- Days Remaining 32
This year's theme; The Silence that Shapes
The Silence that Shapes interrogates the very terms by which human beings have come to understand the world. For centuries, we have read nature through a distinctly human lens—projecting onto it our fears and expectations, our lacks and our longings. Yet the question persists: can we ever truly interpret nature on its own terms? Mountains and oceans, earth and light transform and endure according to their own order. Meaning, it turns out, has always been our imposition; nature neither mirrors our emotions nor bends to resemble us.
Landscape is a cross-section of the world. It is always the human observer who speaks of meaning, while nature discloses itself in silence. The world prior to human interpretation—the landscape before narrative and meaning are layered upon it—exists as a kind of archetype, a blank canvas prepared for the mark. The consolations and anxieties, the sublimity and expectation we project onto the landscapes are, in the end, a form of reflection: they tell us how we wish to read and inhabit the world, not the world itself.
What, then, are we actually seeing—and what are we adding?
What nature demands of us is not conclusion or certainty, but inquiry and reflection. No one possesses the truth in full; yet through sustained questioning, we may draw closer to understanding. How will we interpret the landscape before us? By reflecting on our own readings of the natural world, we might begin to measure the gap between how human beings receive the world—and what the world actually is.
Individuals and collectives are welcome to apply;
individuals should submit between 8 - 12 photographs from a particular series or body of work.
Selected 15 - 20 artists including ‘Artist of the year’ (individual artist or 1 team of winner) will benefit from:
A-year-long exhibition that exposures at the DIPF Festival - inclusion in art magazine, any related press (long term festival representation and promotion on official website, publications, catalog that being seen by a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media) where the works viewed by an international panel of influential experts in the field of photography
* 'Artist of the year' - solo exhibition at DIPF (production - printing, framing or related presentation material will be provided) and eligible for travel and accommodation to attend the opening.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1. GENERAL
Objectives DongGang International Photo Festival aims to feature a quality selection of photography projects from around the world. DIPF’s open call is devoted to offering a platform and supporting photography, showcasing photography and related media from emerging and established artists.
Venue_The selected photographs will be presented to DongGang International Photo Festival in DongGang in main exhibition space, outdoor space and screening at the opening ceremony.
Dates_The Main Program of 24th DongGang International Photo Festival will be held from Jul. 17 to Oct. 11, 2026
Eligibility_Submission to DongGang International Photo Festival 2026 is open to artist from around the world.
Entry Deadline_Submissions must be made before June 1, 2026, 0:00 hrs.
There is no entry fee for submissions.
2.HOW TO SUBMIT
: Submissions must Include below
Photography works : 8 - 12 images, 4000 pixel (on the longside), jpeg file or tiff file
Name (full name)
Mobile/Phone Number
Email Address
Postal Address
A concise one-page CV or a short biography
Artist’s Statement (a short write up about the body of work)
: How to Enter
Email : opencall@dgphotofestival.com or www.wetransfer.com
Any incomplete submissions will be rejected.
* Receipt Confirmation_Upon receipt, an email confirmation will be sent to the email specified in the submission.
