Organizer Information
Durum Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., known through its pasta brand Arbella Makarna, is a Turkish food manufacturer based in Mersin, Turkey, exporting products to close to 80 countries. The company has organized the Arbella International Photography Contest for sixteen consecutive years as part of its social responsibility and corporate identity initiatives, with earlier editions built around themes connecting food, culture, and everyday life — including "Migration," "Nature and Humanity," "Peace in the World," and "The Magic of Taste." The contest is recognized by the Photographic Arts Federation of Turkey (TFSF) and carries verification codes from FIAP (International Federation of Photographic Art) and GPU (Global Photographic Union) in past editions, positioning it within internationally patronized photography competition circuits.
Title & Description
16th Arbella International Photography Contest 2026
Marking the 200th anniversary of the invention of photography, the sixteenth edition of the Arbella International Photography Contest is built around two categories: "Beauty of Imperfection," which asks participants to explore the aesthetics, emotions, and stories found in details that fall outside conventional notions of perfection, and "Open," which allows participants to work without subject restriction. This year's edition also introduces "Future Viewfinder," a new award programme specifically for photographers aged 18–24, which extends beyond prize money to include participation in physical workshop programmes to be held in Istanbul for selected young photographers.
Theme
Beauty of Imperfection (main category) and Open (unrestricted category); the overall 2026 edition frames itself around photography's 200th anniversary as a medium of visual storytelling and human memory.
Categories
- Photography
Eligibility
- Open to individual participants aged 18 and over; team or group participation is not accepted
- Only photographs taken on or after 1 January 2021 are eligible
- Photographs previously exhibited or published outside this contest are still eligible
- Members of the selection committee, members of the organizing committee, and their first-degree relatives may not participate
- "Future Viewfinder" awards apply only to participants aged 18–24, automatically evaluated within this pool based on age when entering the Beauty of Imperfection or Open categories
Program Benefits & Awards
- Grand Prize (Winner of the Contest): 2,500 USD
- Beauty of Imperfection category: First Place 1,500 USD / Second Place 1,000 USD / Third Place 750 USD
- Beauty of Imperfection, Future Viewfinder (ages 18–24): 750 USD
- Open category: First Place 1,500 USD / Second Place 1,000 USD / Third Place 750 USD
- Open, Future Viewfinder (ages 18–24): 750 USD
- Future Viewfinder recipients also receive access to physical workshop programmes held in Istanbul
- Up to 26 photographs from the Main and Open categories will be presented in an exhibition
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 6 September 2026
- Jury evaluation: 12 September 2026
- Results announced: 25 September 2026
Location
Istanbul, Turkey
Additional Details
- Selection Committee: Barbara Di Maio (Founding Partner, Women in Street Italy), Coşkun Aral (war correspondent, documentary film and TV producer), Ercan Arslan (journalist, photojournalist), İlkay Öztürk (Founder, FoodArtStudio), and Sumru Gözaydın (Marketing Communications Manager, Arbella Makarna); the committee requires at least 3 members present to meet; otherwise, results are postponed by one week
- Copyright of submitted photographs remains with the photographer; however, awarded, honorable mention, or exhibition-selected works may be used by Durum Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. and its partners across print and digital media for promotion, communication, and archiving, with author credit and no additional royalty paid
- Photographs cannot be sold or transferred to third parties for commercial purposes by the organizer
- Award winners must claim their rights within 1 year of results announcement or forfeit them if requested information/documents are not submitted
- Participants are solely responsible for any legal disputes (copyright infringement, personal rights violations) arising from submitted photograph content
- Violation of contest rules results in cancellation of award/exhibition rights and reclaiming of any awards given, without affecting other participants' rankings
- The Organizing Committee may change the contest calendar if deemed necessary