Patricia’s memorial prize at the URBAN Photo Awards for Trieste Photo Days
not only commemorates her passion for photography, but also benefits
the recipients and enhances the festival’s prestige.
Stefano Ambroset, Founder and director of URBAN Photo Awards, Trieste Photo Days and Exhibit Around

The prize was established in 2024 in memory of the American photographer whose extraordinary life and career continue to inspire photographers and art lovers worldwide. A photographer and teacher, Patricia D. Richards (1951-2022) documented the social transformations of the United States for over forty years, with an empathetic gaze towards marginalized communities. Her series on migrant workers and the Civil Rights Movement are now preserved in public collections such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.

Calling talented under 35 photographers

Test your talent and exhibit at Trieste Photo Days, one of the leading international photography festivals in Europe. This is your opportunity to gain recognition on the international scene: submit your portfolio, participate in the second edition of this Special Prize, and you could be part of a collective exhibition and win other significant awards. A concrete way to celebrate the legacy of Patricia D. Richards and leave your mark on the photographic art scene.

In the Projects & Portfolios section, you can submit collections of images united by a common element: photographic series, reportages, thematic portfolios, storyboards, or any coherent project that tells a story through multiple shots.

All young photographers under 35 who participate in the Projects & Portfolios section automatically have the opportunity to win this award.

Prize Highlights

• URBAN 2025 Trophy by Giorgio Celiberti. Value: € 1.500
• Scholarship for the Creative Photography Program at the Krakow School of Photography. Value: € 1.600
• Collective exhibition at the international photography festival Trieste Photo Days 2025 – Magazzino 26. Value: € 1.000
• Publication, both online and in the photographic book URBAN Unveils 11
• Publication on the official festival catalog
• An invitation as guest of honour to Trieste Photo Days 2025, including a two-night stay for two, in order to attend the award ceremony. Value: € 250
• 5.000 PhotoPoints worth 50 €
• An invitation to URBAN 2025 gala dinner at Trieste Photo Days
• 1 Stroppa handcrafted shoulder strap. Value: € 60

Denis Curti to head the judging committee

Leading the commission that will select the winning project will be Denis Curti, curator, essayist, and director of Le Stanze della Fotografia in Venice. With over thirty years of experience in the critique and promotion of the image, Curti will bring to the Award his recognized expertise in interpreting contemporary photography and in identifying the most promising talents. His presence guarantees a rigorous evaluation process and, at the same time, attention to the narrative power and originality of each portfolio in the competition.

Patricia’s Journey

Patricia was born in Oakland, California, and grew up in Seattle, Washington. She graduated from Ingraham High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama from the University of Washington, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Southern Methodist University. She received a Mid-America Arts Alliance/National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Photography in 1991, and taught photography at Tarrant County College in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. While there, she led numerous groups of students on study abroad trips to Europe, South America, and Cuba. For many, it was their first time leaving the state of Texas.