Online Open Calls for Artists
Online open calls, competitions, and submissions for photographers and visual artists. No travel required — apply from anywhere.
Suboart Magazine — May & June 2026 Issues
April 6, 2026 · Free (€30 if accepted)
Independent Lisbon print magazine seeking emerging visual artists for in-depth interviews and features.
Defiance Zine Open Call · Revoke Collective
April 6, 2026 · Free
Revoke Collective's first zine on the theme of Defiance. Photographs that challenge, disrupt, or simply refuse.
UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition 2026 · United Nations / DivePhotoGuide
April 6, 2026 · Free
Free UN-backed ocean photography competition. 4 categories incl. above-water seascapes. Winners exhibited globally, announced at UN event.
reFocus Awards - Black and White Photo Contest
April 7, 2026 · $25–$50
Celebrating black and white photography. Cash prizes and career-enhancing recognition.
Earthly Fabulations · Der Greif
April 8, 2026 · Free (€10 voluntary)
Earth Day call for lens-based artists deconstructing landscape photography tradition. Ephemeral online exhibition.
1839 Awards Color Photography Contest
April 8, 2026 · $25–$50
Celebrating color photography. $4,000 in cash prizes, digital gallery, and global artist directory.
Photo Trouvée Virtual Artist Residency — Spring 2026
April 8, 2026 · $650
10-week virtual residency for artists working with found/family photographs. Weekly Zoom calls, only 9 spots.
Cut+Paste Magazine Issue 17 — Gather
April 9, 2026 · Free
Themed around autumn gathering — harvest, friends and family, cozy candlelit moments. Pays $15+ if selected.
Griffin Museum — Material Work: Toil & Grace
April 10, 2026 · Free
Exploring the difficulty and beauty of labor in all forms. Images of work that feel earned. Free online exhibition.
Golden Shot International Photography Awards 2026
April 10, 2026 · $25–$35
International competition across 16 categories including Portrait, Landscape, Street, Fine Art, and Documentary.
Dark Frames III — Carlotta Gallery
April 10, 2026 · Free (£20 if accepted)
Black and white photography virtual exhibition. Absence of colour as a space for deeper perception.
Generator Cooperative Art Production Fund — Round 10
April 12, 2026 · Free
Production bursaries for artists. No restrictions on age, medium, geography, or language.
PPA Photo Award 2026 · Pasadena Photography Arts
April 12, 2026 · $42
For emerging US photographers. $2,000 prize, Lenscratch feature, virtual artist talk. Juror: Craig Krull.
Louvre Unbound Magazine — Volume 6 Open Call
April 15, 2026 · Free ($39–$139 if accepted)
International contemporary art magazine. Submit up to 6 artworks. Featured in print and promoted across social media.
PowerLines Documentary Photography Fellowship
April 15, 2026 · Free
$30,000 documentary fellowship. Three months documenting the impact of rising utility costs on US communities.
PETARD Magazine Issue #2 — Authentic
April 16, 2026 · Free
Exploring tension between truth and performance, reality and replica. Priority for women-led teams. Pop-up June 2026.
Love & Romance Show · Blue Sky Gallery
April 17, 2026 · Free
Online exhibition exploring how love has transformed alongside cultural and societal changes.
Pearl Press — Issue No. 28: Utopia
April 19, 2026 · Free
Free digital publication themed 'Utopia.' Submit visual or written work via email. No limit on submissions.
UNSTAGED Journal — Issue 02: Eerie
April 20, 2026 · Free
Free indie photography journal on authenticity. Theme: Eerie. Guest curated by Karla Guerrero. Print publication.
The Narrative · TCG Gallery
April 20, 2026 · $15
International open call for all forms of two-dimensional images, traditional and non-conventional media.
Flora — Carlotta Gallery
April 20, 2026 · Free (£20 if accepted)
Nature photography exploring the quiet intensity of plant life. Virtual exhibition with catalogue.
