About OD Photo Prize 2025

Open Doors Gallery is delighted to invite submissions for the fifth edition of the OD Photo Prize.

For over a decade, Open Doors Gallery has championed the discovery and mentorship of early-career artists working across the full spectrum of contemporary photography. From Kensuke Koike’s sculptural alchemy to Maria Lax’s iconic cinematic storytelling, and pioneers of new visual languages such as Wysocka / Pogo & Sander Coers, ODG has showcased emerging talents through a dynamic programme of exhibitions, pop-ups, and international art fairs. We are proud to have played a role in raising the profiles of these artists while gaining deep insight into what it takes to build a sustainable career in this industry.

The OD Photo Prize is a natural extension of this mission — a platform designed to broaden our search for exceptional talent and to foster lasting relationships with photographic artists around the world.

This year’s shortlisted artists will be invited to participate in a group exhibition hosted by Open Doors Gallery in London where this year’s winner will be announced. A curated selection of works will be exhibited and made available for sale both online and at the show.

Finalists will also be eligible for a number of awards selected by our esteemed panel of industry experts — including Judges’ Picks, the InCadaqués Award (granting one artist the opportunity to exhibit at the celebrated festival in Spain), the Public Choice Award, and the Metro Mentorship Award with long-standing judge Professor Steve MacLeod, among others.

The OD Photo Prize was founded by Open Doors Gallery in 2021.

Building Momentum

"The Open Doors Photo Prize allowed me to further advance my practice by providing the necessary funds to purchase equipment and enhance the quality of my work. With support from Metro Imaging and MPB, I was able to take on larger and more complex projects. The prize has been instrumental in fostering innovation and helping me reach a wider audience."

– Patricia Voulgaris, 2024 [OD Photo Prize | 2023 Winner]

Each year we look at the development and career progression of artists who have been Longlisted for the prize in the past. Below are some highlights from their long list of achievements over the past year...

Chloé Milos Azzopardi | Welcomed as an OD Artist, 2025
Emily June Smith | Featured in Photoworks' "The Graduate Issue 2024" as one of ten emerging artists
Maria Denise Dessimoz | Exhibited "The Inevitable Anguish of Desire" at the Athens Photo Festival 2024
Emilia Martin | Exhibited at Singapore International Photography Festival
Sander Coers | FOAM Talent 24-25, Photo London, 2024, Athens Photo Festival, 2024
Marisol Mendez | FOAM Talent 24-25 & published with Setanta BooksBoth OD Artists
Kristoffer Per Anders Axén | Solo presentation at InCadaques Festival 2024 through OD Photo Prize then followed up with a presentation at Photo London 2025
Abhishek Khedekar | Solo exhibition "Tamasha" at Webber Gallery, London, 2024. Runner-up for the 2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize
J.A. Young | published their first monograph, 'Of Fire, Far Shining', 2024, with independent publisher ZONE
Shawn Bush | Upcoming Monograph "Angle of Draw", 2025, with Gnomic Books
Claudia Fuggetti | LensCulture Critics' Choice 2024 & Selected for the FUTURES x MPB Residency Program
Wysocka / Pogo | One of our discoveries of last year was the Berlin based artist duo and book maker Wysocka / Pogo. Runner Up at last year's prize, ODG signed them up and gave them their first solo exhibition. Following up with a presentation at London Art Fair in 2025 and a solo presentation at UNSEEN fair in Amsterdam later this year. As well as exhibiting at Botanical Murmurs, Centre de la Photographie, Géneve.

Open Doors Gallery is always looking for new talent that fits into our talented roster of artists and OD Photo Prize is often the best place for us to find it. Last year we were delighted to start working with Shortlisted artist Sander Coers who went from strength to strength post Prize with a succession of accolades and exhibitions. Culminating in a presentation with Open Doors Gallery at Photo London 2024 where he was shortlisted for the Emerging Photographer Award. Sander Coers is now represented in the UK by ODG.

What you could win

Grand Prize:

£2,000 prize
Includes £1500 cash prize supported by Open Doors Gallery
Includes £500 print credit supported by Metro Imaging
An exclusive interview will be presented on the 1000Words Magazine website in conjunction with the Winner announcement
Long term mentorship through Open Doors Gallery
Listed on the OD Artist page & Artsy platform for at least one year, presenting available artworks from their submitted projects
Exhibited in London as part of the OD Photo Prize group exhibition

2 x Runners-Up:

Long term mentorship through Open Doors Gallery
Invited to be listed on the OD Artist page & Artsy platform for at least one year, presenting available artworks from their submitted projects
Exhibited in London as part of the OD Photo Prize group exhibition

Metro Mentorship Award:

Tailored mentorship programme designed to support the awarded artist through any aspect of their career development which they deem vital
A unique opportunity to gain ongoing 1:1 advice and guidance from Professor Steve Macleod, Creative Director at Metro Imaging, to help nurture and expand their practice

Juror's Choice Awards:

Each member of the Jury will have the opportunity to select one artist from the Longlist that they feel deserves a special mention [and the opportunity to be exhibited at the OD Photo Prize exhibition]

InCadaques Award:

This year we are delighted to introduce the InCadaques Award
The founders and directors of this renowned Festival in Spain will select one artist from the Longlist to exhibit in some form at next year's Festival The form this presentation will take will depend on the nature of the work presented [so an exhibition, projection, installation etc.]

