SUBMITTING PHOTOGRAPHERS RECEIVE:
Submission review by a diverse jury of industry professionals
Opportunities for project exposure across festival materials, social media channels, website and press campaign
2025 Portfolio Review discount

20 TO 40 FINALIST PHOTOGRAPHERS RECEIVE:
Large format print exhibition (Produced by Belfast Photo Festival) in June 2025 at city centre locations receiving over 100,000+ visitors
Publication in the printed festival programme, website and marketing materials
Partner exhibition and exposure at the 2026 Photo Schwiez Festival in Switzerland
Festival representation and promotion in our award winning media and PR campaign. In 2024 we had a combined reach of 115 million including multiple features in the Guardian, Creative Review, Irish Times and more.
Participation in our Instagram residency scheme
Dedicated feature on the festival website with full online gallery
Inclusion in the festival issue of Abridged Magazine
Applicants will have their work viewed by an international panel of highly influential experts in the field of photography, plus have the opportunity to win awards and a significant cash prize.

ADDITIONAL AWARDS AND CASH PRIZES:
Spotlight Award - £2,000 (Approx $2,700 / €2,400) Cash Prize
Spotlight Interview - with representatives from world leading photographic institutions (e.g. TATE, MoMA, TIME, Pompidou, Aperture)
1 Year Royal Photographic Society Membership
Abridged Editorial Award - with full project feature
Aesthetica Editorial Award - with editorial presentation in the digital issue of Aesthetica international art and culture magazine.

Featured Photo Contest

AAP Magazine #44 / STREET

The 44th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing urban life. Send a cohesive body of work or portfolio - capturing the weird and wonderful moments unfolding around you!

Best Photography Contests in 2023

Each year, there are hundreds of photography competitions all over the world, so we've decided to select for you the best of the best! Our selection of the best photo contests in 2023 is thoroughly curated to help you, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, to help find your next creative breakthrough. These all-star competitions offer the greatest opportunities for international exposure and/or incredible financial benefits. Some of them are closing soon, so get your photo submissions in!

ENDS 12/15/24
Become the Photographer of the Week and win Exposure on the Home Page & Social Media
ENDS 12/17/24
Be Featured in our January 2025 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 12/31/24
If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
ENDS 01/03/25
Rewarding the best single images! Enter for free and you could win $5,000, top Sony digital imaging equipment plus more!
ENDS 01/03/25
Dedicated to young photographers under 19 years-old - first prize is top Sony digital imaging equipment plus benefit from global exposure
ENDS 01/10/25
The annual photo contest rewards photographers for the best single exposure pictures contributing to the past year of visual journalism.
ENDS 01/10/25
The Aperture Portfolio Prize aims to identify trends in contemporary photography and highlight artists whose work deserves greater recognition.
ENDS 01/10/25
We are glad to share the news that Anadolu Agency’s international news photography contest Istanbul Photo Awards to be held for 10th time.
ENDS 01/10/25
Rewarding the best photo series worldwide! Enter for free and you could win $25,000, a range of Sony digital imaging equipment plus more!
ENDS 01/19/25
MonoVisions Photography Awards are an international open call for photographers using black and white medium to express their visual language.
ENDS 01/31/25
The biennial Belfast Photo Festival provided the perfect platform for gaining exposure to an international audience, with previous editions having welcome over 100,000 visitors from all over the world
ENDS 02/16/25
Art is born out of passion. Fine Art photography is a perfect instrument, which allows a person to communicate with the world and share their vision. It results from the author's deep sensitivity, a need to express feelings through image.
ENDS 02/17/25
This year’s contest theme, "Inspire," seeks entries that provoke thought, elicit emotions, and inspire audiences to view the world from new angles.
ENDS 03/31/25
Entries are open worldwide to photographers using an iPhone or iPad. Photos should not be published previously anywhere. The posts on personal accounts (Facebook, Instagram etc.) are eligible.
ENDS 04/15/25
Submit your best work to our photo competition for a chance to win up to $11,500 in cash prizes, be selected by our curators for the PX3 exhibition in Paris and inclusion in the Annual PX3 book.
ENDS 04/30/25
Nikon’s Small World is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. The Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy and photography.
ENDS 12/15/25
Women photographers can participate with her female visual perspective in 23 thematic categories.
ENDS 02/08/26
The winner will receive £15,000, the second prize is £3,000, and the third prize is £2,000.