12 international competitions for artists and photographers in the second half of 2026 — prizes, exhibitions and open calls

We have prepared this selection for artists, photographers and visual creators looking for international art competitions for artists and photographers with upcoming deadlines in the second half of 2026. It brings together international open calls, art awards and contemporary art competitions that offer cash prizes, exhibition opportunities, international publications and valuable professional connections.
The competitions are arranged by application deadline — from the closest deadlines to the later ones — making it easier to choose opportunities that you still have enough time to prepare for without rushing.
It is important to remember that a competition is about much more than winning a prize. For many artists and photographers, participating is an opportunity to present their practice to an international jury, connect with curators, be featured in professional catalogues, exhibitions and publications.
That is why we briefly explain who each opportunity is best suited for, when it makes sense to apply, and what key details should be considered before submitting an application.

International Day of Light Photo Contest
An annual international photography competition run by SPIE, dedicated to the International Day of Light. The winner receives $2,500, two runners-up get $1,000 and $500, and a separate Judges’ Choice for Best of Science award is worth $1,000. The best images are published on SPIE’s international platforms with the author’s name credited.
Suitable if: you photograph light in any of its forms — from natural phenomena and urban scenes to scientific discoveries and laser technology — and you are 18 or older.
May not be suitable if: you are under 18 or the theme of light is not clearly present in the image.
Application deadline — 16 September 2026.

Earth Partner Prize 2026
A competition by Art Partner and Earth Partner, held with GEF and Re:wild. The $10,000, $5,000 and $2,000 prize fund is shared between 8 finalists, another 20 receive an honourable mention, and a nine-person jury — including Serpentine Galleries curator Hans Ulrich Obrist — brings the work to Art Partner’s nearly 420,000 followers.
Suitable if: you are 14 to 30 years old and ready to explore the climate theme in any medium, from photo and video to performance and dance.
May not be suitable if: you are over 30 or your theme is unrelated to climate and ecology.
Application deadline — 7 October 2026.

LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2027
An applied-art prize worth €50,000 for makers who create original, handmade work. You can enter individually or as a collective, and there are no restrictions based on country of residence.
Suitable if: you are a professional maker aged 18 or older, you work by hand with your material, and the piece was made within the last five years.
May not be suitable if: your practice is conceptual or digital art.
Application deadline — 15 October 2026.

Raccont’Arti
A photography competition on the theme «Beyond the Visible» with a €3,000 prize in the open category. A separate student category with its own prize fund means beginners are not competing directly against professionals.
Suitable if: you have a coherent series of 10–30 JPG images on the competition’s theme.
May not be suitable if: you want to submit individual frames instead of a series.
Application deadline — 15 October 2026.

Eurostars Grand Marina Photography Award
An international photography competition dedicated to architecture, urban environments and the visual exploration of space. Winners receive cash prizes of up to €5,000, participation in the exhibition programme and the opportunity to present their work to an international audience.
Suitable if: you work with architectural photography, visual storytelling, urban landscapes or create conceptual photo series.
May not be suitable if: you want to submit a single image instead of a series or use AI to create or substantially edit your images.
Application deadline — 20 October 2026.

Wellcome Photography Prize 2027
A photography competition about health and science with no entry fee and three prizes of €12,000 each. There are no restrictions by nationality, age or professional status — photographers, scientists, medics and personal-story authors are all welcome, and phone photos are accepted.
Suitable if: you have an image on mental health, climate, caregiving or science, taken after 31 December 2021.
May not be suitable if: the image was created or substantially edited using AI.
Application deadline — 21 October 2026.

NordArt 2027
An open call for one of Europe’s largest exhibitions, with a €10,000 prize. Any medium is accepted — painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video, large-format works for the sculpture park — with selection led by a team headed by Wolfgang Gramm.
Suitable if: you are an artist from any country and are ready to wait for a decision until mid-February 2027.
May not be suitable if: you need a competition with a quick result.
Application deadline — 31 October 2026.

Sony World Photography Awards
Free to enter, with a prize of up to $25,000 (Single Image). Four independent categories — Student, Youth, Series, Single Image — each with its own age limits and deadlines.
Suitable if: you have a strong single image or series that fits the rules of your category.
May not be suitable if: you are applying for Student — it is open only to students at partner universities.
Application deadline — 27 November 2026 (Student), 5 January 2027 (Single Image and Youth), 12 January 2027 (Series).

Erich-Sokol-Preis
A caricature competition with a prize fund of over €30,000, open regardless of citizenship or professional status — both established caricaturists and self-taught authors can enter. The theme is chosen by the artist, and any technique is accepted, from pencil to digital caricature.
Suitable if: you are 18 or older and can show 4–10 works from the last two years.
May not be suitable if: you are under 18.
Application deadline — 31 December 2026.

Kickstarter Culture Fund
Support for campaigns that are already live, starting from $1,000. Citizenship does not matter — what counts is the address on your account verification, and the list, while closed, is not short: 25 countries, including the UK, Germany, Poland, Japan and Singapore.
Suitable if: your project is about culture or art, the campaign is already published on Kickstarter.com, and your account address is on the list of countries.
May not be suitable if: your account address is not on the list of 25 countries.
Application deadline — 31 December 2026.

PleinAir Salon
A monthly painting and drawing competition, with a $15,000 prize and a cover feature in PleinAir Magazine. Now in its 15th edition, with no residency or gallery-representation requirements.
Suitable if: you work in traditional painting or drawing, including plein air.
May not be suitable if: your work is photography, digital, AI-generated imagery or 3D art.
Application deadline — entries are accepted monthly, on a rolling basis, until the last day of each month.

Larnaca Biennale 2027
An international contemporary art biennale where selected artists will exhibit their work in Larnaca, while the winners will receive 13 international awards and honorary titles, including the Grand Prix and the WAVA “Artist of the World” and “Artist of the Mediterranean” awards.
Suitable if: you work in contemporary art, photography, video, installation, performance or interdisciplinary practices and want to present a project at an international biennale.
May not be suitable if: you are not prepared to arrange the shipping and return of your artworks yourself or pay the registration fee.
Application deadline — 31 March 2027.