Rotterdam Photo 2027: Vibrance

Rotterdam Photo 2027 brings its next international open call into the public space of Rotterdam under the theme Vibrance – The Pulse of a Living World. The festival will run from March 17–21, 2027, during Rotterdam Art Week, while applications for all three current open-call routes close on October 4, 2026. Photographers can apply with a full project, a single image, or, for eligible talent connected to the Netherlands, through the Rotterdam Photo x Amarte grant program. For photographers comparing current opportunities through Deartline’s photo contest list, this call combines selection with a concrete festival presentation.

The international Projects route costs €29 per entry before September 7, 2026, then €35, while the Single Image route costs €19 per image. Selected project artists receive dedicated exhibition space in the festival’s container village. Selected single photographs are produced by the festival as 2.5 × 2.5 meter PVC installations displayed outdoors. Both formats feed into Rotterdam Photo’s program, partner visibility, press exposure, talks and networking around an event that reports more than 10,000 visitors.

A third route, Rotterdam Photo x Amarte: Dutch Talent Project Grants, is free and restricted to eligible applicants based in, studying in, or educated in the Netherlands. Five selected artists each receive a €3,000 production grant, coaching, curatorial guidance and a work-in-progress exhibition. Across the program, the 2027 theme looks at energy, connection, movement and intensity across physical, emotional and digital spaces.

Rotterdam Photo 2027 Opportunities and Grants

The main outcomes are exhibition opportunities, festival visibility and, in the Dutch Talent route, funded project development.

• Projects – International: Selected photographers receive dedicated exhibition space in the container village, program inclusion, press and partner exposure, and access to talks and networking. Artists may sell work during the festival, with no commission charged by Rotterdam Photo.
• Single Image – International: Selected photographs become 2.5 × 2.5 meter PVC prints on exterior container structures. Production is covered by the festival, with program inclusion, promotion and press exposure.
• Rotterdam Photo x Amarte: Dutch Talent Project Grants: Five artists receive €3,000 each for a work-in-progress exhibition, plus coaching, artistic guidance, dedicated exhibition space, video profiles, program inclusion and continued promotion.

Categories and Theme

Applicants can choose among three participation routes:

• Projects – International.
• Single Image – International.
• Dutch Talent Project Grants.

More than one route may be entered, with each submission reviewed separately.

All three respond to Vibrance – The Pulse of a Living World. The curatorial framework considers energy as movement, tension, connection and transformation, with strands including Urban Rhythms, Fragile Vitality, Cultural Pulse, Digital Vibrance and Inner Frequencies. The theme is intentionally broad enough to accommodate approaches ranging from documentary to experimental photography.

Dates and Entry Fees

Entry Fees:

• Projects – International: €29 per entry through the Early Bird deadline; €35 afterward.
• Single Image – International: €19 per image.
• Dutch Talent Project Grants: Free.

How to Enter

Applications are submitted through the online application form linked from each Rotterdam Photo open call. Photographers may apply to one or several routes, but each submission is assessed separately.

About the Jury

Rotterdam Photo publishes separate selection committees for the international and Dutch Talent routes. Projects and Single Image are reviewed by Camilla Marrese, Erik Vroons, Liza Faktor, Marcel Kollen and Pablo Giori. The Dutch Talent Project Grants committee consists of Jaasir Linger, Rebecca Kailola-Simons and Erik Vroons.

The selection process has three rounds, with committee members independently reviewing submissions at each stage. Criteria include photographic strength, originality, clarity of ideas, thematic relevance and, where applicable, impact in public space. The Dutch Talent route also considers resonance and urgency.

Why Enter Rotterdam Photo 2027?

Rotterdam Photo is distinctive because selection changes the scale and context of the work. A series can become a dedicated container exhibition, while a single photograph can become a 2.5-meter outdoor installation produced by the festival. The two international routes therefore lead to materially different forms of presentation during Rotterdam Art Week.

For photographers comparing each competition of photography by what follows selection, the international calls combine public exhibition, 10,000+ reported visitors, professional review, press reach and commission-free sales. For eligible Netherlands-connected talent, Amarte also funds development before exhibition.

Rules and Copyright

We reviewed the official rules of the Rotterdam Photo 2027 to summarize the key participation requirements, copyright terms and image usage conditions. Before entering, we recommend checking the complete rules published by the organizer.

Rules

The Projects and Single Image calls accept photographers and image-makers worldwide aged 16 or older. Dutch Talent Project Grants applicants must be based in the Netherlands, studying there, or have completed their education there. Eligible profiles include third- and fourth-year photography students, recent alumni since 2022 and self-taught photographers with up to five years of professional experience.

Copyright and Image Usage

The published open-call, theme, selection committee and festival pages reviewed for this edition do not state specific copyright ownership, licensing, sublicensing or promotional image-use terms for submitted photographs. These conditions should therefore be checked in the application terms before submitting.

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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.