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What the Streets Hold by Decagon Gallery is an international street photography competition exploring the quiet, often unnoticed moments of human life in public spaces. Open to photographers worldwide, the competition offers $1,000 in cash awards, an online exhibition, and publication in a professionally designed exhibition catalog. The submission deadline is January 15, 2027, with an entry fee of $25 for up to four photographs.
Selected photographs will be exhibited online from February 10 to April 10, 2027. Whether you work with candid portraits, observational imagery, or more subtle interpretations of urban life, What the Streets Hold offers a distinctive opportunity within the world of photography competitions.
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Prizes
What the Streets Hold offers $1,000 in cash awards across five distinctions, along with an additional recognition award. The competition is part of Decagon Gallery’s Spotlight program, which combines juried selection with online exhibition and publication opportunities.
- First Place: $500 cash prize.
- Second Place: $250 cash prize.
- Third Place: $150 cash prize.
- Honorable Mentions: Two awards of $50 each.
- Human Presence Award: Free entry to a future Decagon Gallery exhibition of the recipient’s choice.
In addition to the individual awards, selected artists receive:
- Inclusion in the Decagon Gallery online exhibition.
- Publication in exhibition catalog.
- Digital badges and certificates.
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
The competition has a single theme: What the Streets Hold, focusing on street photography and the subtle ways human presence shapes public spaces. Subjects may include everyday gestures, fleeting encounters, moments of solitude, and traces of people who have passed through a scene.
Within the field of street photography competitions, this open call places particular emphasis on quieter observations and images that suggest a story without fully revealing it. Photographs may feature people directly or evoke their presence through the surrounding environment.
Dates and Entry Fees
What the Streets Hold by Decagon Gallery follows this schedule:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | January 15, 2027 |
| Results notification | February 1, 2027 |
| Online exhibition opens | February 10, 2027 |
| Online exhibition closes | April 10, 2027 |
Entry Fees (USD):
- $25 for up to four photographs.
- $5 for each additional photograph.
How to Enter
Photographers must submit their entries through Decagon Gallery’s online application form.
The application form specifies the following image requirements:
- JPG, JPEG, or PNG format.
- Between 2,100 and 5,000 pixels on the longest side.
- Preferably under 4 MB per image, according to the competition announcement.
- No watermarks, logos, signatures, borders, frames, or text.
- File names following the format FirstName-LastName_Title.jpg, with an appropriate extension for the selected file type.
Applicants are asked to introduce themselves in the first person in no more than 150 words. They must also provide a short description of each photograph, explaining something about the image or their reasons for making it.
About the Jury
The competition will be judged by Teona Machavariani, Curator and Artistic Director of Decagon Gallery.
As the named juror for What the Streets Hold, Machavariani will evaluate submissions within the exhibition’s focus on human presence and the everyday experiences of public life.
The gallery’s curatorial brief emphasizes photographs that invite viewers to consider what is happening beyond the immediately visible scene. Rather than focusing exclusively on dramatic incidents or striking visual coincidences, the exhibition seeks images that reveal something recognizable, ambiguous, or emotionally resonant in ordinary surroundings.
Why Enter What the Streets Hold by Decagon Gallery?
Street photography is often associated with the decisive moment, but some of its most memorable images emerge from quieter observations. What the Streets Hold makes room for this kind of work, inviting photographers to consider the subtle details of how people share public space. A passing glance, an awkward distance between strangers, or the evidence of someone’s recent presence can become the starting point for a compelling photograph.
The theme also allows photographers to explore the relationship between what an image reveals and what it leaves unresolved. Rather than requiring a complete visual narrative, the exhibition welcomes photographs that raise questions about the lives, experiences, and relationships of the people they depict. This approach may be particularly appealing to photographers interested in the emotional and social dimensions of everyday environments.
For photographers searching for the best photography competitions for their work, the right opportunity often depends on finding a theme that genuinely connects with their photographic approach. What the Streets Hold is worth considering if your images explore human behavior, public life, and the stories suggested by ordinary moments.
Rules and Copyright
We reviewed the official rules of What the Streets Hold by Decagon Gallery 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 competition is open to photographers worldwide aged 18 and over, regardless of experience level. All photographic processes and styles are eligible, provided the submitted work is original, belongs to the photographer, and does not infringe the copyright of others.
Photographs must meet the technical requirements specified in the online entry form. Images containing visible watermarks, logos, signatures, text, or decorative borders are not accepted for judging.
Photographs substantially created using artificial intelligence are not eligible. However, Decagon Gallery permits limited AI-assisted editing, such as minor object removal or image extension. Final decisions about eligibility rest with the gallery and the exhibition juror.
Applicants must provide accurate information about their work and agree to the gallery’s submission terms. The online form also allows photographers to indicate whether they wish to receive marketing emails or be considered for additional Instagram features, which require their permission.
Each photographer may receive only one cash award. If multiple submissions qualify for monetary prizes, the photographer receives the highest-valued award.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain full ownership and copyright of their submitted images. Entering the competition does not transfer these rights to Decagon Gallery.
For selected photographs, participants grant the gallery permission to publish their work in online exhibitions and exhibition catalogs. The submission form also authorizes promotional use in connection with Decagon Gallery exhibitions and programs, including publication on its website, social media, newsletters, and other promotional materials.
The permission is therefore not limited solely to the immediate exhibition. The published terms do not expressly establish whether the license is exclusive or non-exclusive, and they do not specify an expiration date for the authorized uses.
Decagon Gallery’s general submission terms state that any use outside the specified exhibition, catalog, website, and social media permissions requires the photographer’s consent. The published conditions do not expressly address sublicensing or independent third-party commercial use.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
