Belfast Photo Festival

The Belfast Photo Festival is a globally recognized photography event held annually in Belfast, UK/Ireland. It provides opportunities for emerging and established photographers to showcase their work in exhibitions and gain significant international exposure. The festival is described as “One of the best photography festivals in the world” (Capture Magazine).

The 2025 Open Submission invites photographers of all backgrounds to submit their work for review by an influential international jury. Selected photographers will have their work exhibited at the festival, included in media campaigns, and considered for awards and cash prizes.

Information & Application Details:

Submission Opens: October 3, 2024
Deadline: February 15, 2025
Artist Notifications: April 2025
Public Announcement: April 2025
Festival Opening: June 5, 2025
International Portfolio Reviews: June 20, 2025
Submission Fee: £23 / €29 per project.

Eligibility:

Open to photographers worldwide.
Open to both individuals and collectives.
Submissions must be photographic or lens-based, but can integrate other art forms such as performance, painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc.

Theme:

Open theme to reduce barriers.
Accepts all photographic styles, including interdisciplinary approaches.

How to Apply:

Submissions via Picter.com – Follow instructions on the platform.
Submission Categories:
1. Photographs – 1 to 15 images from a series, project, or work in development.
2. Photo-Books – At least one image of the book (cover, dummy, or interior pages).

Submission Requirements:

Upload images and project details on Picter.com.
No specific size or format restrictions, but work should be high quality.

Selection Process:

A jury of influential photography professionals will review submissions.
20 to 40 finalists will be selected for exhibition.
Public announcement of selected artists: April 2025.

Program Benefits/Awards:

Spotlight Award – £2,000 (Approx. $2,700 / €2,300) cash prize.
Exhibition opportunities at the largest photography festival in the UK/Ireland and Photo Schwiez Festival (Switzerland, 2026).
Portfolio exposure to influential photography professionals and institutions (e.g., Tate, MoMA, Aperture).
Inclusion in festival materials, social media, website, and international press campaigns (115M reach in 2024).
Instagram Residency for selected photographers.
Publication in Abridged Magazine (Festival Edition).
Editorial features in Aesthetica and Abridged Magazine.
1-Year Membership in the Royal Photographic Society for the Spotlight Award winner.