Solo Exhibition May 2026 · All About Photo
April 21, 2026 · $45
Monthly featured photographer showcase. Full month online solo exhibition, interview, and press coverage.
LensCulture Critics' Choice 2026
April 22, 2026 · Free (1 image), $10/extra
20 leading critics each select 3 photographers. Top Ten receive $1,000 and exhibition at Photo London 2027.
Black & White Spider Awards 2026
April 24, 2026 · $30–$35
Leading international B&W photography award. 21st edition. 235+ title awards. Judged by Steve McCurry and others.
LSI Women in Photography Grant 2026 · Leica Society International
April 24, 2026 · $35
Theme: Where We Stand. $10,000 grant plus Leica camera and lens. Limited to first 100 applicants.
The Flow 2026 Photo Contest · Flow Trip Magazine
April 24, 2026 · $6/image
Kodak-presented contest. $50,000 in prizes across 5 categories (Film, Surf, Nature, Energy, Oneness). $6/image.
Film Photo Award 2026
April 26, 2026 · $25–$35
Three grants of professional film and processing by Praus Productions. US-based photographers only.
ND Awards 2026
April 26, 2026 · $19–$29
International competition across Architecture, Editorial, Fine Art, Nature, People, and Special categories.
Dyonyzine Issue 06 — Second Helpings
April 28, 2026 · Free
Asian-American creative arts magazine. Issue themed around food — a meal is never just a meal. Free to submit.
AAP Magazine #57 Portrait · All About Photo
April 28, 2026 · $30–$35
Portrait photography competition. $1,000 cash prize, publication in AAP Magazine, and global recognition.
reFocus Awards - Color Photography Contest
April 29, 2026 · $25–$50
Celebrating color photography. Cash prizes and digital gallery placement.
Night Aesthetics · Fotografiska
April 30, 2026 · Free
Exploring the visual world of the night — light, movement, atmosphere. Three winners receive €2,500 each.
EDITION 502 — Open Call for Photo Edition
April 30, 2026 · Free
Independent 6x9 photo edition of 12 small photographs. All production and distribution costs covered.
Life Framer — Colors
April 30, 2026 · $20–$100
Monthly competition judged by Jimmy Marble. Winners exhibited in New York, Tokyo, Milan, and Arles.
International Photography Awards 2026
April 30, 2026 · $20–$40
One of the most prestigious annual competitions. 23rd edition. $60,000 prize pool across eleven categories.
Photo Journalism Prize 2026
April 30, 2026 · €20–€25
International award for editorial and documentary photography. 11 categories including Conflict and Human Rights.
Gomma Black and White Photo Award 2026
April 30, 2026 · €29
Project-based B&W competition. Submit 8-24 images. Winners published in a dedicated book. 3rd edition.
International Aerial Photographer of the Year 2026
April 30, 2026 · $22
Celebrating aerial photography from all platforms — drones, planes, helicopters, mountains, and skyscrapers.
Luz e Sombra — National Photography Competition · Égide — Associação Portuguesa das Artes
April 30, 2026 · Free
Portuguese competition exploring light and shadow. Six finalists published in artist-edition book and traveling exhibition.
New Wave Photography Award 2026 · Lightbox Photo Library
April 30, 2026 · TWD 1,200
Biennial award for emerging photographers. Judged by 16 curators from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
Outdoor Photography Magazine — Spring Landscapes
April 30, 2026 · Free
Submit spring landscape images for Outdoor Photography Magazine (UK). Winner receives walking poles.
DPPF 2026 Sports Photography Grants
May 1, 2026 · Free
Seven $5,000 grants for emerging sports photographers plus mentorship. Up to 3 additional $2,500 grants.
Daylight Photo Awards 2026
May 1, 2026 · $35
Competition recognizing outstanding work. Top prize includes cash and digital portfolio. Monograph opportunity.
Lenscratch Motherhood Exhibition
May 1, 2026 · Free
Online exhibition exploring all dimensions of motherhood — chosen families, caregiving, absence, and resilience.
Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize 2026
May 1, 2026 · £10
Annual prize on the theme of JOY. All visual art media including photography. No AI.
This Is a Person · Decagon Gallery
May 3, 2026 · $25
Portrait photography exploring interior life over surface identity. ~10-12% acceptance rate.
Exposure One Awards - One Shot Photo Contest
May 4, 2026 · $25–$50
Black and white photography celebration. Cash prizes, digital gallery, and artist directory placement.
100 Emerging Artworks of 2026 · Arts to Hearts Project
May 4, 2026 · $35
100 artists selected for a hardcover collector's book distributed globally. $1,000 top prize. All mediums.
Fieldwork Photo Journal — Issue Two: The Embodied Weight of Place
May 6, 2026 · $25
Print publication on place, memory, and history. Featured: Kristine Potter. Up to 30 photographers selected.
PhMuseum Days 2026 Open Call
May 7, 2026 · $28 early bird / $34
International festival competition. 4 solo exhibitions plus additional opportunities. All approaches welcome.
F-Stop Magazine Issue #137 — Open Theme
May 9, 2026 · Free
No theme — all fine art and documentary photography welcome. Published since 2004.
Europe — Carlotta Gallery
May 10, 2026 · Free (£20 if accepted)
Exploring Europe as a negotiation between tradition and innovation, memory and experimentation. Virtual exhibition.
The Hopper Prize Grants
May 12, 2026 · $40
$13,000 total: 2 artists x $4,500 and 4 artists x $1,000. All visual art media eligible.
SHADOW PLAY 2026 · Cape Cod Art Center
May 17, 2026 · $15
Online photography exhibit exploring shadow and light. Any interpretation. Cash prizes.
MonoVisions Black & White Photography Awards 2026
May 17, 2026 · $25–$30
International B&W competition across 12 categories including Abstract, Architecture, Fine Art, and Street.
Candid — Carlotta Gallery
May 20, 2026 · Free (£20 if accepted)
The art of attention — rooted in presence, patience, and trust in the unfolding moment. Virtual exhibition.
Masterclasses Program 2026/2027 · PhMuseum
May 28, 2026 · Paid
Online masterclasses by Aaron Schuman, Charlie Engman, Erik Kessels, Salvatore Vitale, and Vasantha Yoganathan.
Life Framer — Portraits
May 31, 2026 · $20–$100
Monthly competition judged by Robin Hammond. Winners exhibited in New York, Tokyo, Milan, and Arles.
The Hand Magazine - Issue #53 Summer 2026
May 31, 2026 · $15–$30
International publication for photographic printmaking and hand-printed work. No theme. Must be a subscriber.
Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2026
May 31, 2026 · $17–$68
Celebrating realistic landscape photography. No AI or compositing. RAW file checks for finalists.
Flanelle Print No. 47 — July 2026
June 1, 2026 · Free
Montreal fashion and arts magazine. Quarterly print and digital with international distribution. Est. 2012.
Lenscratch Student Prize 2026
June 1, 2026 · Free
Annual prize for student photographers. $2,000 first prize plus mentorship with Aline Smithson.
Working Assumptions Project Grants 2026 · Working Assumptions
June 1, 2026 · Free
Six $10,000 grants for photography projects exploring family. Unrestricted funding for journalistic, artistic, or educational work.
Mangrove Photography Awards 2026 · Mangrove Action Project
June 1, 2026 · Free
Free conservation photography awards — 6 categories. $1,000 Photographer of the Year + category prizes. Young photographer award.
JUST ADD WATER · Art Fluent
June 5, 2026 · $25
Exploring water — oceans, rain, rivers, puddles. Online exhibition. Boston, MA.
2026 Booooooom Art & Photo Book Award
June 5, 2026 · Free (zines) / $20 (books)
8 projects (6 books, 2 zines) fully published for free. Books 100 copies, zines 25 copies. Free zine entry.
