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What if your photographic series could challenge how people see and understand the world? What if your work could be featured in a major international festival in Korea and seen by influential visual arts professionals? The DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call is inviting photographers and collectives worldwide to submit projects that delve into the complex relationship between seeing and knowing, exploring how we “Assimilate them, Refine them, Slit them”. This open call is your chance to participate in the 23rd edition of a prestigious festival dedicated to showcasing quality contemporary photography.
The festival’s theme, “Assimilate them, Refine them, Slit them”, focuses on ‘aesthetic objectification’ – the process by which we view subjects through beauty, projecting emotions and assigning new meaning. It acknowledges the world’s multidimensional nature and the fluid relationship between seeing and knowing, where new forms emerge from entanglement and deconstruction. The festival seeks work that departs from conventional discourse and imagines anew through a singular gaze. This call welcomes individuals and collectives to submit between 8 and 12 photographs from a particular series or body of work. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2025.
Participating in the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call offers selected artists significant exposure and opportunities. Selected artists will benefit from a year-long exhibition at the festival, inclusion in art magazines and related press, and long-term promotion on the official website and in publications and catalogs seen by a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media. Crucially, this is is no entry fee for submissions, which makes it one of the excellent free to enter photography competitions available worldwide. For photographers seeking international exhibition opportunities and recognition from influential experts, this festival is a compelling prospect, standing out among other photography challenges to participate in globally.
The DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call Prizes
The DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call provides selected artists with significant exposure and exhibition opportunities, with special benefits for the ‘Artist of the Year’.
For the selected 15 – 20 artists (including the ‘Artist of the year’), the benefits include:
- A-year-long exhibition exposure at the DIPF Festival.
- Inclusion in art magazines and any related press.
- Long-term festival representation and promotion on the official website, in publications, and the catalog.
- Works being seen by an international panel of influential experts in the field of photography.
For the ‘Artist of the year’ (individual artist or 1 winning team), there are additional exclusive benefits:
- A solo exhibition at DIPF.
- Production of the solo exhibition (printing, framing, or related presentation material will be provided).
- Eligibility for travel and accommodation support to attend the opening ceremony.
Other Free Contests
The Categories of the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025
The DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call is centered around a single, complex theme: “Assimilate them, Refine them, Slit them”. This theme invites photographers and collectives to explore ‘aesthetic objectification’ – the process of interpreting subjects through beauty, assigning new meaning, and recognizing discrepancies between seeing and knowing. It calls for work that delves into the multidimensionality of the world and the fluid relationship between seeing and knowing, where elements are added or removed, leading to the emergence of new forms.
The festival encourages submissions that depart from conventional discourse and imagine anew through a singular gaze, reflecting this theme.
DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call Dates and Entry Fees
Photographers interested in submitting their work to the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call should note the specific deadline for entries.
- Entry Deadline: June 1, 2025.
The 23rd DongGang International Photo Festival is scheduled to be held from July 11th to September 28th, 2025, in Yeongwol, Korea.
A significant aspect of the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call is that there is no entry fee for submissions.
This makes the open call accessible to artists worldwide without a financial barrier to participate.
How to Enter:
To submit your work for the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call, you need to email your materials or send them via a file transfer service.
Prepare your submission materials:
- Photography works: Submit between 8 and 12 images from a particular series or body of work. Images should be 4000 pixels on the long side, in JPEG or TIFF format.
- Required Information: Include your full name, mobile/phone number, email address, postal address, a concise one-page CV or a short biography, and an Artist’s Statement (a short write-up about the body of work).
How to send your submission:
- Email your submission.
- Alternatively, send your files using a service like Wetransfer.
About the Jury
All submissions to the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call will undergo a review and evaluation process conducted by the festival’s curatorial team.
The curatorial team is responsible for assessing the submitted photography projects based on their quality and relevance to the festival’s theme, “Assimilate them, Refine them, Slit them.” The selection process aims to feature a quality selection of photography projects from around the world, from both emerging and established artists. The selected works will be presented at the festival and viewed by an international panel of influential experts in the field of photography, as well as the media.
Why Enter DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call?
Entering the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call offers photographers a significant opportunity for international exposure and recognition within the context of a respected photography festival in Korea. Being selected means your work will be exhibited for a year at the DIPF Festival, providing long-term visibility. Selected projects gain exposure not just at the festival venue but also through inclusion in art magazines, related press, the official website, publications, and the festival catalog, which is seen by a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media.
The theme, “Assimilate them, Refine them, Slit them,” is intellectually stimulating and encourages artists to engage with complex ideas, making it appealing for those interested in exploring deeper narratives in their photography. The prestige of being selected as the ‘Artist of the year’ is substantial, granting a solo exhibition with production support (printing, framing) and potential travel/accommodation to attend the opening. The fact that there is no entry fee removes financial barriers, making this a fantastic free photo contests opportunity for artists worldwide to compete for significant exhibition benefits and long-term promotion. This festival is a valuable listing among best photography challenges to enter for those serious about international exhibition opportunities.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call 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
Submission to the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call is open to artists from around the world, aged 18 and over. Individuals and collectives are welcome to apply. There is no entry fee. Submissions must be made before June 1, 2025, 0:00 hrs. Submissions must include 8-12 photography works from a series or body of work, sized at 4000 pixels on the long side, in JPEG or TIFF format. Required information includes full name, mobile/phone number, email address, postal address, a concise one-page CV or short biography, and an Artist’s Statement.
Submissions should be sent via email or via Wetransfer. Incomplete submissions will be rejected. Selected artists will be notified by June 10th, 2025. The festival will collect digital files from selected artists and provide production for the exhibitions. Selected projects will be presented on the festival’s website and in promotional campaigns.
Copyright and Image Usage
The provided information for the DongGang International Photo Festival 2025 Open Call states that the selection aims to feature a quality selection of photography projects and that selected works will be part of the Festival’s promotional campaign in print and online media. It also mentions that selected works will be part of the Festival’s promotional campaign in print and online media, increase awareness of the selected works in the photography community. However, the specific terms regarding copyright ownership after submission and the exact usage rights granted to the festival beyond exhibition and promotion are not explicitly detailed. It is recommended that interested participants review the full terms and conditions on the official website or contact the organizers for complete information on copyright and image usage.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
