About this opportunity
New Talents is the open call at the heart of Belgrade Photo Month, a photography festival that reaches its ninth edition in May 2027 with exhibitions, lectures, workshops and portfolio reviews across venues in Belgrade, Serbia. The call is aimed at photographers at the start of their practice, and it is deliberately wide: anyone of any nationality may enter, professional or amateur, as long as they were born after 1 January 2002.
You enter with one project of eight to fifteen photographs on a theme you choose yourself, since the call sets no topic beyond the rules and conditions of the exhibition. Colour or black and white work is accepted, and each project needs an artist statement, a short biography that includes your date of birth, and a text about the proposal of no more than 3,000 characters in English. The photographs are sent as jpg files with the longer side no larger than 1,920 pixels at 72 dpi, each one titled and numbered in the order it should be viewed. AI generated photographs are not accepted, and a proposal entered in a previous edition cannot be resubmitted.
The jury works from the creativity, originality and technical quality of the submitted work. Members of the festival are not allowed to compete. From all the entries the organisers choose three best proposals plus a best local proposal from Serbia, and from those three they name the top project along with the second and third places and the local award. Nominated photographers are asked to send their selected images as high resolution files within five days of the nomination, and there is no obligation on the organisers to print work beyond that.
Entry is free. The submission window closes on 14 February 2027 at 23:30 Belgrade time, successful authors are notified on 7 March 2027, and the exhibition opens on 7 May 2027 as part of the festival. Photographers are credited in all official festival publications and during the exhibition of their work, and results are published on the festival website.
What you receive
- A free entry into an international photography open call with no nationality restriction
- Selection of three best proposals plus a best local proposal, with prizes for first, second and third place
- An exhibition of the project during the ninth Belgrade Photo Month festival in Belgrade, Serbia from 7 May 2027
- Credit in all official festival publications and during the exhibition of your work
- Publication of results on the festival website, which reaches a European photography network
- A route into the wider festival programme of lectures, workshops and portfolio reviews
Who can apply
- You were born after 1 January 2002
- You are of any nationality, and you may be a professional or an amateur photographer
- You enter with one project only, made up of eight to fifteen photographs
- Your photographs are your own image captures, made on photographic emulsion or digitally, since AI generated photographs are not accepted
- The proposal has not been submitted to a previous edition of this call
Who should not apply
- Photographers born on or before 1 January 2002
- Members of the festival, who are not allowed to take part in the competition
- AI generated photographs and proposals already entered in an earlier edition
- Entries that do not conform to the exhibition rules and conditions, which the sponsoring organisation or its agent may reject
Documents to prepare
- A project of eight to fifteen photographs in colour or black and white, as jpg files with the longer side no larger than 1,920 pixels at 72 dpi in best compression quality
- A project title, with every photograph titled and numbered in the order it should be viewed
- An artist statement
- A short curriculum vitae or biography that includes your date of birth
- A text about the proposal of no more than 3,000 characters, in English
How to apply
- Read the New Talents 2027 open call on the Belgrade Photo Month website, including the rules, conditions and technical requirements for the files
- Assemble one project of eight to fifteen photographs, numbered and titled in viewing order, and prepare your artist statement, biography with your date of birth and a proposal text of up to 3,000 characters in English
- Send the complete entry by email to newtalents2027@belgradephotomonth.org before 14 February 2027 at 23:30 Belgrade time
- If you are nominated, send your selected photographs as high resolution images within five days of the date of nomination so the work can be printed for the exhibition
Selection process
- The jury evaluates the submitted work on creativity, originality, technical quality and the other criteria typically used in such assessments
- The organisers choose three best proposals from all entries, plus a best local proposal from Serbia
- From the three selected proposals the organisers name the best one and also award prizes for second and third place and for the best local proposal
- Successful authors are notified on 7 March 2027 and the exhibition opens on 7 May 2027
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- Swarovski Foundation Creatives For Our Future Programme 2026
The fifth cycle of the Creatives For Our Future Programme gives young creatives worldwide a 20,000 euro grant, one on one mentorship and educational support to develop creative work that advances sustainable development. Open to creatives aged twenty one to thirty working across design, art, technology and related fields, it closes 9 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. GMT.
Questions applicants ask
Is there an entry fee?
No. The open call states the entry fee as free.
Do I have to be a professional photographer?
No. The call is open to professionals and amateurs of any nationality, provided you were born after 1 January 2002.
How many photographs should I send?
One project of between eight and fifteen photographs, each titled and numbered in the order the images should be viewed, with a maximum of 1,920 pixels on the longer side at 72 dpi in jpg.
Is the theme fixed?
No. There are no restrictions on topic beyond the rules and conditions of the exhibition, so you choose the subject of your project.
Can I use AI generated images?
No. The rules state that AI photographs are not accepted, and entries must be image captures made by the entrant.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
