Organizer Information
Photoforum Pasquart is a leading Swiss institution dedicated to contemporary Photography and lens-based visual culture. Based in Biel/Bienne, it has been active since 1993 as a platform for exhibitions, critical discourse, and emerging photographic practices. The institution is internationally recognized for supporting experimental image-making and fostering dialogue between artists, curators, and audiences.
The Prix Photoforum Open Call is one of its core annual programs, designed to identify and support contemporary photographers and artists working with expanded photographic practices, including installation, video, and digital media. Each edition brings together a jury of international experts to select artists for a major group exhibition in Switzerland.
Title & Description
Prix Photoforum 2026 – Open Call for Contemporary Photography and Lens-Based Art
The Prix Photoforum 2026 invites photographers and visual artists to submit recent projects that expand the boundaries of Photography and explore new visual perspectives. The open call welcomes both emerging and established practitioners working across documentary, conceptual, experimental, installation-based, and digital photographic practices.
Selected artists will be featured in a curated group exhibition in Biel/Bienne in December 2026, showcasing innovative approaches to image-making. A jury of internationally recognized curators, editors, and artists will select 10–15 participants based on artistic quality, conceptual strength, and originality.
The program emphasizes experimentation and encourages works created within the last two years that reflect current developments in contemporary image culture.
Categories
- Photography
- Video/Film
- Installation
- Multimedia
- Digital
- Mixed Media
- Visual Arts
- Media Arts
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
- Open to international artists and photographers
- No age restrictions
- Emerging and established artists are eligible
- Works must have been created within the last two years
- Open to all thematic and conceptual approaches
- All photographic and lens-based practices are accepted
Program Benefits & Awards
- Participation in a group exhibition at Photoforum Pasquart (Dec 2026)
- International visibility in a curated institutional exhibition
- CHF 5,000 Award/Prize for one outstanding project
- CHF 500 production and transport contribution per selected artist
- Portfolio Day with curators, editors, and experts
- Networking opportunities with international art professionals
- Institutional support and exhibition infrastructure
- Insurance coverage during the exhibition period
Application Fee
- CHF 65 standard fee
- CHF 35 for students and trainees (proof required)
- CHF 0 for Photoforum Pasquart members
Application Requirements
- Portfolio (up to 15 images of the project)
- Project description (max 2000 characters)
- Exhibition proposal (installation concept for a 5-meter wall, 1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Proof of payment or membership confirmation
- Optional: education or training certificate
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Submission Deadline: 07 July 2026
- Selection Announcement: 30 September 2026
- Exhibition Setup: 02–11 December 2026
- Opening & Award Ceremony: 12 December 2026
- Exhibition Period: 13 December 2026 – February 2027
- Portfolio Day: 16 January 2027
Location
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Additional Details
- Works must be produced and transported by selected artists (partial support provided)
- The jury's decision is final and non-negotiable
- Exhibition works are insured during the display period (with limitations for fragile works)
- Photoforum retains rights for documentation and promotional use
- Artists are expected to support the installation if required
- Sales during the exhibition are subject to a 20% commission
- International applicants are subject to the same conditions as Swiss participants
- Membership does not automatically grant free submission in future editions