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Portal by Decagon Gallery focuses on photographs that sit at the edge of change: images where something is about to shift, open, disappear, or remain unresolved. Organized as a juried online exhibition, the call closes on June 3, 2026, with selected works shown from June 20 to August 20, 2026.
The theme, “Portal, At the Edge of Becoming,” is not limited to literal doors, windows, or passages. Decagon Gallery is looking for photographs that operate as thresholds, whether through psychological tension, visual instability, suspended action, or a space that suggests entry while withholding access. For photographers browsing an online photography competition with a strong curatorial concept, this call offers a clear and specific framework.
The contest awards $1,000 in total cash prizes, including $500 for First Place, along with a solo exhibition on the gallery’s website. Selected photographers will also be included in the curated online exhibition, a permanent exhibition page, Decagon’s Instagram feature, and the exhibition catalog. The entry fee is $25 for up to 8 images.
Prizes
Portal by Decagon Gallery combines cash awards with online exhibition visibility and publication-related opportunities.
- First Place: $500 plus a solo exhibition on Decagon Gallery’s website.
- Second Place: $300.
- Third Place: $200.
- Selected photographers:
- Inclusion in the curated online exhibition.
- Permanent exhibition page on Decagon Gallery.
- Feature on Decagon’s Instagram.
- Inclusion in the exhibition catalog.
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
There are no separate categories listed for this Portal by Decagon Gallery. The central theme is “Portal: At the Edge of Becoming.” The call is open to all photographic styles and processes, but the work should address the idea of a threshold in a meaningful way.
The gallery describes the strongest images as those that resist resolution rather than simply illustrate transition. Examples include a figure between visibility and disappearance, a space that suggests entry but denies access, a moment suspended before or after an event, or an image that feels structurally unstable or psychologically unsettled. This makes the call especially relevant to photographers working with conceptual photography contests, experimental image-making, and open-ended visual narratives.
Dates and Entry Fees
The Portal by Decagon Gallery follows a compact 2026 schedule, with notification taking place less than two weeks after the deadline.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | June 3, 2026 |
| Notification | June 15, 2026 |
| Exhibition dates | June 20 to August 20, 2026 |
Entry fee: $25 for up to 8 images.
How to Enter
Entries are submitted through the official contest page. Photographers may submit up to 8 images. Files should be JPGs, 2100 pixels on the long side, with no text, watermarks, borders, or frames. The call is open worldwide and accepts all photographic styles and processes.
About the Jury
The juror for Portal by Decagon Gallery is Douglas Stockdale. He is a visual artist, editor, and educator whose work is closely connected to the photobook as a contemporary photographic form. He is the founder and publisher of PhotoBook Journal and writes the long-running blog Singular Images. His work is held in collections including Museo d’Art Contemporanea di Roma, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, and Reminders Photography Stronghold.
Why Enter Portal by Decagon Gallery?
The Portal by Decagon Gallery has a focused curatorial premise and a clear exhibition structure. Rather than asking for a broad theme, it centers on the visual and psychological idea of the portal: a point of tension, transition, or unresolved becoming. That gives photographers room to work across many approaches while still responding to a defined concept.
For Deartline readers comparing opportunities through a popular photo contest directory, the notable facts are straightforward: a juried selection, $1,000 in cash awards, an online exhibition, catalog inclusion, a permanent exhibition page, and international eligibility. The contest may be especially suitable for photographers whose work fits an open theme photography contest structure but benefits from a more precise conceptual frame.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Portal by Decagon Gallery 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
- Submitters must be at least 18 years old.
- Submitted images must be original work.
- The submitter must have full ownership of the images, including rights related to recognizable people shown in the photographs.
- Files should be JPGs at 2100 pixels on the long side.
- Images should not include text, watermarks, borders, or frames.
Copyright and Image Usage
- Photographers retain the copyright to submitted images.
- If work is selected, Decagon Gallery receives permission to use the image in the exhibition catalog, on its website, and on social media for exhibition promotion.
- Images are not to be used for other purposes without the photographer’s permission.
- Images displayed on the Decagon Gallery website may not be reproduced or used without permission from Decagon Gallery and the relevant artist.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
