Submissions to URBAN Photo Awards 2026 are now closed: thank you to all our photographers

Submissions to the 17th edition of URBAN Photo Awards have officially closed: a heartfelt thank you to all the photographers who joined us this year. With entries from photographers around the world and an ever-rising standard of work, URBAN once again proves itself able to connect a global community and reach beyond the boundaries of the digital world.

The numbers from this edition reflect a contest in constant growth: nearly 20,000 images submitted by around 5,000 photographers worldwide, across Single Images, Projects & Portfolios and books entered for the Book Award.

Our jury is already at work, selecting from thousands of images those that best capture the complexity of urban life.

Finalists will be announced soon, while the winners will be revealed during the URBAN Photo Awards Award Ceremony, taking place on Saturday 24 October as part of Trieste Photo Days, the international photography festival held in the beautiful city of Trieste. In the presence of jurors Mark Power and Christopher Morris, the ceremony will celebrate every category of the contest, honouring the talent and creativity of all participating photographers. The special awards, the URBAN Press Award and the Patricia D. Richards Legacy Award, will also be presented, along with the title of Photographer of the Year 2026. Selected works will also feature in the festival’s exhibitions, including Beyond the Surface, the group show personally curated by Mark Power.

Once again this year, Giorgio Celiberti, an artist of the Venice Biennale, will craft the trophies and medals for the contest, each accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, and will present the Artistic Sensitivity Award.

A special thank you goes to our partners and jury members, whose commitment makes every edition of URBAN possible, and of course to all the photographers behind what promises to be an extraordinary edition.