Denis Roussel Award 2026 · Rfotofolio
June 7, 2026 · Free (donation optional)
For historical and alternative photographic processes including silver gelatin. $2,000 main award.
Summer — Carlotta Gallery
June 10, 2026 · Free (£20 if accepted)
Summer experienced differently across the world — intensity, brightness, stillness. Virtual exhibition.
FLORA — Shutter Hub Editions Publication
June 11, 2026 · £15+
Printed photobook celebrating plant life and natural growth. Pay-what-you-can entry, £15 minimum.
Lenscratch Fatherhood Exhibition
June 13, 2026 · Free
Online exhibition exploring fatherhood as an evolving role shaped by culture, responsibility, and tenderness.
PN Awards 2026 — Book Prize & Project Grant · Photography Network
June 15, 2026 · Free
Book prize for innovation in photography scholarship. Project grant for emerging scholars and curators.
photoED Magazine — Home VS Away (Issue #77)
June 15, 2026 · $20 CAD
Fine art projects investigating home, being away, or the tension between. Published in print edition.
Black and White Photo Awards 2026
June 15, 2026 · €15 per category
International B&W competition — 6 categories incl. Architecture, Street, Landscape. €1,500 absolute winner + €200 per category.
Evolution Grant · Art Fluent
June 19, 2026 · $35
Unrestricted $1,000 grant per cycle for individual artists with recognized artistic excellence.
Lenscratch Fault Lines: America Exhibition
June 19, 2026 · Free
Online exhibition examining tensions and transformations across America. Timed for July 4th.
Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026
June 30, 2026 · Free
Celebrating the funniest moments in wildlife photography. Free entry. Grand prize: Kenya safari for two.
Apparently in America — Artist Award 2026
July 4, 2026 · $10
Photography award on American identity. $500 prize. Fee waivers available. Founded by curator Francesca Hummler.
Home · Photography 4 Humanity
July 12, 2026 · Free
Exploring home — safety, belonging, dignity. Selected works exhibited at the United Nations HQ in New York.
Epson International Pano Awards 2026
July 13, 2026 · $20–$22
World's largest panoramic photography competition. $50K+ prizes incl. $15K cash. New Aerial category. Open, Amateur, VR/360.
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize — MPB Photography Award 2026
July 17, 2026 · $40
Representational photography. $3,000 first prize + exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco. No AI.
HER.SELF · Art Fluent
July 17, 2026 · $25
Celebrating women in all complexities — presence, resilience, beauty, becoming. 100% commission-free sales.
Manipulation & Illusion · Co-Ex Collaborative
July 19, 2026 · Free
Explore perception, belief, identity, and power through illusion and manipulation. All disciplines. Free, open worldwide.
Chromatic Photography Awards 2026
July 19, 2026 · $17–$22
International color competition across 20 categories. Separate Professional and Amateur divisions.
photoED Magazine — Real VS Imagined
September 9, 2026 · $20 CAD
Fine art projects engaging with what is real versus imagined. Published in print and digital editions.
Lucie Foundation Photo Book Prize 2026
September 15, 2026 · $50–$75
Celebrating innovative photographic books. Three categories. $3,000 Book of the Year. Open worldwide.
Atlas of Ruins Vol.3 — Call for Photos · Reuse Italy
October 1, 2026 · €10–€30
Photographs of architectural ruins from anywhere in the world for a printed book. Three registration tiers.
World Cyanotype Day · AlternativePhotography.com
October 2, 2026 · Free
Annual international celebration of the cyanotype process. Submit your cyanotype work to be featured.
Exibart Street Photography Contest — 5th Edition
October 15, 2026 · €10–€49
International street contest by Italy's leading art magazine. Leica Q3 grand prize. Five categories.
World Anthotype Day · AlternativePhotography.com
October 31, 2026 · Free
Annual celebration of plant-based photographic printing processes. Entries open August through October.
