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awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, 2026

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Application Deadline:

Student competition closes 28 November 2025, 13:00 (GMT)

Youth competition closes 6 January 2026, 13:00 (GMT)

Open competition (including National & Regional Awards and Alpha Female Award) closes 6 January 2026, 13:00 (GMT)

Professional competition (including Latin America Professional Award, Japan National Award, and Sustainability Prize) closes 13 January 2026, 13:00 (GMT)

LOCATION: USA

The objective of the Sony World Photography Awards is to establish a platform for the continuous development of photographic culture. The Awards do this by recognizing great contributions to photography in the past through the Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize as well as finding new talents of the future and providing them with the opportunity to be promoted and exhibited around the world. 

ELIGIBILITY:

Student competition: Providing a platform for photography students worldwide. 

Free to enter for anyone aged from 18 to 30 years-old undertaking a photography programme

Students answer a set brief with 5 to 10 images

Up to 10 shortlisted photographers

One overall winner receives the Student Photographer of the Year title

Deadline for entries is 28 November 2025 at 13:00 (GMT)

Youth competition: Open to photographers aged 19 and under. Entry is free.

The competition runs from 1 June 2025 to 6 January 2026

Photographers can enter up to three images relating to a theme

Judges will select a shortlist of up to 10 photographers

Shortlist compete for Youth Photographer of the Year title

Overall winner receives Youth Photographer of the Year title and Sony digital imaging kit

Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria

Deadline for entries is 6 January 2026 at 13:00 (GMT)

Open competition: Free to enter and open to anyone submitting single images taken in 2025

Enter up to three single images for free

Ten diverse categories to enter

Awards for category winners plus up to 15 shortlisted photographers per category

One overall winner receives the Open Photographer of the Year title

Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria

Deadline is 6 January, 2026 at 13.00 GMT

Professional competition: Free to enter

Open to anyone submitting a series of 5 to 10 images per category

Ten diverse categories to enter

Awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place photographers plus up to 7 shortlisted photographers per category

One overall winner receives the Photographer of the Year title

Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria

Photographer of the Year is rewarded with a solo presentation of their work as part of the Sony World Photography Awards London exhibition the following year

Deadline is January 13 2026 at 13.00 GMT

BENEFIT:

Student competition: Prizes include top Sony Digital Imaging equipment, inclusion in the London exhibition and the annual book – plus more!

Youth competition: You could win top Sony Digital Imaging equipment, inclusion in the London exhibition and the annual book—plus more!

Open competition: Win $5,000 (USD)

Professional competition: Win $25,000 (USD)

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awards, Events, Opportunities, other events

BOW SEAT TRUE BLUE FELLOWSHIP

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Application Deadline: September 1st at 11:59 PM EDT

LOCATION: USA

The True Blue Fellowship (formerly the Fellowship Grant Program) aims to connect and empower youth around the world to leverage the creative arts to enact change in local communities to safeguard the ocean, waterways, and the climate. If you want to make a difference in your community, you are invited to participate in the True Blue Fellowship! The Fellowship is an initiative originally created and led by the Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC), a diverse group of Bow Seat alumni working together to empower their peers to advocate for a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future. 

ELIGIBILITY:

Youth ages 13-24 (at the start of the Fellowship period in January)

Young people worldwide (applications must be in English)

Individuals or classes, groups, clubs, or organizations

New or emerging projects that are less than two years old (clubs or organizations that are more than two years old may apply so long as the proposed project is less than two years old)

Make sure to follow Bow Seat and the Future Blue Youth Council on Instagram, and sign up for our e-newsletters to stay in the know about Fellowship updates, new mentorship resources, and more! Enter your email address below to be added to our mailing list.

Projects may be of any duration, as long as they meet the Fellowship goals:

Utilize the creative arts as the primary method for awareness and/or action.

Co-create with and engage others in your local community

Have a tangible impact on your local community and environment

BENEFIT:

The True Blue Fellowship provides mentorship, capacity building, and funding of up to $2,500 for at least 10 youth-led projects that address ocean, waterways, and/or climate change issues in their local communities through a creative arts lens.

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