Organizer Information
Founded in London in 1853 as the Photographic Society of London, the Royal Photographic Society received royal patronage from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in its founding year, and became known as the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain from 1894 onward. It is the world's oldest photographic society, having been in continuous existence since 1853, and has been a registered charity since 1962, holding a royal charter granted in 2004. Its headquarters are in Bristol, England, and its membership numbers around 11,000, spanning amateur and professional photographers, scientists, and educators worldwide.
Each year the Society presents its RPS Awards, described on its own awards pages as the world's longest-running photography prize, recognizing individuals across the art, science, education, curation, and criticism of still and moving image photography.
Title & Description
Royal Photographic Society Awards 2026 — Nomination Period
The RPS Awards recognise individuals working across the art and science of still and moving image photography, in the promotion of photography and photographic education, and in furtherance of the Society's aims and objectives. Nominations are currently open for the 2026 award cycle, covering a set of named medals and honorary distinctions rather than a single prize. Anyone may submit a nomination; nominees do not need to be RPS members, and self-nomination is not permitted.
Categories
- Photography
- Video/Film
- Curatorial
- Research
- Educations
- Environment
- Art Critic
- Culture
Eligibility
- Nominations are open to individuals working in the art, science, education, curatorship, criticism, or publishing of still and moving image photography
- Nominees do not need to be current RPS members; several award categories are explicitly open to "Members or non-Members"
- Self-nomination is not permitted — nominees must be put forward by someone else
- Multiple nominations across multiple categories are permitted from the same nominator
- The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography is restricted to nominees under the age of 30
- The RPS Honorary Fellowship is capped at no more than two recipients per year
- The RPS Fenton Medal is capped at up to four recipients per year
- Where a nomination is made for a team, the nomination must specify each person's individual role and contribution to the initiation, development, and exploitation of the work being recognized
Program Benefits & Awards
- RPS Fenton Medal — awarded with Honorary Membership, for dedicated service and voluntary contribution to the Society (up to four awarded per year)
- RPS President's Medal — awarded with Honorary Membership, for sustained dedicated service and voluntary contribution to the Society
- RPS Centenary Medal — awarded with Honorary Fellowship, for outstanding contribution to the art of photography
- RPS Progress Medal — awarded with Honorary Fellowship, for outstanding invention, research, publication, or contribution advancing the science or technology of photography or imaging science
- RPS Eastlake Medal — awarded with Honorary Fellowship, for contribution to public appreciation, enjoyment, or understanding of photography through education, criticism, research, curatorship, or publishing
- RPS Award for Photography Education — awarded with Honorary Fellowship
- RPS Award for Photography Curatorship, Criticism or Research — awarded with Honorary Fellowship
- RPS Award for Photography Publishing — awarded with Honorary Fellowship
- RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility — awarded with Honorary Fellowship, for use of photography to raise public awareness of environmental issues
- RPS Award for Social Impact — awarded with Honorary Fellowship, for use of photography to raise public awareness of social issues
- RPS Honorary Fellowship — awarded for significant personal achievement in the art, science/technology, or public appreciation of photography (no more than two awarded per year)
- RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (under 30yrs) — recognizes notable personal contribution or achievement by a photographer under age 30
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Nomination Deadline: 23 August 2026
Location
Bristol, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- Nominators may submit as many nominations, across as many categories, as they wish
- Self-nomination is explicitly disallowed
- The Society has adopted a wide definition of photography, covering the art or science of recording light or other radiation on any medium capable of producing an image
- Previous years' award winners (2025) are referenced as a guide for nominators assessing category fit
- A summary of the RPS Data Protection Policy, including data subject rights, is available from the Society on request
- Questions about the nomination process can be directed to awards@rps.org