Deadline extended until October 30th!

Global SinoPhoto Awards 2024

The Global SinoPhoto Awards (GSPA) is an international photography contest that annually rewards outstanding photographers with cash prizes, books gifted by the Thames and Hudson (T&H), exhibition opportunities and worldwide media exposure.

The GSPA is open to all photographers, emerging or established, of any age, nationality, or location, that have a Chinese story to tell across the diaspora, mainland China and globally. We encourage submissions from talented visual artists working in any genre of photography*; documentary, fiction, fine art, mixed media, conceptual, portraiture or constructed.

The Global SinoPhoto Awards’ overall objective is to communicate Chinese culture and values through remarkable imagery and to promote photographers internationally.

Why enter?

The Betser Prize £1500, Category Winners £500 and T&H books for all winners, including the Best Student Photographer and Highly Commended Photographers
Exhibition opportunities for selected finalists’ works
Invitation to Awards ceremony at The British Library
Recognition by the Awards’ expert judges and partners, with potential mentorship and commission opportunities
Registered students have free submission
International media exposure

"Receiving the Betser Prize in front of an audience at the British Library was an unforgettable experience. The Global SinoPhoto Awards have helped share my work from pre-pandemic Wuhan to a wider audience, from exhibiting at the Fujifilm House of Photography to being featured in a number of publications including The Times. I am very grateful for everything that has unfolded from this opportunity and am looking forward to following the awards into the future."

—Fergus Coyle, the Overall Betser Prize Winner

Categories and submission requirements

A Chinese element must be included in a single image, or within a set of images in a series, but beyond that we want to give photographers the creative freedom to tell their stories on all topics. The work must show originality, imagination and technical skill.

In addition to single image submissions, photographers may also tell a story through a set of photographs as a series (5 – 10 images). We are looking for a body of images in a series that work together as a coherent group either thematically, conceptually or aesthetically.

The story or concept of the image/s must also be included in the submission statement (no more than 250 words).

The Awards’ Terms and Conditions, the official Rules and Guidelines must be complied with by all submitting photographers to be eligible.

Prizes determined by the GSPA panel of expert judges

The inspiration for GSPA has always been the Family of Man, the historical exhibition curated by the Museum of Modern Art in 1955. It observes and illustrates the similarities in people via the medium of photography. While the GSPA2024 will continue to reflect this inspiration, we are also expanding into more progressive areas of photography. Wherever in the world and whoever you are, your imagery must include an element of Chinese culture.

This can be expressed within each prize category in the following two ways:

Observational photography: this is to look, see and compose a photograph with no additions and with minimal digital manipulation.
'Constructed' photography: in this prize selection, photography is only an element within the image, where mixed media, stitching, painting and the imagination create a new medium.

*AI may not be used in any of the categories.

Prizes:

Observational Photography:

Best single image (£500)
Best series (£500)
Highly Commended (T&H books)

Constructed Photography:

Best single image (£500)
Best series (£500)
Highly Commended (T&H books)

The Best Student Photographer (£300 in T&H books):

In the Awards 2024, we have set a new prize specifically to reward a Best Student Photographer, who must be a registered student (graduation certificate date by end of 2023). A document of proof must be provided on request.

The Betser Prize:(£1500)

This is the top prize for an overall photographer winner who best addresses the core humanity values of the Global SinoPhoto Awards.

All the above prizes will include a certificate and T&H books. T&C applies.

Submission fees:

There is an entry fee of £9, + a submission fee of £7 per image. £30 per series (5-10 images). The charge is subject to VAT if applicable.

Submission free of charge for currently registered students and all those who graduate in 2023, please contact info@activeukchina.com for the promo code.