Meitar Award for Excellence in Photography 2026
The Meitar Award for Excellence in Photography is an annual international photography prize organized by Photo Is:rael — the platform behind Israel's International Photography Festival in Tel Aviv. The 2026 edition is the award's 10th cycle.
The award is for a cohesive body of photographic work rather than single images. Top prize is $14,000.
Selection structure: 20 finalists are exhibited at the International Photography Festival in Tel Aviv in November 2026. The overall winner receives a solo exhibition at the 2027 festival.
The 2026 jury draws from international institutions: Dafna Meitar Nechmad (Director General, Zvi and Ofra Meitar Family Fund — the award's sponsoring fund), photographers Roger Ballen, Doron Oved, and Sarah Mei Hermann, Laura Letinsky (Professor, University of Chicago), Anne Leighton Massoni (Director, Houston Center for Photography), Michael Benson (Co-Founder, PHOTO LONDON), Dr. Gilad Reich (Curator of Photography, The Israel Museum), and Rivka Saker (Chairman, Sotheby's Israel). AI-generated work is accepted.
Eligibility is open globally to photographers 18+. Submission is through the award's website with 6–12 images. Fee is tiered $35–$45. The 2026 deadline was April 12; results announced November 2, 2026.
Jury: Dafna Meitar Nechmad, Director General, Zvi and Ofra Meitar Family Fund · Roger Ballen, Photographer & Artist · Laura Letinsky, Professor, University of Chicago · Anne Leighton Massoni, Director, Houston Center for Photography · Michael Benson, Co-Founder, PHOTO LONDON · Dr. Gilad Reich, Curator of Photography, The Israel Museum · Rivka Saker, Chairman, Sotheby's Israel · Doron Oved, Photographer · Sarah Mei Hermann, Photographer
Organized by PHOTO IS:RAEL