Organizer Information
The Villa Pérochon – CACP (Centre d’Art Photographique), based in Niort, France, organizes the Photography & Science Prize in partnership with the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Swiss Life Foundation, and ADAGP. The prize is supported by media partners Fisheye and Sciences et Avenir – La Recherche. The initiative aims to support contemporary photographic creation and encourage artistic projects that engage with scientific research and disciplines.
Title & Description
Villa Pérochon: Photography & Science Prize 2026
The Photography & Science Prize 2026 supports a professional photographer working on an unfinished photographic series that combines authorial photography and science. The project may address any scientific discipline and may be developed in France and/or internationally.
The selected photographer will receive a €6,000 grant to help complete the proposed photographic series. The completed project will subsequently be presented as an exhibition at Villa Pérochon – CACP in autumn 2027. The prize therefore supports both the development of an ongoing artistic project and its subsequent public presentation.
The proposed series must be genuinely in progress and unfinished at the time of application. It must not have previously won a prize, competition, or festival award, although projects that have previously received a grant or residency remain eligible.
Categories
- Photography
- Contemporary Photography
- Documentary / Authorial Photography
- Photography & Science
- Interdisciplinary Art
All photographic approaches are eligible, and all scientific disciplines may be explored.
Eligibility
The prize is open to professional photographers on the French artistic scene, including:
- French creators
- Photographers of any nationality who work and/or reside in France
Applicants must be developing an authorial photographic project that combines photography and science. Only individual applications are accepted for logistical reasons.
The proposed series must be unfinished and must not have previously received a prize at a competition, prize, or festival. Previous grants or residencies do not prevent eligibility.
Program Benefits & Awards
- €6,000 grant to support completion of the photographic series.
- Exhibition opportunity at Villa Pérochon – CACP in autumn 2027.
- Up to €1,000 in exhibition rights for the presentation.
- Up to €2,000 in production costs, paid directly by Villa Pérochon – CACP, either through its laboratories or an external service provider.
- Support from Villa Pérochon in facilitating the subsequent circulation of the exhibition through cultural institutions, including structures belonging to the Diagonale network.
- For subsequent exhibitions, transportation of the works and the winner's remuneration are covered by the hosting institution.
- Dedicated communication through the prize's media partners.
- Presentation of the completed series through a round table and screening at ADAGP in Paris, with the winner's attendance required.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 11 October 2026
- Jury meeting: November 6, 2026, at ADAGP, Paris
- Winner announced: November 17, 2026
- Winning project exhibition: Autumn 2027
Location
Paris, France
Additional Details
The central requirement is that the proposed work fully combines photography and science. The call is open to all scientific fields and does not prescribe a particular photographic technique or visual approach.
Applicants do not need to have already established contacts with the proposed laboratories, researchers, or academic figures. However, the statement of intent should clearly identify the scientific disciplines, research institutions, and individuals that could contribute to the development of the series.
The portfolio should demonstrate the photographer's previous practice through several completed or existing series, with three series recommended.