Lucie Scholarship Program 2026

Ready to supercharge your photography career? The Lucie Scholarship Program 2026 invites professional and emerging photographers worldwide to submit compelling still-photo projects by September 30, 2026. Winners receive cash scholarships, cutting-edge gear, and a place in a group exhibition that will travel across the House of Lucie Galleries worldwide, including Los Angeles, Athens, Budapest, Ostuni, and Samui. As one of the best online photography challenges, this program fuels bold visions in Fine Art and Documentary tracks.

Applicants choose between Fine Art and Photojournalism/Documentary categories, each split into Professional and Emerging levels. Professional winners earn a $3,000 scholarship; Emerging winners receive $1,000—and the Photojournalism/Documentary Emerging winner also takes home a Sony camera and lens, with the model to be announced soon. A concise proposal, CV or bio, and twenty digital images complete the application, with fees of $25 for Professional and $15 for Emerging entries.

Beyond generous awards, recipients gain editorial feedback, networking opportunities, and exhibition exposure in international venues. Whether you’re forging a new Fine Art series or documenting urgent narratives, the Lucie Scholarship Program 2026 offers transparent, merit-based support to elevate your work on an international stage.

The Lucie Scholarship Program 2026 Prizes

Four scholarships and prizes will be awarded across two disciplines at Professional and Emerging levels:

• Fine Art
  • Professional: $3,000 cash scholarship
  • Emerging: $1,000 cash scholarship
• Photojournalism/Documentary
  • Professional: $3,000 cash scholarship
  • Emerging: $1,000 cash scholarship + Sony Camera and Lens (model to be announced soon)

The Categories of the Lucie Scholarship Program 2026

This scholarship spans two streams: the fine art photography awards track, celebrating conceptual and experimental still work, and the photojournalism competitions track, rewarding authentic documentary storytelling. Each stream accommodates both seasoned professionals and emerging talents, across digital and film formats.

Lucie Scholarship Program 2026 Dates and Entry Fees

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Early Bird Discount:

• 20% off until April 23, 2026
• 10% off until April 30, 2026

Submission Fees:

• Professional entries: $25 per project
• Emerging entries: $15 per project

How to Enter:

Visit the scholarship page on the Lucie Foundation website. Prepare a 1,500-character project proposal (with start and end dates, description of your project, your plan for completing it and using the scholarship money, and five goals), a one-page bio or CV, and twenty digital images. Select your category and experience level, pay the fee, and submit before the deadline.

About the Jury

Submissions will be judged by an expert panel:

• Antares Wells, Assistant Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
• Kateryna Radchenko, Curator, artist, and photography researcher based in Ukraine
• Elizabeth Ferrer, Curator and writer, and a leading specialist on the history of Latinx photography

Why Enter the Lucie Scholarship Program 2026?

Winners will be part of a group exhibition, which will then travel to the House of Lucie Galleries worldwide, including Los Angeles, Athens, Budapest, Ostuni, and Samui. Cash scholarships and Sony gear provide vital resources, while juried recognition and networking boost career momentum. As a leading current photo contests, this program delivers unmatched visibility and support for projects that push photographic boundaries.

Rules and Copyright

This section about the rules and image rights of the Lucie Scholarship Program 2026 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

• Eligibility: Professional and emerging photographers worldwide, aged 18 or older.
• Professional: photographers who earn the majority of their income from photography.
• Emerging: photographers enrolled as students, within the first five years of their photography career, or who do not earn the majority of their income from photography.
• Materials: Project proposal (1,500 characters max), one-page bio/CV, and 20 digital images.
• Proposal must include: project start and end dates, description of your project, your plan for completing the project and using the scholarship money, and five goals you plan to accomplish while working on the project.
• Fees: $25 per submission for Professional; $15 per submission for Emerging.
• Specs: JPG only; no TIF, GIF, PNG, or PDF files accepted; 72 DPI; no file should exceed 4 MB; online submissions only.
• Entries: Unlimited submissions; the same project may enter both scholarship categories; collaborative entries are allowed and prizes will be split between participants.
• Announcement: Finalists and winners will be announced in October 2026; exact date TBD.

Copyright and Image Usage

• The photographer must be the sole author and owner of the copyright of the photos entered into the competition.
• Copyright and all other rights remain with the photographer.
• Any photograph used by Lucie Foundation shall carry the photographer’s credit line.

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