Organizer Information
Belfast Photo Festival is a leading non-profit organization and registered charity in Northern Ireland. Described by Capture Magazine as “one of the best photography festivals in the world,” it serves as the largest annual festival of photography in the UK and Ireland. The organization is dedicated to celebrating the visual arts, supporting early-career and established artists through high-impact public exhibitions, international tours, and professional networking opportunities. The festival aims to engage over 100,000 visitors annually by transforming Belfast’s city center and outdoor spaces into a vibrant, accessible gallery.
Title & Description
Belfast Photo Festival 2026 Open Submission
The Open Submission for 2026 is an international call for photographers and lens-based artists to showcase their work during the main festival run. The theme is "Open," specifically designed to remove barriers and allow for a broad range of artistic interpretations, conceptual approaches, and aesthetic styles. The program seeks to discover high-quality photographic series and photo-books that push the boundaries of the medium, offering selected finalists a platform for global exposure, professional recognition, and inclusion in a major European touring exhibition.
Categories
- Photographs & Lens-Based Art: This includes traditional photography as well as work that combines photography with other disciplines such as performance, sculpture, painting, music, literature, or digital media.
- Photo-Book: A dedicated category for authors and publishers of photo-books (submitted as PDF proofs).
Eligibility
- Global Reach: Open to all photographers, artists, curators, archives, and collectives worldwide.
- Career Level: Applications are welcome from emerging, mid-career, and established practitioners.
- Age Limit: Applicants must be 16 years of age or older at the time of entry.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Spotlight Award: A cash prize of £2,000 (approx. $2,700 / €2,300).
- Exhibition Opportunity: 20 to 40 finalists will have their work produced and exhibited in high-traffic city center and outdoor locations in Belfast.
- European Tour: Opportunity for work to be included in a touring exhibition across Europe, including partner exposure at the 2027 Photo Schweiz Festival in Switzerland.
- Publication & Media: Permanent inclusion in the festival program, website features, and exposure through a PR campaign with a reach of 115 million.
- Editorial Awards: Full project features in Abridged Magazine and exclusive interviews with All About Photo Magazine.
- Professional Perks: All submitting artists receive a submission review by an expert jury and a discount for the 2026 Portfolio Reviews.
Application Fee
- Early Bird (until Dec 31, 2025): £22 per project.
- Standard (Jan 1 – Mar 2, 2026): £26 per project.
Application Requirements
- Image Submissions: Between 1 and 15 images from a specific series or body of work.
- Photo-Book Submissions: A PDF proof of the book and at least one reference image (e.g., cover or product shot).
- Project Information: A brief project statement, biography, and personal details.
- File Format: High-quality digital files as per Picter's technical guidelines.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Early Bird Deadline: 31 December 2025
- Final Application Deadline: 2 March 2026
- Notification Date: Early April 2026.
- Festival Launch: June 4, 2026.
- Exhibition Period: June 5 – June 30, 2026.
Location
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Additional Details
Belfast Photo Festival ensures that artists retain full copyright of their work. However, by submitting, artists grant the festival permission to use images for promotional and educational purposes related to the event. The festival covers the costs of print production for the main outdoor and indoor exhibitions, making it a highly cost-effective opportunity for international artists to exhibit at a high scale.