New free photography open call for photographers
INDIA
A Visual Exploration of IndiaJoin the new members-only photography open call dedicated to the rich culture, landscapes, and traditions of India. Submit your photos and win a solo exhibition at the prestigious Museo d’Arte Orientale in Trieste!
Deadline 1st April 2025
INDIA
Exhibit Around APS and dotART, in collaboration with the Museo d’Arte Orientale and the Fototeca dei Civici Musei di Storia ed Arte di Trieste, present INDIA - a curated open call inviting photographers to explore and interpret the many dimensions of India. From its cultural heritage to contemporary transformations, this project seeks to create a dialogue between past and present through photography. Selected works will be showcased in a solo exhibition at the Museo d’Arte Orientale as part of the 12th edition of Trieste Photo Days 2025, offering a unique platform for international visibility and artistic exchange.
The Project
INDIA invites photographers to explore the rich visual and cultural narratives of a country shaped by deep traditions and rapid transformations. From ancient rituals to modern urban landscapes, from rural communities to bustling metropolises, this project seeks to document the intricate layers of India's identity. Following the success of previous projects such as PLAY! Let the Game Begin and WOW - Worlds of Women, which brought together thousands of images from around the world, INDIA will culminate in a prestigious exhibition at the Museo d’Arte Orientale during the 12th edition of Trieste Photo Days 2025.
The Theme
INDIA explores the multifaceted identity of a nation where history and modernity coexist. The theme embraces a broad range of perspectives, from cultural traditions and daily life to landscapes, architecture, and social transformations. Submissions are encouraged to explore India's visual and symbolic richness, whether through documentary storytelling, abstract compositions, or conceptual interpretations. Submissions may include scenes of heritage and ritual, contemporary urban dynamics, rural landscapes, or personal narratives that reflect the evolving essence of the country.
Who is it for?
This open call is open to photographers worldwide, inviting both emerging and established artists to contribute their visual interpretations of India. Whether through documentary work, conceptual photography, or artistic storytelling, participants are encouraged to explore the country’s cultural, social, and environmental landscapes.
The selected photographer will be awarded a solo exhibition at the Museo d’Arte Orientale during the 12th edition of Trieste Photo Days 2025, a festival renowned for its commitment to contemporary photographic discourse and international artistic exchange.
The photos
Photographers are encouraged to bring their own artistic vision and stylistic approach to their work, selecting the photographic language that best conveys their interpretation of India. This open call welcomes a broad spectrum of photographic styles, with a particular emphasis on documentary, fine art, and conceptual photography.
We seek images that move beyond the surface, offering a nuanced exploration of India’s cultural, social, and geographical landscapes. Whether through spontaneous street scenes, intimate portraits, architectural studies, or long-term visual narratives, submissions should reflect a thoughtful and compelling perspective on a country shaped by both tradition and transformation.
Meet the guests:
Claudia Colecchia
Graduated in History from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, with a diploma in Archival Science, Palaeography, and Diplomatics from the State Archive School of Venice.
She has deepened her studies in archival, photographic, and library sciences, and has worked at the Ca' Foscari and IUAV Universities of Venice, the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, and the Superintendence of Artistic Heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia. She currently holds the position of Head of the Photographic Archive and Library of the Civic Museums of History and Art of the Municipality of Trieste, where she is responsible for the conservation and enhancement of the heritage, conducting guided tours, lessons for students, and curating exhibitions and publications dedicated to historical and contemporary photography. She is also the Head of the Photo Library of the Civic Museums of History and Art of Trieste, curator of exhibitions and cultural events, member of the URBAN Photo Awards jury, and board member of the Rete Fotografia association. She organizes and participates in conferences, symposiums, and seminars.
Francesca Avignone
Francesca Avignone is the Executive Officer Conservator at the Civic Museum of Oriental Art in the Municipality of Trieste. In this role, she focuses on the management and conservation of the museum's collections.
She graduated from the University of Trieste and later specialized in Economics and Management of Arts and Cultural Activities at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. She also earned a Master’s degree in Global Marketing, Communication, and Study Center - Communicating the Enterprise. Made in Italy from the Fondazione Italia USA, in collaboration with Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.
