UP25 contest will be open from 20 January to 3 March 2025. Interested photographers are invited to follow MUSEC’s social channels (IG @museclugano and FB MusecLugano ) for updates; as soon as the competition is online, they can apply through the form available here

The UNPUBLISHED PHOTO contest is promoted by the Fondazione culture e musei of Lugano (FCM) with MUSEC-Lugano; organised in collaboration with the 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS Gallery in Milan and the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti in Venice and it is in partnership with the Fondazione Ada Ceschin e Rosanna Pilone in Zurich.

Participation in the international competition is free of charge and open to young photographers born between 1995 and 2007.

From 20 January until 3 March (12:00 am local time) applicants must submit an unpublished photographic project of 10 unpublished images. The projects must have a thematic and stylistic unity. A technical jury of international experts from the world of photography and communication will chose the four finalist portfolios.

The winners will receive the following cash prizes:
1st prize: CHF 3.500;
2nd to 4th prize : CHF 500 each.

The four winners are also rewarded with the publication of a catalogue published by the FCM containing all the photographs submitted to the competition, and an exhibition in Lugano, at the MUSEC venue. The costs of these valorisation activities amount to CHF 50.000 and are fully covered by the FCM.

For the realisation of the Fine Art prints, the finalists must be able to provide the appropriate digital files (TIFF file min. 300 dpi and Adobe rgb 1998 color profile). The prints will be produced by FCM and will become part of the MUSEC photographic collections.