AJ Page Award:

The People's Choice award is for exceptional single images selected by Open Doors Gallery from this years Longlist of artists
The 10 artworks selected will be posted to the @odtakeovers feed and voted for in the comments by the public
At least one will then be included in the OD Photo Prize group exhibition and online show

New for 2025: Lürzer's Archive Profile+ Award

We're excited to introduce a new opportunity in partnership with Lürzer's Archive – the internationally respected platform spotlighting outstanding creative talent. This year, one artist selected from the OD Photo Prize Longlist will be awarded a complimentary Profile+ listing on Lürzer's Archive's global directory of creative professionals. This premium profile offers increased international visibility and access to a network of leading creatives, agencies, and industry decision-makers. It's a powerful platform to showcase your work and elevate your profile within the global creative community.

Shortlisted Artists will receive the following support and opportunities:

Having their work produced for a group exhibition hosted by Open Doors Gallery in London, Nov–Dec 2025
Exhibited in London and also online gaining exposure to the Open Doors Gallery collector base
Exhibition exposure to a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media
Inclusion in the gallery website announcement and dedicated newsletter
Their projects viewed and considered by our panel of leading industry experts
Their work shared with our 100,000+ social media following
Inclusion in an ongoing community and support network facilitated by Open Doors Gallery

About Open Doors Gallery

Open Doors Gallery is a global platform for emerging contemporary photographic artists. Representing and developing the careers of several award winning artists, each with their own unique approach to the medium. From mixed media and sculptural artworks to darkroom creations and documentary work. We believe the limitless possibilities of the photographic medium make it the perfect prism through which to explore the world and to build a collection.

OD believes in making art accessible and affordable. With no permanent fixed location, we display our artists' work regularly through our programme of Art Fairs, exhibitions, events & publications throughout the year.

OD has a strong presence online [@odtakeovers & @odprintsales] choosing to showcase a wide variety of styles from within and beyond our family of represented artists. We work towards broadening people's understanding of the potential within this dynamic & exciting medium. For both collectors & enthusiasts. Whilst all the while emphasising the enormous array of talent that is coming through. The OD Photo Prize is one way that we hope to achieve that.

How to Enter

Submissions must be in project form
Must submit between 6 –15 images per submission
Artists must be working within the first ten years of their practise [Please highlight your career start date in your bio]

Judging Criteria

OD Photo Prize is open themed. We greatly encourage submissions from artists working across all forms of photographic art: this includes, but is not limited to, storytelling, narrative, social documentary, construction, archival, conceptual or theoretical practices. Submissions must be photographic or lens-based but can incorporate other art forms (i.e. performance, collage, painting, sculpture, music, literature etc), and may result in unique artworks.

The final selection of artists from the open call will be made in collaboration between the Jury and Open Doors Gallery. At least 20 artists will be invited to participate in the OD Photo Prize 2025 exhibition in November. Including the Judges Picks, AJ Page Awardee [Peoples Choice].

The Winner will be announced at the End of year exhibition.

Successful entrants will be notified by email in early-October 2025 with information regarding the following steps towards online publication and the exhibition. A list of selected applicants and awardees will be published on Open Doors Gallery’s social media channels and website. The decision on successful entrants is final.

Words from our Winners

"Being included in the OD Photo Prize has significantly boosted my photography career. When my project POST was selected as a judge's pick by Rosie Wadey in the 2023 edition, it opened up a lot of opportunities for me. This recognition not only helped me gain visibility among an international network of photography enthusiasts but also led to my representation by Open Doors Gallery. Recently, I had the experience of exhibiting with them at Photo London, which was a milestone moment in my career. The support and exposure from the OD Photo Prize have been invaluable in advancing my professional journey."

— Sander Coers [Judge's Pick, 2023]

“Winning the 2022 OD Photo Prize was a significant validation of many years working on what has now become, ‘They Still Owe Him a Boat’. The prize provided me with a wonderful platform and network for my work to be seen, engaged with, and then exhibited – which was a very special moment for me. It has been a great source of encouragement during the final stages of this work and has reinforced my belief in the caliber and importance of it. The competition is a great way to connect with a lot of talented photographers and I am immensely appreciative of Tom and everyone at Open Doors for the many ways they continue to provide guidance, access, and support through the OD Photo Prize.”

— Jono Terry [OD Photo Prize | 2022 Winner]

“When I received the OD Photo Prize in 2021, my project ‘Teetering like a September myth’ was still in its infancy, with only a handful of close friends even knowing that it existed. The support I received from Tom and Steve in the following months would be instrumental to my completing the work and releasing it as a book the following year. As an emerging artist still finding my feet in many ways, the OD Photo Prize and exhibition have been really important entry-points into showing my work publicly and I’ll forever hold this experience as a pivotal point in the early stage of my career.”

— Angus Scott [OD Photo Prize | 2021 Winner]

"Participating in the Open Doors Photo Prize propelled my work into new realms of recognition and opportunity. But the prize is more than just exposure; it stands for a community of passionate creatives who push the boundaries of visual storytelling. I feel fortunate to share my work on such a grand stage and to connect with fellow artists who are dedicated to elevating the art of photography."

— Marisol Mendez [Shortlisted Artist, 2021]