Photography Contest

FOTOGRAFICA NEXT

FOTOGRAFICA NEXT

Deadline |

08/27/25

Theme |

As Brave As We Can

Territory |

Worldwide

Eligibility |

The competition is open to photographers and artists aged between 18 and 30 years old as of the date of submission

Entry Fees |

FREE

Prizes |

Exhibition
FOTOGRAFICA, Bergamo Photography Festival, invites talents under 30 to participate in FOTOGRAFICA NEXT, a new Open Call that awards two distinct categories: Photography and AI Photography—projects created wholly or partially with generative AI. This year's theme is “As Brave As We Can,” and all submitted projects must relate to the concept:

Courage isn't something you're born with—it's something you grow into. It’s a journey made of choices, stumbles, doubts and dreams that keep you moving forward. “As Brave As We Can” is an invitation to explore what it really means to be strong. Even when it doesn’t show. Even when it feels scary. The courage to speak your truth, to change direction, to ask for help.To begin something, even if you don’t know where it will take you. Sometimes it’s in the small things: in families, with friends, at school, or at work. Other times, it’s in choices that change everything. We move through expectations, endless scrolling, dreams to defend, rising technological revolutions. But what does it truly mean to face a future that’s still unwritten?

The Open Call aims to amplify the voices of those discovering their unique language and looking at the world with fresh eyes, carrying questions, insights and visions. FOTOGRAFICA NEXT offers them real opportunities for visibility, growth, and professional exchange.

The Open Call is organized in partnership with Fondazione Alfaparf, the non-profit foundation of Alfaparf Milano Group, dedicated to supporting younger generations through various initiatives, including fostering artistic expression—such as photography—as a means of individual and collective growth.

What winners receive
The first-prize winners of each category will receive a €3,000 prize, have a dedicated exhibition at the fifth edition of FOTOGRAFICA (11 October – 9 November 2025), and receive a free portfolio review by a panel of photography professionals during the festival’s opening days.
The shortlisted finalists (5 per category) will participate through a dedicated video projection at the fifth edition of FOTOGRAFICA (11 October – 9 November 2025) and will also receive a free portfolio review by a panel of photography professionals during the festival’s opening days.

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