Rotterdam Photo – Vibrance ends 4 October 2026

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Deadline: 4 October 2026. Vibrance is an exploration of energy in its many forms – from the intimate to the collective, from physical presence to digital intensity.
In a time where narratives are often shaped by crisis and fragmentation, this theme turns toward what continues to move, connect, and generate meaning. Vibrance is not only movement, but tension, rhythm, resistance, and transformation. It exists in bodies coming together, in cities in flux, in cultural expression, and in the invisible forces that shape everyday life.
We invite photographers to interpret Vibrance freely – as a social condition, emotional state, visual rhythm, or conceptual framework.

Prizes:

Projects – International
Selected artists receive a dedicated exhibition space during Rotterdam Photo 2027 exhibition. Artists have the opportunity to curate and shape the presentation of their own project, making their work part of a large-scale public photography exhibition.

Single Image – International
Winners of the Single Image category receive a large-scale 2.5 × 2.5 m PVC print of their work, installed on the exterior of a festival container in public space throughout Rotterdam Photo 2027. Full production is covered by the festival.

Dutch Talent Project Grant – The Netherlands
Five selected artists receive a €3,000 production grant to develop their project into a work-in-progress exhibition at Rotterdam Photo 2027, with a dedicated exhibition space, curatorial guidance and international visibility through Rotterdam Photo and its partners.

For all selected artists
Alongside the exhibition, selected artists gain direct access to an international audience of collectors, curators, gallerists and press. Artists may present and sell their work during the festival, and Rotterdam Photo does not charge commission on sales.

Opportunities for photographers
Submission reviewed by professionals from the photography field
Featuring across festival and partner social media channels and websites, including LensCulture, Dodho Magazine and All About Photo
Opportunity to curate and present a personal exhibition project at Rotterdam Photo 2027
Opportunity to participate in Rotterdam Photo Talks and networking events
Publication and inclusion in the festival programme
International press exposure
Exposure to 10,000+ festival visitors in the centre of Rotterdam
Opportunity to exhibit in Barcelona in June at the gallery of the International Photo Festival Association
Opportunity to exhibit in Tampere, Finland, during the Backlight festival in September
Opportunity to exhibit in Tbilisi, Georgia, during the Tbilisi Art Fair in May
Opportunity to exhibit in Switzerland during Photo Schweiz with Directors’ Choice

Photo Contest Website: https://rotterdamphoto.eu/