PHODAR Biennial 2027: 14th Series Awards, "Traces Remain"

The PHODAR Biennial is an international photography festival and competition held in Sofia, Bulgaria, by the non-profit PHODAR Foundation. Its 14th edition is dedicated to the theme "Traces Remain", borrowed from the novel of the same name by the Bulgarian writer Pavel Vezhinov. Photographers enter one series of 8 to 20 images, in either the Grand Prize or the Debut section. The Grand Prize is €2,000, and the deadline is 1 January 2027.

Selected work is exhibited at the PHODAR festival in Sofia and published in the biennial's photobook. The festival has run since 1999.

The Theme: "Traces Remain"

Drawing on Susan Sontag's reflections in On Photography, the theme looks at the photograph as both a trace of reality and a reminder of the passage of time. It invites work on the marks that people, events and experiences leave on our surroundings and in our memory: abandoned spaces, altered landscapes, family archives, marks on the body, and the traces that remain in how we live and see. Personal histories, relationships between generations, social conflicts and changing surroundings are all possible starting points.

Sections and Prizes

• Grand Prize section: the main competition, with a €2,000 Grand Prize
• Debut section: for photographers at the start of their creative journey, without major national or international achievements
• Award for Humanistic Photography: €600, to one photographer from either section

Who Can Enter the PHODAR Biennial?

Professional and amateur photographers aged 18 and over, of any nationality. Each photographer can enter one series in one section. Collaborative series by several photographers are accepted.

What to Submit

• 8 to 20 images forming a coherent series or photo essay, from an ongoing or completed project
• Photos taken on or after 1 January 2025; long-term projects started earlier may include older images
• JPG files of at least 3,000 pixels on the longest side, numbered in the order you want them shown
• Any genre, from documentary to portraiture and conceptual work, as long as it responds to the theme

Stock photography is not permitted.

Rights

Photographers keep the copyright. The foundation prints and mounts finalists' images for the exhibition at its own expense and keeps the prints, which cannot be sold or published without the photographer's permission. Entries can be used to promote the competition and its exhibitions, with credit.

How to Enter

Upload your series at entry.phodar.net with your name, email, country and series title.

Building a Strong Series

A series of 8 to 20 images should hold together visually and tell a clear story about the theme. Start with your strongest image, vary the pace, and end with a picture that stays with the viewer. Cut anything that repeats an idea already made. If your series is part of a long-term project, choose the images that best address the traces the theme asks about. Ask someone who has not seen the work to look at your sequence before you submit.

Before You Upload

Check the technical requirements carefully: file format, size, colour space and how files should be named or numbered. Keep the original high-resolution files ready, as organisers often ask for them if your work is selected. Submit a few days before the deadline to avoid last-minute problems with uploads or payment.

Things to Consider

• One series per photographer.
• Debut section for newcomers.
• Prize fees for international transfers are deducted.
• Deadline: 1 January 2027.

Enter the Biennial

Have a series about what remains?

Enter the PHODAR Biennial

Regulations and the entry link are on the PHODAR website.

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

Last verified: November 4, 2026