Launched by the Italian cultural association dotART in 2009, the URBAN Photo Awards is an international photography competition held annually as part of the Trieste Photo Days, in the northeast of Italy.
Photographers from around the world can participate in this competition dedicated to urban photography and the exploration of our contemporary lives. It consists of four categories: single photos (with themes that may include street, people, spaces, and creativity), projects and portfolios, the URBAN Book & Zine Award which rewards a publication project, and the URBAN Photo Arena which highlights young talents. This year, a prestigious jury chaired by Harry Gruyaert and composed of international photographers, art critics, journalists, and exhibition curators will consider each submission.
Every year, the city of Trieste is adorned with thousands of photographs submitted by photographers from around the world. The URBAN Photo Awards are unique in that the competition is not limited to online participation but offers photographers true visibility through exhibitions. The competition is the beating heart of the Trieste Photo Days festival, which takes place every autumn over two consecutive weekends, giving residents and visitors of Trieste the opportunity to witness the city becoming a vast photography gallery.
Over the years, the URBAN Photo Awards has gained significant renown. Some exhibitions have left a lasting impression, such as the one dedicated to Martin Parr in 2019, the year he chaired the jury. Titled “Life’s a Beach” and realized in collaboration with the municipality of Trieste, it presented a series of iconic, and sometimes lesser-known, photos that the photographer captured on beaches throughout his career. Each year, jury members have had the opportunity to exhibit their works in prominent locations in the city, including Nino Migliori, Susan Meiselas, Alex Webb, Jerome Sessini, Bruce Gilden and Alec Soth. The city’s museums themselves contribute to the selection through the Civic Museums Prize.
Since 2011, the festival has also stood out for its associations with European countries, where the photographs are exhibited: in Poland (Krakow, Lodz, and Warsaw), Hungary (Budapest, Pécs, and Miskolc), Cyprus (Limassol, Paphos, and Nicosia), Serbia (Belgrade), Latvia (Riga), Slovenia (Koper), Ukraine (Sumy), Croatia (Porec), Germany (Berlin), Colombia (Bucaramanga), and in Italy (Rome).
The winners of each category will be announced on Saturday, October 26, and, in addition to numerous rewards—whether financial or resulting in an exhibition—they will receive a trophy designed by the artist Giorgio Celiberti, who represented Italy at the Venice Biennale in 1948. A Press Award will also be given for the best portfolio by a jury composed of photo magazines editors. Contributions are accepted until June 16, and one free photo submission is offered to open the competition to the widest audience.
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