Submission Guidelines

Objectives
Athens Photo Festival invites submissions from photographers and artists worldwide working with photography and image-based practices for its Exhibition Program. In 2026, more than 80 artists will be selected through the Open Call.

The festival welcomes projects across the full spectrum of photography—from fine art and conceptual practice to documentary and photojournalism—as well as image-based work that extends into installation and moving image. The program brings together diverse cultural, artistic, social, and political perspectives and creates space for dialogue around how images are made, circulated, and interpreted today.

Main Venue
Selected works will be exhibited at the Benaki Museum / Pireos 138, one of Greece’s leading museums. The Main Program occupies all of the museum’s exhibition spaces, offering more than 3,000 square metres for festival exhibitions.

Dates
Athens Photo Festival 2026 will take place from 10 June to 26 July 2026.

Curatorial Approaches
The Exhibition Program embraces a broad definition of photography, welcoming work in multiple formats—from prints and projections to photobooks, texts, objects, and hybrid approaches. Athens Photo Festival supports diverse curatorial perspectives and develops exhibitions in close dialogue with artists and the ideas their work advances. The festival provides the curatorial, production, installation, and on-site support required to realise a large-scale exhibition.

Diversity and Inclusion
Artists from diverse backgrounds and at all stages of their careers are invited to submit their work. Committed to fostering equity, diversity, inclusion, and access to arts and culture, the festival welcomes applications from all sectors of the community, including individuals across a wide range of racial, ethnic, geographic, socio-economic, cultural, age, gender, and sexual orientation identities.

Exhibition Program
All submissions are reviewed for consideration in the Athens Photo Festival Exhibition Program.

The Exhibition Program is accompanied by a public program closely connected to the exhibitions, including guided tours, artist talks, and workshops.

Further Opportunities
In addition to the Exhibition Program, selected and shortlisted submissions may also be considered for further opportunities: Portfolio Reviews, APhF Talent Lab, Screening, APhRC Artist Residency, APhF Connect. Applicants can indicate their interest in the entry form.

Submission Deadline
The submission deadline has been extended to 17 March.

• Submission review: Your work will be considered for Athens Photo Festival’s exhibition program.
• Exhibition opportunity: 80 selected artists will have the opportunity to exhibit at Benaki Museum / Pireos 138 during Athens Photo Festival.
• Production support: The festival will cover production costs for selected works featured in the exhibition.
• Accommodation: Participating artists receive a two-night stay.
• Screening: 20 additional artists will be invited to present work in a dedicated screening event.
• Portfolio Reviews: 15 selected artists will participate free of charge in the International Portfolio Reviews.
• APhF Talent Lab: 5 selected artists will participate free of charge in the Talent Lab, a professional development program for emerging artists.
• Digital showcase: Selected artists will be featured on the festival website, in the newsletter, and on the festival’s official Instagram account.
• APhRC Artist Residency: One artist will be selected for the Athens Photo Research Center (APhRC) Artist Residency (three-week stay; accommodation and travel covered; €600 honorarium).
• APhF Connect: 50 additional shortlisted artists will receive one-year access to APhF Connect, a by-invitation platform presenting their work to 100+ international industry professionals.
• Free Festival Admission: All submitting artists receive complimentary admission to Athens Photo Festival.

For each project submitted to the Athens Photo Festival selection, an entry fee is required to support production costs and artistic opportunities for the benefit of all participants.

• €25 for the first project
• €15 for each additional project by the same applicant

Entry fees can be paid by credit/debit card or via PayPal.

How to Enter
Please submit via our online entry form.

Multiple Entries
You may submit multiple projects. Each project requires a separate entry form and a separate entry fee.

Required Materials
All entries must include:
• A completed entry form
• Images: a maximum of 20 images per project

Submitting image files (technical specifications)
File format: JPG
Image size: 1500 px on the longest side
File naming: lastname_01.jpg, lastname_02.jpg, etc.

If you submit multiple projects:
Use a letter to indicate each project:
First project: lastname_A_01.jpg, lastname_A_02.jpg
Second project: lastname_B_01.jpg, lastname_B_02.jpg

Installation Notes (optional)
You may include brief notes on how you would like to present your work and any practical requirements.

Submission Confirmation
A confirmation email will be sent on 18 March, once your entry has been received, processed, and organised. If you do not see it in your inbox, please also check your spam/junk folder.

Selection
All submissions will be reviewed by the festival’s curatorial team. We welcome projects across all image-based genres, whether completed or still in progress.

Status Notification
All applicants will be notified of their submission status by 30 March 2026. If your work is selected, the invitation must remain confidential until the Athens Photo Festival program is officially announced.

Catalogue
Selected projects will be featured in the official festival catalogue. The printed catalogue will be distributed to key industry professionals internationally and used as a reference publication.

All catalogue materials (images, credits, short biography, and an artist statement) must be submitted digitally as soon as possible, and no later than 15 April 2026.

Publicity
Selected works will be presented across the festival’s channels. Each selected artist will receive a dedicated page on the festival website and be included in the festival’s international communication, marketing, and PR campaigns (print and online). By participating, artists grant the festival the right to use images of the work, the artist’s name, and related information for promotional purposes in connection with the festival.

For questions regarding the Open Call, please contact us at contact@photofestival.gr.

Participation in the Athens Photo Festival 2026 implies acceptance of these regulations.