The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 is the twentieth edition of Aperture’s annual international competition dedicated to highlighting new voices in contemporary photography. Open exclusively to Aperture magazine print subscribers, it focuses on complete bodies of work and looks for innovative portfolios that have not yet circulated widely in major publications or exhibition venues. For photographers planning their year through a curated photo contest calendar, the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 stands out as a focused opportunity that combines editorial visibility, cash support and a high profile exhibition in New York.
The competition is free to enter once a photographer holds a qualifying print subscription to Aperture magazine that remains current through the Spring 2026 issue. The call for entries opened on November 5, 2025, and the final submission deadline is January 9, 2026. From all eligible portfolios, one first prize winner and four shortlisted artists are selected. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize, a $1,000 gear gift card, publication in Aperture magazine and inclusion in a group exhibition at AIPAD in New York in April 2026. Shortlisted photographers each receive $1,000, an editorial feature on Aperture’s website and are also part of the same exhibition.
The prize is open to photographic work created within the past five years, as long as a clear theme or topic runs across the portfolio. Judges evaluate the strength of each image, the coherence of the series and the originality of the approach. Since the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 is rooted in a respected nonprofit institution and is framed as one of the key portfolio photography competitions worldwide, it offers a concrete way for photographers to place sustained projects in front of an engaged international audience.
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The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 Prizes
The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 organizes its prizes around a small group of finalists, giving each selected photographer a clear blend of financial support, editorial visibility and exhibition opportunities.
- First Prize:
- $5,000 cash prize
- $1,000 MPB gift card
- Publication in Aperture magazine
- Participation in a group exhibition in New York.
- Shortlist (4 Artists):
- $1,000 cash prize
- Editorial feature on aperture.org
- Participation in the group exhibition in New York.
- Finalists:
- Exposure across Aperture’s digital channels and inclusion in the exhibition.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026
The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 does not use fixed thematic categories, it centers on portfolios that present a coherent idea or subject across 10 to 15 images. The work must have been created in the past five years and should carry a clear thread from image to image, whether the photographer is exploring people and place in a manner, experimenting with staged scenes and conceptual photography, developing a long term portrait project or blending approaches. What matters for the jury is the strength and originality of the portfolio.
Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 Dates and Entry Fees
The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 follows a clear schedule from the opening of submissions to the announcement of the winner.
| Early bird subscription period ends | November 25, 2025 |
| Submission deadline | January 9, 2026 |
| Shortlist announcement | March 2026 |
| Winner announcement | April 2026 |
The sole entry requirement is to hold a print subscription to Aperture magazine that remains current through Spring 2026, issue 262. In other words, there is no separate contest entry fee on top of the magazine subscription, but prospective entrants who are not already print subscribers will need to purchase or renew a subscription in order to submit.
How to Enter:
To enter the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026, photographers need to create a Picter account and access the dedicated 2026 Aperture Portfolio Prize page. Submissions are made online, where entrants upload a portfolio of 10 to 15 JPEG images at 3,000 pixels on the longest side, along with image titles, a statement about the work, a brief CV or résumé and a short bio. The magazine account number is required in the entry form, and all materials must be submitted before the final deadline for the portfolio to be considered.
About the Jury
The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 jury brings together four professionals who work across different parts of the photography world. Taous Dahmani serves as a curator at The Photographers’ Gallery. Jessica Dimson is director of photography at The New York Times Magazine. Jane’a Johnson is an editor at Aperture, closely involved with the magazine’s editorial direction, and artist Avion Pearce joins the panel as the 2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize winner. Together, they look for portfolios that develop a consistent theme, show strong individual images and take a distinctive approach to subject matter.
Why Enter Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026?
The Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 is structured for photographers who want their work to live as a complete series. Because the jury looks at 10 to 15 photographs at once, it becomes a place where long term projects, narratives and formally tight sequences can be evaluated on their own terms. For artists working in areas such as documentary, street or fine art photography, this structure fits naturally with the way many portfolios are built and edited.
The prize also connects directly to Aperture as a nonprofit publisher, which means that the benefits extend beyond a single announcement. The first prize portfolio appears in Aperture magazine, and finalists are shown together at AIPAD in New York, which places their work in front of curators, writers, collectors and peers who follow the fair’s program closely. Editorial features on Aperture’s website and promotion through its email and social media channels provide further visibility that can be referenced in future proposals and applications. For many photographers, this makes the competition feel less like a one off prize and more like an opportunity to introduce their practice to a community that already cares about photography.
Because the call is international and the submission process is hosted online, entrants can apply from anywhere, as long as they hold a qualifying print subscription. This global reach places the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 alongside other trending photography challenges online, while its focus on portfolios and its long running history give it a distinct position within that landscape.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Entries to the Aperture Portfolio Prize 2026 must come directly from artists rather than from galleries or representatives. Aperture reserves the right to reject entries that are incomplete or that do not meet the stated eligibility criteria, without any obligation to discuss jury decisions or refund magazine subscriptions. The judges’ decisions are final and will not be subject to correspondence.
The sole eligibility criterion for entry is holding an active Aperture magazine print subscription that is valid through the Spring 2026 issue. No exceptions are made for late submissions. Applicants also warrant that the submitted work is original, that they are the exclusive rights holder and that the images do not infringe on the rights of third parties or violate applicable laws.
Copyright and Image Usage
Copyright of all work submitted to the Aperture Portfolio Prize remains with the photographers. At the same time, by entering the competition, photographers grant Aperture a worldwide, irrevocable and perpetual license to reproduce representative examples of the submitted entries in Aperture publications, on its websites and within promotional materials. This use is limited to content created in connection with the Aperture Portfolio Prize and identifies the photographer where appropriate.
Aperture may place a selection of images from the winning portfolio under embargo from the time the winner is announced until the release of the issue of Aperture magazine in which the work appears. Details about selected entries can be shared with the press to promote the prize, including before the shortlist is announced, and may be used again in promoting future calls for entry. By submitting, entrants agree that magazine subscriptions are nonrefundable and that they may receive news and promotional emails from Aperture.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
