ABSURIA — International Abstract & Surrealist Photography Contest 2026

ABSURIA Festival is a new international photography festival in Tours, in France's Loire Valley. The 2026 edition is the inaugural cycle. The festival is restricted by genre: abstract and surrealist photography only — exclusively non-representational and dream-state work.

Selection structure has multiple layers. 100 photographs are selected for physical exhibition across multiple venues in Tours, May through September 2026. Printing costs are covered by the organisers. All nominees are also exhibited in 3D online galleries on the festival website.

Fourteen winners are honoured at an awards ceremony in Tours in early May 2026. Categories run across two domains (Abstract Photography and Surrealist Photography), each with Professional and Amateur divisions plus a Young Hopefuls award.

The prize is the ABSURIA Trophy — a physical gold statuette created specifically for the contest, awarded to category winners. There's no central cash prize. AI-generated images are not accepted.

Eligibility is open globally to photographers 18+, amateur and professional. Selection is by Caroline Gasch (photographer), Marie-Pierre Cherrier (photographer and teacher), and Bob Jeudy (collector and patron). Fee is tiered by entry scale: €20–€40 (amateur) and €25–€50 (professional), up to 6 images per registration. The 2026 deadline was April 26; results announced early May 2026.