Monochrome Awards 2026
November 15, 2026 · $22–$27
International B&W competition with 14 categories. Professional and amateur divisions. Annual book.
Annual Photography Awards 2026
December 13, 2026 · $25–$40
8th edition. Five main categories, 25 subcategories. Looking for bold and innovative approaches.
Fotografiska Emerging Artist Platform
Continuous · Free
Multiple open calls for emerging photographers. Exhibitions at Fotografiska museums and the UN Headquarters.
Innovate Grants - Quarterly Grants
Continuous · $35
Quarterly grants: 2 x $1,800 (one photographer, one artist). 12 honorable mentions per cycle.
Analog Forever Magazine — Calls for Entry
Continuous · Free
High-quality print magazine for film and analog photography. Also runs themed online group exhibitions.
Open Doors Takeovers
Continuous · £17
Discovery account featuring artist takeovers. Connected to UNSEEN art fair and Approche.
Tomorrow's Talent - Open Submissions · Booooooom
Continuous · Free
Global platform featuring emerging artists. Potential feature and inclusion in book series.
Zone Magazine — Open Submissions
Continuous · Free
International photography zine. No genre restrictions. Open to all ages worldwide. Year-round submissions.
Burn Magazine — Open Submissions
Continuous · Free
Photography magazine founded by David Alan Harvey (Magnum). Photo essays and multimedia on any subject.
Phases Magazine — Open Submissions
Continuous · Free
International contemporary photography magazine publishing 3 portfolios per issue.
Noice Magazine — Open Submissions
Continuous · $10–$50
Print-to-order magazine with themed issues. Minimalism, social issues, and humor. Limited editions.
Incandescent Zine — Color Film Photography
March 1, 2026 · Free
Bi-annual zine exclusively for color film photography. No digital. Published by Pine Island Press, Portland, Oregon.
Curatory Magazine Vol. 15 — Open Call
March 10, 2026 · Free (€30–€50 if accepted)
International print and online magazine seeking artists working in any visual medium. Featured in print and digital editions.
Temporary Storage · Container Media
March 15, 2026 · Free
Online photo-based exhibition exploring duration, process, and time as material.
Innovate Grants - Winter $1,800 Grants
March 19, 2026 · $35
Two $1,800 quarterly grants for visual artists and photographers. Twelve honorable mentions also featured.
Dek Unu Magazine - Monthly Artist Feature
March 20, 2026 · Free
International not-for-profit journal publishing one accomplished artist monthly in print and online.
this place is strange · midwest nice art
March 20, 2026 · $5
Virtual exhibition seeking the weird underbelly of place — folklore, rust belt decay, uncanny moments.
Creatura Magazine Issue 02 — What We Call Home
March 22, 2026 · €15
Indie print magazine exploring the idea of home — not only as physical space but as emotional territory.
10x10 Photobooks Research Grants Cycle 5
March 23, 2026 · Free
Three $2,500 grants supporting research on photobooks from Africa and its diaspora.
The Human Portrait · Photo Artfolio
March 25, 2026 · $20
Global online exhibit honoring portraiture in all forms — documentary, fine art, street, conceptual, and experimental.
MUSE Photography Awards 2026 · International Awards Associate
March 26, 2026 · $25–$55
International competition across 14+ categories. Professional and Amateur divisions. Winners featured on Muse.World.
International Color Awards 2026
March 27, 2026 · $30–$35
19th annual international color photography competition. 235+ title awards across 35 categories.
The Idle Class — Photography Issue
March 27, 2026 · Free
Open call for photographers of all genres for the upcoming Photography Issue of The Idle Class Magazine.
The Woman Artist Award — 6th Edition · Arts to Hearts Project
March 27, 2026 · $12
Global art prize celebrating emerging and mid-career women artists. Open theme, any medium including photography.
Contemporary Trends in Beauty · L.A. Photo Curator
March 29, 2026 · $25
Handcrafted prints using alternative photographic processes. Final print must be handmade. No AI-generated images.
