Canon has announced that it is accepting entries for its New Cosmos of Photography 2018 competition from 18 April.
The New Cosmos of Photography is open to entrants globally and is Canon’s cultural project to discover, nurture and support new photographers. Since its launch in 1991, the programme has encouraged participants to explore new and creative ways to engage with photography. In 2015 the contest also opened entry to digital submissions (stills and video) to encourage more novel forms of photographic expression.
Last year’s Grand Prize winners included Mr Trond Ansten from Norway and Mr Benjamin Breitkopf from Germany, for their work “17 toner hvitt”. This is the first time that a European has won the award.
This year’s judging panel has been expanded to include judges from outside of Japan, including Emlia van Lynde, Artistic Director of the Dutch photo and video exhibition Unseen, and Sandra Phillips, Curator Emerita of Photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA).
The New Cosmos of Photography encourages participants to create original pieces of work that push the boundaries of photography. Award winners will have their work featured at exhibitions and published collections, as well on the New Cosmos of Photography website. To date, the New Cosmos of Photography contest has accepted 27,406 entries, many of whom have gone on to achieve international success through their work. As a result, the contest is today regarded as a gateway to success for new photographers.
Entries for this year’s New Cosmos of Photography will be accepted between 18 April and 6 June 2018. The Excellence Award Selection Committee will meet in July to choose seven Excellence Award winners and 14 Honorable Mention Award winners. In November, the Grand Prize selection committee is scheduled to meet to decide the Grand Prize winner from among the seven Excellence Award-winning entries.
The Grand Prize winner of this year’s competition will receive JPY 1 million in prize money and a Canon product. In addition, the winner will have the opportunity to host a solo exhibit to launch the exhibition of winning 2018 entries for next year’s New Cosmos of Photography. To encourage the continued pursuit of their creative activities, 2018 Excellence Award and Honorable Mention Award winners will also receive prize money and the chance to display their works at this year’s exhibition of winning entries.