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Rotterdam Photo opens with a bold new call: Rotterdam Photo 2026: Echoes of Silence – War in the Artist’s Soul. The festival asks photographers to turn inward and explore how conflict, memory and displacement reverberate through personal experience. The deadline is 1 December 2025, with an entry fee of €29 per project. Selected artists will present a curated project within Rotterdam Photo’s signature container installations during the 2026 edition, supported by curatorial guidance and the chance to sell prints without commission.
The theme favors symbolic, introspective approaches over reportage: think analog distortions, poetic portraits, abstracted landscapes or symbolic still lifes that echo trauma through silence, repetition and fragmentation. The prize focuses on exhibition at one of Europe’s most distinctive public-facing photography events, with strong visibility through the festival and its partners. For photographers scouting the best photography challenges today, this call stands out for its focus on the artist’s inner landscape and the real-world platform it offers.
The Rotterdam Photo 2026: Echoes of Silence Prizes
Selected photographers will mount a personal project as part of a group exhibition at Rotterdam Photo 2026, using the festival’s container-based displays in central Rotterdam.
The prize includes curatorial guidance, exhibition production support, publication in the festival program, international press exposure and opportunities to network with gallerists and collectors. Crucially, artists may sell their works during the festival with no commission taken on sales. Additional opportunities can include participation in Rotterdam Photo Talks, special distinctions and broader visibility via partner platforms.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the Rotterdam Photo 2026: Echoes of Silence
Rotterdam Photo 2026 does not set fixed categories. Instead, it revolves around a single curatorial theme: the inner impact of war and collective trauma. Approaches can range from analog processes and poetic portraiture to abstract landscapes and symbolic still lifes, provided the work resonates with the theme and avoids direct reportage.
Rotterdam Photo 2026: Echoes of Silence Dates and Entry Fees
Deadline: 1 December 2025.
Entry fee: €29 per project.
How to Enter:
Submit a project aligned with “Echoes of Silence – War in the Artist’s Soul” through the official submission portal linked from the festival’s General Open Call page. Prepare a concise statement explaining how your work engages the theme and upload images according to the portal’s technical specifications.
About the Jury
Rotterdam Photo’s selection process runs in three rounds, conducted by a panel of photography experts. Entries are reviewed individually and evaluated on creativity, photographic quality and effectiveness in expressing the theme. Final selections are announced on the festival’s channels.
Why Enter Rotterdam Photo 2026?
This call offers a high-visibility exhibition platform in a city whose own history mirrors the theme’s concerns. The festival’s container installations attract a broad public, while curatorial support helps artists articulate complex, introspective projects. It particularly suits artists working within fine art modes (those exploring areas typical of conceptual or fine art photography awards) who seek meaningful presentation rather than conventional reportage. If you’re planning your submission calendar, explore more photo challenges to join to build a cohesive plan.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Rotterdam Photo 2026: Echoes of Silence 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. The selection follows a three-round review by a professional committee. Works are assessed on creativity, photographic quality and how effectively they address the theme. The open call emphasizes independent, non-reportage approaches to themes of war, memory, and trauma.
Copyright and Image Usage. The official call highlights exhibition, curation and visibility opportunities. Specific licensing or image-usage terms are not detailed on the announcement page; applicants should consult the submission portal and festival documentation for full rights information before entering.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
