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Earth Partner Prize 2026 gives young creatives a global platform to respond to the ecological crisis through photography and other creative media. Artists aged 14 to 30 can enter free of charge, with submissions closing on October 7, 2026. Eight finalists will share $30,000 in cash prizes, while another 20 creatives will receive honourable mentions and one project will receive the Impact Award.
Projects can address climate justice, biodiversity loss, Indigenous rights, greenwashing, grassroots activism, regeneration and other aspects of ecological breakdown. Photography is considered alongside film, performance, fashion, music, writing, new media and social projects. For photographers exploring climate photography competitions, the award is notable for judging the strength of a wider creative project rather than restricting entries to individual images.
Finalists and honourable mentions will be presented through Earth Partner and Art Partner’s digital platforms, including a virtual exhibition. For photographers comparing the best photo contests to enter, this is also a free photo contest with worldwide eligibility within its 14–30 age range.
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Prizes
The Earth Partner Prize distributes $30,000 in cash prizes among eight finalists.
- Winner: $10,000.
- Two runners-up: $5,000 each.
- Five additional finalists: $2,000 each.
- Impact Award: recognition for the project considered to demonstrate the strongest community impact. No separate cash amount is specified.
- 20 Honourable Mentions: additional projects receive recognition from the jury.
Finalists and honourable mentions will also be showcased through Earth Partner and Art Partner, including a virtual exhibition and digital promotion.
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Categories or Themes
There are no separate categories. Each project must address the climate crisis or ecological breakdown, with possible subjects including climate justice, corporate greenwashing, Indigenous rights, wildlife and ecosystem conservation, activism, regeneration and nature-based knowledge.
For photographers, the brief also connects naturally with environmental, conservation, wildlife and documentary photography.
Dates and Entry Fees
The Earth Partner Prize 2026 call runs from June to October, with winners announced in November.
| Submissions open | June 5, 2026 |
| Submission deadline | October 7, 2026 at 23:59 CEST |
| Winner announcement | November 2026 |
Entry fee: Free.
Applicants must be aged 14 to 30. Entrants under 18 require permission from a parent or legal guardian, and collaborative projects are accepted. This also places the award among Deartline’s free photography competitions.
How to Enter
Applications are submitted through Picter. A project may contain up to 10 images or videos, accompanied by a project description of up to 500 words, a biography of up to 100 words and a reflection on experiencing the ecological crisis as a young person.
Projects must already have been executed. Any use of AI tools must be disclosed in the project description and explained.
About the Jury
The Earth Partner Prize 2026 jury combines expertise in contemporary art, photography, conservation, environmental policy and visual culture. Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine, serves as jury president. Other members include photographer Derrick O. Boateng, conservationist and photographer Dr Robin Moore, environmental specialist Dr Musonda Mumba, Giovanni Testino, Marina Testino, art director Ferdinando Verderi, Indigenous filmmaker Marcela Villafaña and sustainability figure Shaway Yeh.
Art Partner first reviews eligible projects and selects the finalists. The jury then chooses the winners by majority decision, considering overall quality, visual execution, clarity of vision, environmental focus and the project’s effectiveness in addressing the climate crisis.
Why Enter Earth Partner Prize 2026?
The strongest distinction is its project-based approach. Photographers are considered alongside filmmakers, performers, designers, writers and other creatives, so a successful entry needs more than a strong standalone image: the visual work and its environmental argument need to function together.
The $30,000 prize fund is combined with an unusually specific age focus and partnerships across art and environmental organizations. Previous Earth Partner projects have also appeared in contexts including United Nations Headquarters in New York, Fotografiska Shanghai, Photo London and the Vatican Gardens. These earlier presentations do not guarantee a physical exhibition for the 2026 winners, but they show the type of network surrounding the initiative. For photographers considering upcoming photography competitions, that combination of climate focus, cross-disciplinary judging and youth eligibility is what most clearly differentiates the prize.
Rules and Copyright
We reviewed the official rules of the Earth Partner Prize 2026 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
Entrants must be aged 14 to 30 and may participate from anywhere in the world. Submitted projects must address the climate crisis or ecological breakdown, must already have been executed and must be original. Participants must hold all necessary rights and permissions. AI-assisted work is accepted when disclosed and explained.
Copyright and Image Usage
Entrants retain copyright and intellectual property ownership. By entering, they grant Art Partner and designated third parties perpetual and irrevocable rights to use all or part of the submission in exhibitions, books, editorial contexts, promotion, trade and syndication associated with the Earth Partner Prize or Art Partner sustainability and climate-related initiatives.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
