ICBSS Photo Competition
Culture Through My Eyes. One Region, Infinite Stories.
20 March 2026
On the occasion of the 10th Edition of the BSEC Month of Culture, the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) is launching an Open Call for the 2026 ICBSS Photo Competition ‘Culture Through My Eyes. One Region, Infinite Stories.’, with the aim to inspire and connect people through the rich cultural heritage of the wider Black Sea region.
The ICBSS invites individuals of all backgrounds, either amateur or professional photographers, to submit their photo, showcasing how culture influences everyday life, highlights traditions, and preserves a living heritage across centuries.
The Photo Competition will result in the creation of the ICBSS 2027 Calendar, featuring 12 winning photos. The 12 winning photos will be selected through public voting that will take place online, via the ICBSS Facebook page. Each month will feature one winning photo, accompanied by a brief description or story, including proper credit given to the photographer. The calendar will be published in both printed and digital formats.
Submitted photos, that meet the selection criteria but are not included in the winning ones, may be included in the 10th edition of the BSEC Month of Culture, or other related non-commercial promotional activities. Proper credit will be given to the photographer, according to the Terms and Conditions.
The Photo Competition will run from 23 March to 13 July 2026, including the submission, public voting, and announcement phases.
Important Dates
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- 23 March – 30 April 2026: Open for Submissions
- 1 – 15 May 2026: Pre-Selection Process
- 18 May – 26 June 2026: Public Voting Period
- 13 July 2026: Announcement of Winners
- November – December 2026: Postage of the ICBSS 2027 Calendar to the Winners
Theme
The ICBSS Photo Competition focuses on the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the thirteen countries of the BSEC region: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine.
Participants are invited to submit their photos, accompanied by a brief description or story, showcasing how culture influences everyday life, highlights traditions, and preserves a living legacy across centuries.
Photos may include landscapes, monuments, paintings, street art, architecture, murals, art, gastronomy, and cultural customs and traditions from any of the thirteen countries of the BSEC region only.
Photos must depict real, specific elements that highlight any of the following:
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- aspects of culture that highlight its rich diversity.
- traditions, customs, and elements of intangible cultural heritage.
- local cuisine and collective hospitality practices that engage communities.
- architectural or natural landscapes that serve as landmarks.
- elements of everyday life that suggest connection and shared experience.
How to enter the competition
To enter the Competition and submit a photo, participants must register online HERE
In order to register successfully, participants must upload their photo and complete the online registration form, including location of the photo, a short description and a title (up to 150 characters), only via the JotForm. Each entry must also include the photographer’s name, contact details, and country. Any submissions via email or other communication channels will not be accepted.
Participants are free to share their Facebook usernames, if they wish to be tagged at the announcement of the winning results.
Technical Specifications
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- Orientation: Horizontal (landscape)
- File Format: JPG / JPEG
- File Size: 3 MB – 15 MB
- Accepted Aspect Ratios: 3:2, 4:3, 16:9
- No watermarks, copyright notices, logos, borders and embedded text on images are allowed.
Important: Images must not be upscaled or artificially enlarged.
Selection and Voting Procedure
The 12 winning photos will be selected via public voting through the ICBSS Facebook page. All photos meeting the selection criteria will be uploaded and be available for public upvoting on the ICBSS Facebook page for a period of 40 days.
Timeframe:
- Submission & Pre-selection: Submissions will be accepted from 23 March to 30 April 2026. Late registrations and photos that do not meet the selection criteria will be rejected without further notice.
- Publication to launch Voting: On 18 May 2026, the ICBSS will upload photos that meet the selection criteria to the ICBSS Facebook page. The competition's hashtag will be added as a watermark on the photo. This watermark will only be applied to versions published on Facebook for the purposes of the voting procedure and will not affect the artistic integrity of the photo. Posts will be made on the official ICBSS website, social media and newsletter channels to encourage audience engagement and voting for favourite photos.
- Public Voting: Voting will take place from 18 May to 26 June 2026. The public will choose the winners based on public upvoting, namely positive Facebook reactions (“Like”, “Heart”, “Care” and “Wow”) which will be reviewed by ICBSS. The 12 most upvoted photos (photos with the highest number of positive Facebook reactions), will be the winners. Negative reactions (Facebook “Ha-Ha”, “Angry” and “Sad”) will not be counted as votes. The decisions of the public voting are final. The ICBSS will review the results and announce the winners.
- Announcement of winning photos: The results will be officially announced by ICBSS on Monday 13 July 2026. The winning photos will be re-uploaded to Facebook with the relevant tags and hashtag, as well as on the ICBSS website. Winners will also be notified by email and will be requested to share their postal address to receive a hard copy of the ICBSS 2027 Calendar before the end of the year.
Selection Criteria
Submissions are open to individuals of all backgrounds, either amateur or professional photographers, based on the following criteria:
- Participants must be at least 18 years old.
- Each participant may submit one (1) photo only.
- Submitted photos must depict content from any of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine.
- Submitted photos must be original, unpublished, and taken solely by the participant.
- AI-generated or substantially AI-assisted images are strictly prohibited.
- Photos must be respectful, relevant, and depict authentic elements that illustrate, but not limited to:
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- Cultural identity and diversity.
- Customs and traditions.
- Collective experiences and everyday life.
- Landmarks and culturally significant locations.
- Photos must not:
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- Contain recognisable faces.
- Include logos, trademarks, or promotional material.
- Infringe upon any third-party rights.
Awards
The 12 winning photos will be included in the ICBSS 2027 Calendar, along with references to their entrants (either their real names or their chosen nicknames). Winners of the competition will receive a printed copy of the calendar.
Important Notes
- Participants retain full copyright of their submitted photos. By submitting, they grant ICBSS a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the material for communication, publication, and promotional purposes related to the competition and the BSEC Month of Culture.
- ICBSS reserves the right to modify, suspend or cancel the competition in case of unforeseen circumstances beyond its control
Read the Call and the Term & Conditions HERE
The 2026 ICBSS Photo Competition aligns with the ICBSS objectives to further promote the cultural identity of the wider Black Sea region, enhance its visibility to the wider public and contribute to the preservation of the region's cultural legacy, within the framework of the ICBSS’ public outreach activities.
About the BSEC Month of Culture
Being aware of the rich, diverse, cultural heritage of the BSEC region, the ICBSS established the “BSEC Month of Culture (MoC)” in 2017, with the aim to promote the cultural identity of the region and enhance its visibility to the wider public.
The MoC is an online, month-long programme of cultural highlights of performing arts, cinema, literature, painting, architecture, and gastronomy from the 13 BSEC Member States.
Each “BSEC Month of Culture” is launched annually, from 1 to 30 November.
Visit the previous editions HERE
