Organizer Information
Held annually for over 20 years in Getxo (Basque Country, Spain), the Getxophoto International Image Festival is a visual arts platform committed to the radical defense of public space—both physical and digital—as an open arena for experimentation, collective memory, and public engagement. Getxophoto prioritizes open-air installations and site-specific interventions that reimagine urban environments and create horizontal, participatory connections with audiences.
Title & Description
2027 Getxophoto Open Call (10th Edition): "Tide" — Call for Visual Projects
Getxophoto has launched the 10th Edition of its Open Call for the 21st edition of the Festival, taking place in Getxo, Spain, from 27 May to 20 June 2027. Curated around the central theme Tide, the call invites visual artists and photographers worldwide to submit proposals using photography, video, actions, digital art, or installations. Interrogating images as dynamic, moving forces that shift boundaries, resurface memory, and shape collective resistance, the open call will select twelve finalist projects and three main winning artists to be produced and exhibited across Getxo’s public spaces.
Thematic Concept: "Tide"
Curated under the theme Tide (conceived by Cale Garrido), the festival approaches photography not as a static, isolated object, but as a fluid practice in constant movement. The theme explores how images circulate, change context, disappear, and re-emerge to offer new vantage points. It calls for visual projects that engage with social, political, or cultural currents—making visible what was hidden, unsettling fixed narratives, transforming memory, or envisioning collective action and resistance.
Categories
The call accepts Photography, Video, Lens-Based Media, Installations, Digital Art, and Multi-Format Visual Practices.
Eligibility
- Geographic & Career Scope: Open unconditionally to visual artists, lens-based storytellers, and photographers of all nationalities, ages, and career levels worldwide.
- Submission Languages: Applications and project descriptions can be submitted in English or Spanish.
- Selection Criteria: Evaluated by an international jury based on artistic quality, conceptual rigor, relevance to the "Tide" theme, gender parity, and inclusion criteria.
Program Benefits & Winners' Awards
The three winning artists will receive:
- Public Space Exhibition: Inclusion in the official program of Getxophoto 2027, with all exhibition production costs fully covered by the festival organization.
- Artist Fee: A €500 EUR participation fee.
- Travel & Lodging Support: 2 nights hotel accommodation in Getxo during Opening Week, plus up to €150 EUR in travel support.
- Media & Press Coverage: Dedicated international press and media outreach.
- Finalists: A total of 12 finalist projects will be shortlisted and promoted by the festival.
Fee Structure
- Submission Fee: €22 EUR per submitted project (processed through the Picter platform).
How to Apply
Submit your project dossier online via the official Picter open call portal.
- Picter Application Portal: 2027 Getxophoto Picter Open Call Hub
Key Dates
- Application Submission Deadline: November 3, 2026
- Festival Exhibition Run: May 27 – June 20, 2027
International Jury Panel
The 2027 jury consists of leading figures in international visual arts and photography:
- Monica Allende (Curator & Cultural Producer)
- John Fleetwood (Curator & Educator)
- Victoria Ismach (Curator & Art Professional)
- Cale Garrido (Curator of Getxophoto 2027)
Location
Initial application uploads, Picter review processing, and jury deliberations take place Online. The physical outdoor installations, exhibitions, and Opening Week events take place live in Spain at:
Getxo (Basque Country, Spain)