Fotografia Calabria Festival Award 2026

The Fotografia Calabria Festival Award is the open call of Fotografia Calabria Festival, a photography festival in southern Italy organised by the Associazione Pensiero Paesaggio. The 2026 award has no set theme, leaving room for each photographer's own vision. The winner receives €2,000, a paid publication in the Italian weekly Internazionale and an exhibition or screening at a future edition of the festival. Entries close on 15 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Italian time, and the fee is €35 per project.

The award looks for complete photographic projects, presented as a sequence of 10 to 25 images.

Who Can Apply to the Fotografia Calabria Award?

Photographers with a finished or well-developed project. The official page does not set restrictions on nationality or age. It is particularly relevant to:

• Documentary photographers and photojournalists
• Fine art photographers working in series
• Photographers looking for publication in a national magazine

What Can You Submit?

One project of 10 to 25 images in the intended sequence, on any subject. There is no theme, so choose the project you consider your strongest.

Entry Fees

€35 per project, paid by PayPal. The fee is non-refundable if you withdraw.

What Does the Winner Receive?

• €2,000 in cash, awarded by the festival
• A paid publication (worth €1,000) of a project in Internazionale magazine
• An exhibition or screening at a future edition or related event
• 12 months of visibility through the festival
• Shortlisted projects are published in an online gallery

Submission Requirements

• 10 to 25 JPEG images in sequence, with a long side between 1,000 and 2,500 pixels
• A project statement (PDF, up to three pages)
• A biography (PDF, up to one page)
• A portrait photo

Why Apply?

The combination of cash, magazine publication and exhibition is unusual for an award at this fee. Publication in Internazionale, one of Italy's most respected weekly magazines, puts your work in front of a large and engaged readership.

How to Prepare Your Project

Edit for coherence: the jury will read your images as a story, so the order matters as much as the selection. Begin with an image that sets the tone, avoid repetition, and end with a picture that stays in the mind. The statement should be clear and concise, explaining the subject, your approach and why the project matters. Keep within the file size limits to avoid problems with the upload.

About the Festival

Fotografia Calabria Festival is based in Paola, in Calabria, and is organised by the Associazione Pensiero Paesaggio. It brings contemporary photography to southern Italy through exhibitions, screenings, talks and its annual award.

Why Magazine Publication Matters

Being published in a widely read magazine puts your photographs in front of editors, curators and a general audience at the same time. A paid publication also sets a professional standard for how your work is valued. For documentary photographers in particular, publication in Internazionale is a strong credential when pitching future stories to other magazines.

Choosing Which Project to Enter

With no theme, the decision is yours. Enter the project that is most complete and most personal, rather than the one you think a jury wants. A focused story of 15 strong images is better than 25 uneven ones. Ask someone you trust to look at the edit before you submit, and read your statement aloud to check that it is clear.

Visiting Calabria

If your work is exhibited, a trip to the festival is a chance to meet other photographers, curators and the local audience, and to discover a region of Italy that is rarely seen in photography.

Things to Consider

• No theme: submit your strongest project.
• 10 to 25 images: in your intended sequence.
• Fee: €35, non-refundable.
• Deadline: 15 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. Italian time.

Apply to the Open Call

Ready to enter your project?

Apply to the Fotografia Calabria Festival Award

For the full rules and entry form, visit the official festival website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 28, 2026