About

The International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA) invites photographers and artists from all over the world to take part in the IPFA Award. This open call goes beyond a traditional prize; it is an international platform to explore, share and transform contemporary photography, connecting photographers with festivals, curators and audiences worldwide. From your images to the world: join this global movement of photography festivals.

Your work will have the opportunity to be seen by directors and curators of photography festivals around the globe, expanding your visibility and international reach. With a single application, your project will be reviewed by 20 international curators. You may be selected for a solo exhibition at a participating festival or take part in a collective exhibition opening on 19 March 2026 in Barcelona, which will later travel to various festivals.

With no fixed theme, we welcome projects of any style or approach, including contemporary, documentary, social, urban and street, analogue, nature and wildlife, or creative and experimental photography. Each project will be evaluated by a jury composed of representatives from 20 photography festivals, ensuring diversity of perspectives and selection criteria. Submissions will be assessed for originality, innovation, visual coherence, narrative strength and international projection potential.

How does it work?

Once your proposal is submitted, each curator will select one project for a solo exhibition at their festival. Based on their votes, 50 artists will be chosen to participate in a travelling collective exhibition that will start in Barcelona in March 2026 and later visit other member festivals.

In addition, the 20 selected artists and 50 finalists will be incorporated into the IPFA Photographers Repository, designed to promote their work and connect them with curators and festivals worldwide. They will also receive discounts for portfolio reviews and access to conferences during the 2nd International Meeting of Photography Festivals in Barcelona (July 2026), enhancing the international exposure of their practice.

The IPFA Award is an international initiative that fosters the visibility and mobility of both emerging and established photographers, offering a unique opportunity to exhibit across photography festivals worldwide. Participating in this open call means joining a global community that connects, inspires and empowers photography.

Submit your project and share your work with the world!

20 Selected Artists – Solo Exhibitions

• A solo exhibition at the member festival that selected their project.

• €200, provided by IPFA, as production support for the exhibition, in addition to the funds each festival allocates to its own shows.

• 50% discount on participation in the Portfolio Review during the 2nd International Meeting of Photography Festivals 2026, where directors and curators from around the world will be able to view your work and build professional networks.

• Free access to the IPFA Online Conferences 2026.

• Recognition and certificate as a Selected Artist.

• Inclusion in the IPFA Photographers Repository.

Promotion across all communication channels of IPFA and participating festivals, as well as inclusion in a special video created to showcase the selected artists and the results of this open call.

OR

50 Finalists – Collective Exhibition

• Participation in a travelling collective exhibition that will open on 19 March 2026 in Barcelona, at Sala Golfes, IPFA's exhibition space, before touring other member festivals.

• 30% discount on participation in the Portfolio Review during the 2nd International Meeting of Photography Festivals 2026, where directors and curators from around the world will be able to view your work and establish professional connections.

• Free access to the IPFA Online Conferences 2026.

• Recognition and certificate as a Selected Artist.

• Inclusion in the IPFA Photographers Repository.

Promotion across all IPFA and participating festival communication channels, and inclusion in a special video designed to highlight the artists and results of this edition.

About the organizations

The open call is organized by the International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA) in collaboration with Abuja International Photo Festival (Nigeria), Belgrade Photo Month (Serbia), Bienal Argentina de Fotografía Documental (Argentina), Budapest Photo Festival (Hungary), Colombia Foto Fest (Colombia), Experimental Photo Festival (Spain), Festival de Fotografia de Paranapiacaba (Brazil), Festival Foto Brasil (Brazil), Fokus Award (Albania), Fotofestival Pelt (Belgium), f/Stop (Germany), Humanisme Vision (France), Le vie delle Foto (Italy), Les Boutographies (France), MontPhoto (Spain), PhotoNOLA (United States), Photometria (Greece), Photoworks (United Kingdom), Street Photography Barcelona Festival (Spain), and Tomar la Calle Fotofest (Mexico).

​The International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA) was created with the ambition of becoming a global network connecting the more than 1,000 photography festivals that exist around the world. Our goal is to foster collaboration, innovation, and professional growth within the festival community, offering a platform where directors, curators, producers, and artists can enhance their projects through networking, knowledge exchange, and best practices.

​This open call is much more than an invitation to participate, it is an opportunity to join an international community that experiments, shares, and transforms contemporary photography. By taking part, your work will have the chance to be discovered by festival directors and curators from around the world, expanding your visibility and international reach.

How to Participate

How does it work?

Once your proposal is submitted, each curator will select one project for a solo exhibition at their festival. Based on their votes, 50 artists will be chosen to participate in a travelling collective exhibition that will start in Barcelona in March 2026 and later visit other member festivals.

In addition, the 20 selected artists and 50 finalists will be incorporated into the IPFA Photographers Repository, designed to promote their work and connect them with curators and festivals worldwide. They will also receive discounts for portfolio reviews and access to conferences during the 2nd International Meeting of Photography Festivals in Barcelona (July 2026), enhancing the international exposure of their practice.

The IPFA Award is an international initiative that fosters the visibility and mobility of both emerging and established photographers, offering a unique opportunity to exhibit across photography festivals worldwide. Participating in this open call means joining a global community that connects, inspires and empowers photography.

Submit your project and share your work with the world!

Judging criteria

Open Theme: Participants may submit projects on any subject. We are looking for proposals that reflect each photographer’s or visual artist’s creativity, personal vision, and artistic commitment. Artists may submit more than one project, including works exploring different themes, techniques, and approaches.

​Diversity of Perspectives: The jury is composed of representatives from festivals specializing in various areas of photography — including contemporary, nature and wildlife, documentary, urban and street, analog and vintage, as well as creative and experimental photography, among others. This ensures that each project is evaluated from different viewpoints and sensibilities.

​Evaluation Criteria: Projects will be assessed based on originality, narrative strength, visual coherence, innovation and experimentation, and their potential for international projection. The technical quality of the work and its ability to connect with audiences will also be taken into account. For the selection of the 50 finalists, the jury will also consider diversity of origins, gender balance, and variety of photographic themes. ​Equal Opportunity: All portfolios will be reviewed simultaneously by all member festivals, ensuring that every proposal has an equal chance of being selected, regardless of theme or style.