F/262 Photography Awards
Where global voices meet local stories.
The F/262 International Photography Festival invites artists and photographers from around the world to take part in its inaugural edition in 2026, held across the UNESCO Creative Cities of Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos.
Whether you are submitting a single image, a long-term project, a photobook dummy, or a social-impact proposal, this is your opportunity to present your vision at Portugal’s newest festival dedicated to contemporary photography.
For 2026, the festival explores the sub-theme of water, Shaping Shores, inviting artists to reflect on its cultural, environmental, social, political, or emotional significance. Entries across all open calls may address water, but it is never mandatory.
All open calls include professional exhibition opportunities, public visibility, and prize packages supported by the festival and its partners.
Additional awards and partners will be announced progressively.
About F/262 Photography Awards
The F/262 Photography Awards form the official awards program of the F/262 International Photography Festival.
They recognise contemporary photography as a tool for storytelling, authorship, and cultural reflection, across different practices, generations, and thematic approaches.
Open to photographers worldwide, the awards highlight work that stands out for its visual strength, originality, and relevance today.
Selected finalists are printed and exhibited during the F/262 Festival in Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos, Portugal.
The awards reflect the festival’s commitment to accessibility, sustainability, and the belief that photography belongs everywhere, from the street to the gallery.
Award Categories F/262 Photography Award
The F/262 Photography Awards include a range of distinctions that reflect different approaches to photographic practice:
Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions recognising outstanding photography and visual storytelling.
ZÉ Award
A creative distinction celebrating originality, authorship, and the symbolic power of the single image.
NextGen Award
Focused on emerging photographers and early-career voices.
Thematic Award — “Moldar as Margens / Shaping Shores”
Highlighting work that engages with the festival’s 2026 theme of water, environment, and territory.
Additional categories and sponsor-supported awards may be introduced in future editions.
THE ZÉ AWARD
The ZÉ Award is a creative distinction within the F/262 Photography Awards, celebrating the single image as a powerful form of authorship and visual storytelling.
Open to photographers worldwide, the award recognises originality, narrative strength, and contemporary relevance.
The winner receives the ZÉ Award trophy, inspired by the cultural figure of Zé Povinho and reimagined as a symbol of resilience, creativity, and independent vision.
Selected finalists are exhibited in large-scale outdoor displays across Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos, with production and public visibility fully supported by the festival.
CURATED OPEN CALL EXHIBITIONS
Submit a complete project for festival exhibition.
This open call invites photographers and artists to submit a full project, series, or conceptual body of work for curatorial review. Selected works will be developed into indoor exhibitions across museums, galleries, and civic spaces in Caldas da Rainha and or Óbidos.
Open to all genres — fine art, documentary, conceptual, portrait, experimental, and cross-media.
Selections are made solely based on artistic merit, originality, and curatorial viability.
There are no rankings or prizes; this is a pure selection program.
F/SOS x VITAL IMPACTS x osso x GRANT
Created in partnership with Vital Impacts and OSSO Associação Cultural, the F/SOS × Vital Impacts × OSSO Grant supports one photographer or visual artist in the development of a long-term project with strong social and environmental relevance.
Inspired by the global work of Ami Vitale and Melissa Groo, this grant is designed for artists whose practice engages with urgent contemporary issues such as ecology, conservation, water, community resilience, climate change, displacement, indigenous knowledge, and humanitarian storytelling.
More than a financial grant, this initiative unfolds as a research-based artistic residency rooted in the Oeste Region of Portugal. Developed in collaboration with OSSO Associação Cultural, the residency takes place in São Gregório, Caldas da Rainha, where OSSO hosts an ongoing program of artistic research, experimentation, and community engagement.
What the Grant Supports
The selected artist will develop their project over a defined period, working closely with local contexts and communities, with access to:
• Financial support and production resources (amount to be defined)
• Mentorship from Vital Impacts, F/262, and invited advisors
• Artistic guidance and local field support through OSSO
• Community engagement through talks, open sessions, and participatory moments
• Co-promotion across F/SOS, Vital Impacts, OSSO, and festival communication channels
This is not a prize for completed work. It is a grant and residency designed to give time, structure, visibility, and care to projects that are still growing and need space to deepen.
Public Presentation and Legacy
The residency culminates in a public presentation integrated into the 2028 edition of the F/262 Festival, where the final project will be shared through an exhibition, installation, or expanded public format. The work will also be included in F/SOS public programming, talks, and publications.
Eligibility
The open call is international, with priority given to artists from underrepresented communities and those working in challenging or sensitive contexts. Strong consideration is given to projects that demonstrate ethical engagement, long-term commitment, and respect for the territories and communities involved.
The open call for the 2027 Residency Cycle will be announced during the 2026 edition of F/262.
Meet the Jury
International Voices in Photography
Discover the photographers, editors, and curators shaping the F/262 Awards selection.
READY TO SUBMIT?
Explore each open call to find the best fit for your work, or submit to more than one category.
Every program offers a different opportunity to share your voice with the world.
Awards Partners
Blackrapid
koylab
Produced by F/262 & Associação F/SOS
With the support of:
May 15 – September 25, 2026 Caldas da Rainha & Óbidos, Portugal · View map
About F/262
F/262 is an international photography festival rooted in Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos, Portugal.
Through exhibitions, talks, education, and public installations, the festival engages contemporary photography with place, community, and the world we share.
©2026 F/262 – Festival Internacional de Fotografia
Produced by Associação F/SOS – Fotografia, Solidariedade e Obras Sociais