Photographers Without Borders Revolutionary Storyteller Grant
March 30, 2026 · Free
Three $5,000 grants for impact-driven photography projects focused on environment and climate change.
Abstract Visions · Artdoc Photography Magazine
March 30, 2026 · Free
Abstraction as a way of seeing, sensing, and surviving. Projects communicating through atmosphere, rhythm, and form.
Color/less — Cambridge Photography Gallery
March 30, 2026 · Free (£15 if accepted)
Dedicated to color and its absence. Any approach to constructing the color space of the image welcome.
HNDL Magazine — PRIDE Issue
March 30, 2026 · Free
Indie publication by and for neurodivergent, disabled, and chronically ill creatives. Accepting photography and more.
Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award 2026 · International Women's Media Foundation
March 31, 2026 · Free
Honoring courageous photojournalism by women, nonbinary, and gender-diverse creatives. Named after Pulitzer winner.
Bibin Photography Magazine #5 — Body, Form & Condition
March 31, 2026 · Free
Quarterly magazine from Afghanistan. Issue #5 explores the body through formalist reading — volume, surface, condition.
Field Notes — Aurea Photogallery
March 31, 2026 · Free (€30 if accepted)
Photographs as visual observations — moments collected while moving through the world. Online exhibition with catalogue.
Life Framer — Black & White
March 31, 2026 · $20–$100
Monthly competition judged by Léa Thouin. Winners exhibited in New York, Tokyo, Milan, and Arles. $24,000 annual prizes.
Mini Artist Grant for Emerging & Mid-Career Artists · Photo Trouvee Magazine
March 31, 2026 · $10
Grant for emerging and mid-career artists working with found photography and alternative processes.
Colour Calendar Event · AlternativePhotography.com
March 31, 2026 · Free
Annual event inviting artists to introduce colour into monochrome alternative processes — cyanotype, chemigram, anthotype.
2026 Street Photo Award · The Independent Photographer
March 31, 2026 · $15–$40
Monthly street photography competition. $1,000 winner prize, PBC Gallery London exhibition. $2,700 total pool.
AAP Magazine #56 Shadows · All About Photo
March 31, 2026 · $30–$35
Mastering shadows in photography. $1,000 cash prize, publication, and global recognition.
Night Works · Decagon Gallery
March 31, 2026 · $10–$25
Seeking images made after dark where night is not simply a setting but an active collaborator.
FeelsZine Issue 26 — Desire
March 31, 2026 · Free
Canadian creative zine. Issue 26 themed around desire. Accepts photography, illustration, collage, and more.
Outdoor Photography Magazine — Creative Wildlife
March 31, 2026 · Free
Submit creative wildlife images for Outdoor Photography Magazine (UK). Winner receives Celestron binoculars.
People 2026 · Grid Photo Gallery
March 31, 2026 · €7
Exploring the human figure across all approaches — portraits, documentary, street, and studio. Online exhibition.
European Landscapes Open Call · Soft Publishing
March 31, 2026 · Free
Photographs of European landscapes for a printed photo book. No manipulated or AI-generated photos.
Northern Europe Landscapes Open Call · Soft Publishing
March 31, 2026 · Free
Northern European natural and rural landscapes (no buildings) for a printed photo book. No AI-generated photos.
Photobook Feature — In Focus · Der Greif
March 31, 2026 · PWYC
Photobooks featured in Der Greif's Articles section with editorial write-up. Self-published and small-edition welcome.
Counter Histories Puerto Rico · Magnum Foundation
April 1, 2026 · Free
Fellowship for photographers engaging with Puerto Rico and its diaspora. 8-month virtual fellowship, up to 8 recipients.
Guest Room: Shana Lopes & Aspen Mays · Der Greif
April 2, 2026 · PWYC
Theme: "A Little Bit of Magic" — doubling, sleight of hand, constructed realities, illusion. Curated for Der Greif.