Marta Hoepffner Prize 2026 — black-and-white photography competition with a prize of €3,000 and an exhibition in Germany
Photography often uses mirrors as an artistic tool: reflections can change perspective, reveal hidden details or transform reality into metaphor.
This is the idea behind the international Marta Hoepffner Prize for Photography 2026, whose theme is “Behind the Mirror.”
The prize is named after German photographer Marta Hoepffner (1912–2000) and has been supporting the development of artistic black-and-white photography for many years.
The organisers seek not only to preserve the memory of her work, but also to show the public new directions in contemporary photography. The winner will receive a cash prize of €3,000, and the selected works will be presented at an exhibition at the Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus in Germany.
What the competition is about
Marta Hoepffner Prize is an annual international competition for authors working with artistic photography. The jury considers series or individual works created in black-and-white photography.
Submissions may belong to different genres of photography:
portrait, landscape, architectural, still life, documentary or experimental photography.
What matters here is not a specific category, but the artistic interpretation of the theme and the author’s perspective.
Applicants must submit three to five photographs created no more than two years ago. These may be handmade prints (baryta, alternative processes) or high-quality digital prints. The maximum format is 40 × 50 cm without frames.
Who is this competition for
The competition is aimed at authors at the early stages of their professional careers.
Professional photographers and artists in the first five years of their careers, students in their fourth semester or above, and participants in their final year of professional training are eligible to apply.
This makes the award particularly interesting for those who have already developed their own artistic language but are still in the process of establishing their professional practice.
Entries can be either individual works or small series. It is important that they are united by the author’s idea and correspond to the theme of the competition.
What selected participants receive
The main prize of the competition is €3,000.
In addition, the jury will select a number of works to participate in an exhibition at the Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, where they will be displayed alongside the winner’s work.
All photographers whose works are included in the exhibition will receive two copies of the exhibition catalogue.
How to apply
To participate, you must fill out the application form, prepare 3–5 black-and-white prints up to 40 × 50 cm in size, indicate the title, technique, year and author’s name on the back of each work, and attach brief information about the author and the work.
Works should be sent by post to the Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus (Germany).
Participation in the competition requires a registration fee of €25, which is used to cover organisational costs.
Competition theme: “Behind the Mirror”
In this theme, the mirror acts not only as an object, but also as a metaphor for reflection, inner vision and the duality of reality. It can open up new perspectives, challenge familiar images or reveal hidden states.
Participants are invited to explore this theme through their own artistic language and offer an original visual interpretation.
The deadline for submitting applications is 15 April 2026.
The results of the competition will be announced in May 2026, and the exhibition and award ceremony will take place on 12 July 2026.
