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The Street Photography in Messina: Gazes in Transit 2027 open call offers photographers the opportunity to exhibit their work in a collective exhibition in Messina, Italy. Organized by Charm of Art under the direction of photographer Roberto Pestarino, the project will select 20 photographers for a five-day exhibition in March 2027. Open to participants of all ages and nationalities, the call has a submission deadline of February 4, 2027, with entry fees starting at €5.
Inspired by Messina’s identity as a meeting point between cultures and a gateway to Sicily, “Gazes in Transit” explores everyday life through spontaneous encounters, fleeting gestures, social contrasts, and the relationship between people and urban spaces. Selected photographs will be professionally printed and exhibited, with the possibility of offering the works for sale. Participating artists contribute €45 per exhibited photograph toward printing and exhibition costs.
The project brings together different interpretations of urban life within a single curatorial theme. For photographers interested in street photography contests, it offers the possibility of presenting work in a physical exhibition. It also adds an exhibition-focused opportunity to Deartline’s online photography competitions directory.
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Prizes
The main opportunity is participation in “Street Photography in Messina: Gazes in Transit 2027”, a five-day collective street photography exhibition in Messina, Italy, bringing together work by 20 selected photographers.
- 20 Selected Photographers:
- Presentation of one or more photographs in the March 2027 exhibition.
- Professional printing of selected images, with a maximum long side of 40 cm and a white or black border identifying the photographer and artwork.
- Installation, display, and removal of the exhibition works.
- Participation in the Art Gala associated with the exhibition.
- Promotion through Charm of Art’s official channels, social media, press materials, and event photography.
- Opportunity to offer exhibited photographs for sale.
Artwork sales are managed by the organizer, which retains a 20% commission on the sale price. Selected photographers pay a separate €45 contribution for each work displayed, covering printing and exhibition-related services.
The exhibition brings together photographers around a shared visual theme while allowing each selected artist to contribute an individual perspective. It is also relevant to photographers exploring photography contests with exhibition opportunities through Deartline.
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
The Street Photography in Messina open call has one theme: street photography, interpreted through the exhibition concept “Gazes in Transit”. Submissions may document everyday urban scenes, human relationships, spontaneous gestures, public spaces, and the changing character of contemporary city life.
Photographers can approach the subject through candid observations, social contrasts, moments of movement, or the interaction between individuals and their surroundings. The theme also connects naturally with people photography, documentary work, and the observation of urban culture.
Dates and Entry Fees
The Street Photography in Messina competition and exhibition follow this schedule:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | February 4, 2027 |
| Payment deadline for selected artworks | February 15, 2027 |
| Collective exhibition in Messina | March 2027, five days (Monday to Friday) |
Entry Fees:
- First photograph: €5.
- Each additional photograph: €2.
- Selected photographs: An additional €45 per photograph accepted for exhibition.
For example, submitting five photographs costs €13. If two photographs are subsequently selected, the additional exhibition contribution is €90.
Maximum submission is five photographs per entrant.
How to Enter
Photographers must submit up to five JPG photographs by email before February 4, 2027. Each file must have a maximum long side of 1,500 pixels and follow the naming format First Name – Last Name – Title: 01.
A jury will select the participating artists, who must then provide high-resolution files suitable for printing and complete the exhibition payment by February 15, 2027. Selected photographs will be printed and prepared by the organizer.
About the Jury
The internal jury consists of three members of the Charm of Art project:
- Roberto Pestarino: Photographer and project director, with experience across photographic genres and exhibition recognition, including work shown at the National Library of France.
- Luisa Zinna: European representative of Charm of Art, artist, curator, and art critic with a background in visual arts and cultural projects.
- Santo Cicirò: Founder of Charm of Art, involved in organizing cultural events and exhibitions in Italy and internationally.
The jury evaluates artistic quality, consistency with the theme, narrative and communicative strength, and originality. Twenty photographers will be selected, with one or more images potentially chosen from each. The jury’s decision is final.
Why Enter Street Photography in Messina: Gazes in Transit 2027?
Street photography captures the small interactions and unexpected moments that shape the character of a city. A gesture between strangers, the movement of people through a public square, or a quiet scene along a busy street can reveal something about urban life that might otherwise go unnoticed. Street Photography in Messina: Gazes in Transit brings these observations together within a curatorial concept inspired by Messina’s role as a place of passage and cultural exchange.
For photographers interested in exhibiting their work, the project offers the opportunity to see images presented as physical prints in a collective setting. The selection of 20 artists allows different approaches to street photography to appear alongside one another, while the Art Gala and exhibition promotion provide additional ways for selected work to be seen.
Photographers browsing Deartline’s photo contest calendar will find an opportunity focused on the presentation of urban photography through an exhibition rather than a conventional cash award. Its defined curatorial theme and physical display format make it particularly relevant to photographers developing work around everyday life and public spaces.
Rules and Copyright
We reviewed the official rules of Street Photography in Messina: Gazes in Transit 2027 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
The call is open to photographers of all ages and nationalities. Entrants may submit up to five original photographs, with selections based on artistic quality, thematic relevance, and visual storytelling. Images created or modified using artificial intelligence are prohibited.
Participants must hold all necessary rights and permissions for their work, including those related to identifiable people. Selected photographers pay €45 for each exhibited photograph, and artwork sales are subject to a 20% organizer commission.
At the end of the exhibition, photographers may collect their prints free of charge or arrange shipping at their own expense. Works not collected within five days of the exhibition’s closing may be disposed of. Insurance remains the photographer’s responsibility, and the organizer limits liability for loss, theft, and damage.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain exclusive intellectual property rights to their images. The organizer does not acquire commercial exploitation rights and may use selected photographs only for exhibition promotion, institutional communication, documentation, and publication on its official channels.
Photographer credit must accompany image use. Digital files or prints cannot be transferred to third parties without explicit authorization, and accidental omissions of attribution must be corrected after notification.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
