Organizer Information
The LAND BRANDENBURG LOTTO GmbH (LBL) is a public lottery company based in Potsdam, Germany, that actively supports cultural and artistic initiatives across the federal state of Brandenburg. In addition to its core gaming operations, LBL has established a long-standing cultural funding program that promotes artistic production, exhibitions, and cultural engagement within the region. One of its key initiatives is the Lotto Brandenburg Kunstpreis Fotografie, an award dedicated specifically to contemporary photography and photography-based artistic practices.
The prize is designed to recognize outstanding photographic work and encourage artistic development among photographers and visual artists connected to the Berlin-Brandenburg cultural region. Through financial awards and public exhibitions, the program aims to strengthen the visibility of photographic art and support artists who contribute to the evolving landscape of contemporary visual culture. The selection process is overseen by an independent professional jury consisting of curators, art historians, and practicing photographers, ensuring a transparent and merit-based evaluation of submissions.
Title & Description
Lotto Brandenburg Photography Art Prize 2026 – Open Call for Photographers and Visual Artists
The Lotto Brandenburg Art Prize Photography 2026 invites photographers and visual artists working with photographic media to submit their artistic work for consideration. The prize supports contemporary photography and photographic practices that demonstrate strong artistic vision, technical quality, and conceptual depth.
Applicants are free to submit works on any thematic subject, as the competition does not impose a specific theme or conceptual limitation. Instead, the jury evaluates submissions based on the artistic interpretation, photographic quality, and the conceptual strength of the proposed body of work.
Selected prize recipients will not only receive significant financial awards but will also be invited to participate in a public exhibition program. The winning works will be presented in exhibitions organized by the awarding body between July and November 2026, including a presentation during the official prize ceremony and a subsequent exhibition hosted either at the headquarters of LBL in Potsdam or at another cultural institution in the Brandenburg region.
The award therefore functions both as a financial prize and a professional exhibition opportunity, providing visibility for artists working with photography while promoting the cultural landscape of Brandenburg and the broader Berlin-Brandenburg creative community.
Categories
Photography
Fine Art Photography
Visual Arts (Photography-based work)
Contemporary Art
Mixed Media with Photographic Elements
Eligibility
The competition is open to photographers and visual artists who work with photographic media and meet the following requirements:
- Applicants must have their primary residence in the Berlin-Brandenburg cultural region of Germany.
- Residency must be verified by providing a copy of an official identity document showing the registered address.
- Artists must have previously exhibited their works publicly, either in solo exhibitions or group exhibitions.
- Both professional photographers and visual artists incorporating photography into their artistic practice are eligible to apply.
- There is no specific age limit stated in the call.
The prize particularly supports artists actively engaged in the regional art ecosystem while maintaining professional artistic practices.
Program Benefits & Awards
The Lotto Brandenburg Art Prize Photography 2026 offers a total prize fund of €20,000, awarded by an independent expert jury.
The prize structure is as follows:
- First Prize: €10,000 (single award, non-divisible)
- Second Prize: €10,000 or two Encouragement Awards of €5,000 each
In addition to financial support, prize recipients will benefit from:
- Participation in a public exhibition program organized by the awarding institution.
- Exhibition of the winning works during the official award ceremony exhibition.
- Additional exhibition presentation at the headquarters of LBL or another Brandenburg cultural institution.
- Opportunities to participate in up to two public presentations or exhibitions organized by the awarding body.
- Increased visibility through publications, press, and online media related to the prize.
Prize money will be transferred to the winners’ bank accounts as a single payment at the award ceremony, scheduled for 8 July 2026.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit a physical application package containing the following materials:
- Up to 15 photographic works, printed at a maximum size of A3+, unframed and without passe-partouts.
- The submitted works must be anonymized (no identifying information visible on the images).
- A written explanation of the submitted works (maximum one A4 page, anonymized).
- A short artist CV highlighting artistic development and exhibition history (not anonymized).
- Proof of residence in the Berlin-Brandenburg region (copy of ID).
- Contact details including:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Website or Instagram (if available)
Applicants must also assign a code identifier to their images to maintain anonymity during the jury evaluation process.
Books, catalogs, journals, or single-image submissions will not be accepted.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted by postal mail with the keyword “Kunstpreis Fotografie” to the following address:
LAND BRANDENBURG LOTTO GmbH
Steinstraße 104–106
14480 Potsdam
Germany
Artists may direct inquiries via email to: kunstpreis@lotto-brandenburg.de
Key Dates
Application Deadline: 20 March 2026
Jury Decision Announcement: Expected May 2026
Award Ceremony: 8 July 2026
Exhibition Period: July – November 2026
Location
Potsdam and other cultural venues in **Brandenburg, Germany
Additional Details
The jury for the Photography Art Prize 2026 consists of three professionals from the contemporary art field, including museum leadership, photography practitioners, and art historians. Members include:
- Ulrike Kremeier – Director of the Brandenburg State Museum of Modern Art
- Steffen Mühle – Photographer and cultural festival consultant
- Kristina Schrei – Curator and art historian
All submissions are handled with care by the organizing institution. Non-winning works will be returned to participants via postal service after the jury process, or can be collected in person by prior arrangement. Works submitted personally will also be made available for collection after the evaluation process.
Artists should ensure that submitted works respect copyright and third-party rights. The organizers retain the right to publish images of the awarded works for promotional purposes related to the prize across print, audiovisual, and online media.