Since the arrival of the new millennium, our world has increasingly to face global challenges such as demography and the environment, as well as different value systems. The world of today is getting more unstable and unequal. Traditional communities, values and ways of life are disappearing due to economic change and industrial restructuring. Today, Europe and the world are facing a downturn never witnessed since the 1930s. In this time of rapid changes we need to be more flexible and creative and make full use of human capacities. The recovery will clearly depend on creativity and innovation.
Photographers are asked to dig deep in their imagination and provide an original work where they express their vision of a "new world".
The European Commission is inviting all professional and amateur photographers, photography students and all other talents to submit their photographs to the “Imagine a new world” photo competition. It is open to anyone who is resident of an EU Member State or candidate country or of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and who shares our passion for photography. This is an opportunity for you to express what creativity and innovation means to you.
Before submitting your photographs, please make sure you have read the participation requirements carefully.
The “Imagine a new world” competition Jury will be chaired by Professor of photography and President of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) Chris Wainwright. The entries will be judged by an international Jury of renowned professionals from the fields of photography and the arts who will select the winners.
To participate in the competition, you need to use your camera to show others your vision of the future. Take pictures of what you think the future holds for you, Europe or the world. This is not only a chance to show what you can do as a photographer, but also an opportunity to convey your own message about the future and to inspire others to make use of their own talent and creative potential. As well as being recognised for your talent on a European level, you can win prizes such as a camera or photographic equipment and a trip to Stockholm for the closing ceremony of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009.
Read more about the Prizes.
Selection Process
Members of the Jury of the “Imagine a new world” photo competition are well-known professionals from the fields of photography and the arts. The Jury will be chaired by Chris Wainwright, Professor of photography and President of ELIA. Entries will be assessed by the panel according to the following criteria:
Award criteria
* Interpretation of the theme "Imagine a new world"
* Creativity, primarily regarding the content and composition of the photographs submitted. Technical aspects including editing will be considered as an added value where their use helps to express the photographer's ideas or to enhance the value of the content of the images
* Coherence, artistic quality and personal style of the photographer
* Broad appeal of the image
Three winners will be chosen from all eligible submissions. Another 30 short-listed entries will be selected by the Jury to go through to an online voting process for the winner of the “Public’s Favourite Award”. The results will be announced on this website.
The winning pictures, together with those shortlisted for the People's Favourite Award section, will also be published in a brochure and reproduced in other ways to reach a large audience throughout Europe and beyond.
General requirements
1. The competition is open to all professional and amateur photographers who are residents of an EU Member State or candidate country or of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, regardless of their sex, age or nationality (officials and other persons employed by the European Institutions – including the Agencies – and their families are not eligible to participate to the competition).
2. Participants are asked to submit 2-4 images related to the theme "Imagine a new world"
3. To enter all participants must complete the official entry Form online.
4. When submitting entries, participants confirm that the material is their own and copyright has not been violated.
5. Participants must get written consent from any individuals depicted in the photographs submitted. You can download a consent form here. For underage people you need the authorisation of their parents.
6. All participants agree to allow the European Commission to use their photographs for information and promotional purposes.
7. The deadline to enter the competition is 31 August 2009.
Technical requirements
1. The photographs can be in colour or in monochrome and taken with a digital or film camera (if film is used, the photographs must be submitted as digital scans). You have the right to edit your picture including manipulating colour or composition, montage, collage or touching-up, re-sharpening or correcting the tonal value.
2. Photographs must be submitted by being digitally uploaded through the online entry form in both of the following presentations:
* previews (255x369 pixel / 9x13 cm in 72 dpi) uploaded in the online entry form in either JPEG or TIF format; and
* digital photographs (minimum 21x29,7 cm (DIN A4) / 2480x3508 pixel, maximum 7016x9933 pixel / 59.4x84.1 cm in 300dpi – please do not extrapolate) uploaded through the online entry form in either JPEG or TIF format.
3. Contributions must have a title and can include a short explanation using a maximum of 150 characters.
For more information: http://www.imagine2009.eu/4.0.html
