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Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility brings one of photography’s most recognizable alternative processes into a contemporary juried exhibition format. Organized by PhotoPlace Gallery, the contest focuses on cyanotype-based work in its many forms, from traditional contact prints and photograms to camera-made cyanotypes, toned works, wet cyanotypes, digital negative prints, mixed media, alternative substrates, and more experimental approaches.
For artists who work with handmade processes, this is a timely call: the exhibition is scheduled to coincide with World Cyanotype Day, with a special celebration, workshops, artist talks, and cyanotype-focused programming taking place on September 26, 2026. The subject matter is open, but cyanotype must be a primary component of the finished work, making this an especially relevant opportunity for photographers following online photo contest listings with a strong process-based focus.
The Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility exhibition will be juried by Sam Wang, a long-standing figure in alternative photographic processes. Up to 35 images will be selected for exhibition in PhotoPlace Gallery’s Middlebury, Vermont space, with another 40 images chosen for the Online Gallery. All 75 selected images will also be reproduced in the exhibition catalog, remain permanently on the gallery website, and receive social media promotion with links to the photographers’ URLs.
Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility Prizes
The main opportunity is inclusion in a juried gallery and online exhibition dedicated to cyanotype as both a historic and evolving photographic medium. The juror will select up to 35 works for the physical exhibition at PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont, and up to 40 additional works for the Online Gallery. This structure gives the exhibition a broader reach while keeping the in-gallery presentation selective.
The contest also includes cash awards:
- Juror’s Award: $300.
- Director’s Award: $200.
- 3 Honorable Mentions: $50 each.
All selected photographers will have their work reproduced in the printed exhibition catalog, available for purchase, and featured on the gallery website and social media. The combination of gallery selection, catalog inclusion, and online permanence makes the call relevant for artists seeking photography opportunities with both exhibition and publication elements. The award structure also places it among photography calls that include cash prizes, though the wider value of the contest is tied closely to presentation and visibility.
Categories and Theme
The theme is Cyanotype Photography Open Theme, which means subject matter can vary widely, provided that cyanotype is central to the final image. This gives room for botanical studies, portrait-based work, abstraction, constructed imagery, landscape, still life, narrative projects, and process-led experimentation.
The Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility welcomes traditional contact prints, camera-made cyanotypes, photograms, digital negative prints, toned cyanotypes, wet cyanotypes, works on alternative substrates, and mixed-media pieces. For photographers exploring historical or handmade image-making, the contest sits naturally beside analog photography contest listings, while its openness to process-led invention also connects with experimental photography challenges.
Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility Dates and Entry Fees
| Submission Deadline | July 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Prints Due | August 21, 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | September 4–26, 2026 |
| Special Celebration | September 26, 2026 |
Entry fees: $39 for up to 5 images.
Additional images: $6 each.
How to Enter
Submissions are made through PhotoPlace Gallery’s online upload system. Artists need to create or log into an account, upload JPG or JPEG files, and complete the submission before the deadline. The gallery recommends adding website and social media links to the artist profile, as these may be used to promote selected work.
Submitted files should be JPG or JPEG only, up to 5MB in closed file size, with approximately 2100 pixels on the longest side. The gallery recommends 300ppi resolution and sRGB color space. Watermarks or signatures should be avoided because the jurying process is blind: jurors do not see the artist’s name or file information.
About the Jury
The Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility will be juried by Sam Wang, whose career has been closely tied to photography education and alternative photographic processes. Wang received an MFA in Photography from the University of Iowa in 1966 and later founded the photography program at Clemson University, where he taught for 40 years before retiring as Alumni Distinguished Professor.
His work with handmade photographic processes includes cyanotype, a medium he has continued to explore throughout his career. He also coauthored a major book on handmade print practices in China and has been associated with the development and teaching of alternative process photography across several decades. For a contest centered on cyanotype, his background gives the jurying process a direct connection to the technical and expressive possibilities of the medium.
Why Enter Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility?
This Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility is most relevant for photographers and artists who treat process as part of the meaning of the work. Cyanotype has a distinctive visual language, but it also allows for a wide range of contemporary uses: intimate contact prints, layered or toned experiments, camera-based images, sculptural surfaces, and hybrid pieces that move between photography and mixed media.
The timing adds another point of interest. Because the exhibition coincides with World Cyanotype Day, selected artists may find their work presented within a broader celebration of the process rather than in a general photography exhibition. The physical gallery show, Online Gallery, printed catalog, permanent website listing, and social media promotion give the selected work several forms of visibility.
For Deartline readers comparing the best photography challenges, this contest stands out for its specific medium, juried selection, and gallery context. International artists may also submit, although artists outside the United States should review shipping and return conditions carefully if selected for the physical exhibition. As a result, it may also be useful for photographers browsing international photography contests with a specialized alternative-process focus.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of Cyanotype: A Celebration of Process and Possibility 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
- Open to photographers and artists aged 18 and over.
- All submitted work must be cyanotype-based, with cyanotype serving as a primary component of the finished image.
- Subject matter is open.
- Submissions must be JPG or JPEG files.
- The entry fee is $39 for up to 5 images, plus $6 for each additional image.
- There is no stated limit on the number of images that may be submitted.
- Selected images from prior PhotoPlace Gallery exhibitions may not be resubmitted for three years from the opening date of that exhibition.
- Fully AI-generated images are not eligible.
- The jurying process is blind.
Copyright and Image Usage
Entrants retain all rights to their images. By submitting, artists confirm that they own the rights to the submitted work and take responsibility for its content. If selected, photographers grant PhotoPlace Gallery the right to display the work on its website and social media, include it in the exhibition catalog, and use it with credit to promote future exhibitions. The gallery states that it will not use images for other purposes without permission.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
