Photo Fringe invites artists to propose a single image that will engage audiences with the climate crisis and help us imagine a greener, fairer world.

About the award

Photo Fringe invites artists from all over the world to participate and respond to the question: "How can photography make a difference to the climate crisis?"

For this year’s OPEN Eco award we’re calling for work to be shown in an outdoor exhibition on Brighton seafront. Twenty single images will be selected by our jury for this key festival exhibition and feature on our festival website.

How to apply

Please enter work you consider to be photographic, well resolved, exciting and innovative. The panel will be looking for work that responds to the question: "How can photography make a difference to the climate crisis?"

Please complete the application form on Curatorspace and fill out our Equal Opps Form. Results from the monitoring form will remain anonymous for all entrants. 

Eligibility

Submissions of work are invited from anyone who considers themselves to be a photographer or lens-based artist.

Artists can only submit a single image per entry, but are allowed to submit multiple entries. A fee of £10 will be charged for each entry. 

Entrants should be over 18 years of age (those between the ages of 14 to 18 should apply for our OPEN Young Photographers award).

Selection panel

Siân Berry, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion
Laura Summerton, Senior Photography Manager, WaterAid
Claire Wearn, Festival Director, Photo Fringe
Rebecca Drew, Chair of Trustees, Photo Fringe; Hd of Operations, Hastings Contemporary

About the exhibition space

The gallery sits proudly on the busiest part of Brighton’s promenade and next to the i360 attracting some of the highest footfall in the city (Visit Brighton) and is accessible 24/7. Image panels are 90x90cm. 

After the exhibition

The Photo Fringe 2024 OPEN Eco exhibition is currently scheduled to run at Brighton Beach Gallery until November. Photo Fringe expects the exhibition to be shown in future, yet to be confirmed. It is hoped the dibond prints will eventually be auctioned to raise funds for Photo Fringe. All works will be shown online at photofringe.org for at least 12 months.

Timeline

Application deadline: Monday 2 September at 9am (The deadline is 09.00am BST which is 10.00am CET)
Final selection made by: Friday 9 September
Print ready files submitted by: Wednesday 11 September, 9am (BST)
Exhibition duration: 4 - 27 October 2024
Festival launch weekend: 4 October 

Instructions

• Upload a single image of the work you are proposing
• Images must be 300 dpi, at least 700mm on the widest length
• For each image, please complete the description field with the year of production and image title if relevant

You will also be asked for:

• up to 50 words about your practice
• up to 100 words describing how your work proposes to respond to the question: How can photography make a difference to the climate crisis?
• a short written biography (up to 100 words)
• a link to your website (optional)
• a link to your instagram (optional)
• a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form - LINK

Final Exhibition Image

Final images will be selected by the panel. You will be requested to submit by We transfer directly to Photo Fringe. No further amendments will be possible. Submitted images must follow the spec below:

*largest file size available saved as a CMYK tiff file at 300dpi. For info, images will be printed on white dibond (900x900mm) with a border of approximately 100x100mm.

Accessibility

If you require support with your application, please get in touch with Photo Fringe Festival Director, Claire Wearn, using "Contact the curator" button below.

About Photo Fringe

Photo Fringe is a registered charity that supports early-career photographers and lens-based artists, showcases new talent and enables all kinds of people to enjoy and experiment with photography. Every two years Photo Fringe designs and delivers one of the largest photographic festivals of its kind in the UK. Photo Fringe develops new ways of seeing together. It is open to everyone and everybody’s invited.

Our eleventh, biennial, open-platform festival is scheduled to take place online and in venues across and beyond Brighton & Hove from 4 October and its theme is Common Ground [link]

photofringe.org

Please refer to the Photo Fringe website for more details of how we look after your data.

We look forward to receiving your entry!