She has pursued further study and training abroad at the University of Trieste.
Her primary areas of interest include theater and oriental art, with a particular emphasis on Kabuki (traditional Japanese theater) and Ukiyo-e (polychrome woodcuts of the Edo period).
INDIA continues the legacy of successful Exhibit Around projects, which have brought together hundreds of photographers from around the world each year. Following the success of previous tribute projects, such as Martin Parr (Short Street Stories, 2019), Alex Webb (Chromantic, 2020), street photography (Tales of the Unwritten, 2021), the female universe with Susan Meiselas (WOW - Worlds of Women, 2022), water with Kadir van Lohuizen (71% - The State of Water, 2023), and sports with PLAY! - Let the Game Begin! (2024), INDIA will be the centerpiece of the 2025 edition.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Participation in the open call is reserved for members of Exhibit Around APS. For non-members, the total cost of participation is 35 euros (including 20 euros for the membership fee). For members already registered for 2025, participation is 15 euros. We remind you that Exhibit Around is a social promotion association, not for profit, and the realization of these open calls is made possible through the support of EA members.
To submit your photos, simply register or access the Exhibit Around user area on my.dotlogic.net, select the INDIA call, and follow the submission procedure for Projects/Portfolios.
Prizes
Following a careful curatorial process, Exhibit Around APS, dotART, the Museo d’Arte Orientale, and the Fototeca dei Civici Musei di Storia ed Arte will select the winning project.
The inaugural event will take place during the Trieste Photo Days 2025, the international photography festival.
Best Author
- Solo exhibition of their photos at the Museo d’Arte Orientale, with production valued at €5000
- Complimentary 2-night stay in Trieste to attend the opening event in person
- Presentation at the Museo d’Arte Orientale (Museum of Oriental Art)
- Exclusive, certified STELE artwork by artist and sculptor Giorgio Celiberti
- 25,000 PhotoPoints to redeem within the dotLogic photographic network (more details here)
- Feature in the 2025 Festival Catalogue, showcasing an excerpt from the project
- Digital certificate recognizing the Best Author award
Honorable Mentions
- Unique medal by artist and sculptor Giorgio Celiberti
- 10,000 PhotoPoints to redeem within the dotLogic photographic network (learn more)
- Digital certificate for an Honorable Mention
- Inclusion in the official Festival 2025 catalogue
- Photo and author featured on our social networks for increased visibility
Remarkable Rewards
- Unique medal by artist and sculptor Giorgio Celiberti
- 5,000 PhotoPoints to redeem within the dotLogic photographic network (learn more)
- Remarkable Rewards digital certificate
ANY DOUBT? - FAQ
You may want to know...
Where and when will my photos be on display?
The best photos will be exhibited in a dedicated exhibition at the end of October 2025 as part of the international photography festival Trieste Photo Days 2025.
Is participation free?
Participation in the Open Call is not free. For non-members, the total cost of participation is 35 euros, which includes a 20-euro membership fee. For members already registered for 2025, participation costs 15 euros.
Exhibit Around is a non-profit social promotion association, and the realization of these open calls is made possible through the support of its members. Photographers whose photos are selected will be contacted by March 2025 with a proposal to contribute to expenses, which will cover logistics, organization, printing of photos and volumes, merchandising, visual communication, transport, set-up, and photographic reportages.
What technical characteristics must the photos have?
A candidate photo will be selected as the cover. Authors wishing to submit their photo explicitly for the cover should add the word "cover" to the name of the uploaded file.
Photos must not contain signatures, watermarks, watermarks or frames. Images must be in '.jpg' format and the color mode must be RGB. The size of the single file must be less than 9 MB while the dimensions required for the photos are:
- minimum 2000px short side
- maximum 6000px long side
The file name must not contain special characters but only letters and/or numbers.
Who owns the rights of the candidate photos?
Each photographer retains the moral and intellectual property rights on their works submitted for the call. Each author grants the Exhibit Around and dotART association the non-exclusive right to use the winning / selected images to promote and/or advertise the association's non-profit activities, subject to official communication to the author (whose name will always be attributed to the 'Opera).