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The street has taken on a fundamental role in the contemporary global society. The public space -both physical and online- lives in constant resistance to its privatization and homogenization by trying to maintain a place where to meet, play, propose, protest and debate ideas that respond to the multiple challenges and concerns we face today. Communities displaced by key issues such as the consequences of climate emergency, local and global political conflicts, economic crisis' and identity struggles coincide in the public space. At the same time, the streets are claimed as the essential place to generate new relationships and provoke new cultural and social possibilities.

We want to explore the online and physical public space as an updated place of protest, as an area to be reclaimed by marginalised people, as a place of encounter and mutual recognition, and as a field for experimentation, play and celebration.

GETXOPHOTO is a festival which, on its 14 years of trajectory, has approached universal matters for the inhabitants of Getxo and multiple visitors to explore and reflect them through non conventional exhibitions and installations. That's why we invite artists from all over the world to participate in this open call with proposals using photography, video, installation, performance, actions, digital art or any other way of visual expression.

All those shortlisted will be published on March 9. The three winners will (if the jury finds it convenient, the number of winners may be increased) be announced on March 12 and their work will be exhibited during the Festival, which runs from September 2nd to 27th, 2020. GETXOPHOTO will assume the exhibition expenses and it will be designed under the criteria of the curator of GETXOPHOTO International Image Festival in agreement with the artists.

All the information must be uploaded in English. The entrance fee is 20€ per project.

To carry out the Call, the Festival has partnered with Picter platform.

What winners receive

The winners will benefit from:

• The production of an exhibition at GETXOPHOTO Festival alongside recognised contemporary visual artists

• Fee of 400€ as participant of the Festival

• Accomodation for 2 nights during the Opening Week.

• Inclusion in the Festival's programme and book

• Inclusion in the Festival's  communication marketing campaign

• Dedicated entry on the Festival website

• Being seen by a substantial number of visual arts professionals and media

All submitting artists will be reviewed by all members of the jury.

About GETXOPHOTO

GETXOPHOTO is an International Image Festival that takes place in Getxo (Basque Country, Spain) during September since 14 years ago. It brings different proposals from photographers and visual storytellers from all over the world to the city, setting a contemporary conversation about the theme proposed each year.

GETXOPHOTO inhabits public space and continues on its stake of using formats, stands and unconventional exhibition spaces to show different images and stories, creating an open dialogue with its audience, while filling their everyday world with images. GETXOPHOTO is an agent of change for social conversations that connect with the public due to its location and diffusion. The Festival hosts exhibitions, an international Open call which opens doors to artists from all over the world; labs that are part of the education programme; collaborations with cultural agents and institutions that strengthen the cultural ecosystem; meetings understood as a shared space for reflection on images, and various activities as part of the GETXOPHOTO participatory programme.

The Festival will celebrate its 14th year edition following an impressive artistic trajectory showcasing critically acclaimed photographers including Martin Kollar; Martin Parr; Martin Schoeller; Nadav Kander; Naomi Harris; Phil Toledano; Marcos López; Ricardo Cases; Joy Buolamwini; Wang Qingsong; Alessandra Sanguinetti; Roger Ballen; Cristina De Middel; Thomas Mailaender; Juno Calypso; Vincent Fournier; Pieter Hugo; Maija Tami, Jacques-Henri Lartigue; Paul Fusco; Simon Norfolk; Zanele Muholi; Yann Gross and Erik Kessels among many others, in approximately 20 annual exhibitions and under the curatorial vision of international professionals Alejandro Castellote, Frank Kalero, Christian Cajoulle, Monica Allende and, for this new edition, Jon Uriarte. For more information about the Festival, visit getxophoto.com.

Juror information

Jon Uriarte
Artist and Digital curator at Photographers' Gallery. Curator of GETXOPHOTO.
He studied photography in Barcelona and ICP NY and holds a master in Projects and Artistic Theories by PhotoEspaña and the European University of Madrid. His work has been exhibited in collective and individual exhibitions at different galleries and centers in Madrid, San Sebastian, New York, Berlin or Barcelona. Founder of the independent platform Widephoto and former coordinator of DONE, by Foto Colectania, he is currently the digital curator of The Photographers' Gallery in London.

Mirjam Kooiman
Curator at FOAM, Photography Museum Amsterdam
Responsible for a number of exhibitions at FOAM, she collaborates with photography platforms in Mexico, Nigeria and Indonesia in the Foam 3h programme, creating an exchange of cultural knowledge on photography discourses worldwide. She is researching how photography can relate to virtual realities, artificial intelligence, gaming and online experiences. She has written for L'Internationale, Something We Africans Got, Migrant Journal, and she is a regular contributor to Foam Magazine.

Sarah Leen
Emeritus Director of photography for National Geographic Magazine
Freelance photographer for the National Geographic Magazine for nearly 20 years until she joined the staff as a Senior Photo Editor in 2004, and became the first female Director of Photography in 2013. Jury of numerous contests and portfolio reviews including Lens Culture, Photo Lucida, The FotoEvidence Book Award, the Carmignac Award and the New York Times Portfolio Reviews. She teaches photography and photo editing.

Emma Lewis
Assistant Curator at Tate Modern
Her recent projects include the exhibition 'Dora Maar' and the international conference 'Fast Forward: How do Women Work?' As assistant curator for Tate’s Acquisitions Committee, she is responsible for identifying photographs for Tate’s collection. Emma has contributed to numerous exhibition catalogues, to monographs for artists including Haley Morris-Cafiero and Noémie Goudal, and is the author of 'Understanding Photography' (Bloomsbury/Rizzoli 2017).

Do I have to be a qualified visual artist to participate?

No, you don't have to be qualified in order to participate. GETXOPHOTO Open Call is open to all emerging and established visual artists worldwide. We encourage applications from all individuals and/or collectives who meet the criteria.

Is there a theme for the GETXOPHOTO Open Call?

Yes. The submitted works must correspond to the topic of this year's festival, To the streets!  We are looking for works which challenge the way we think and question established ideas of engagement.

When is the deadline?

The deadline is February 16, 2020, 11:59 pm, UTC +1, Spanish time.

How much does it cost?

€20 per project.

How many projects can I submit?

You can submit a maximum of 3 projects.

What are the age requirements?

All the participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission.

Can I send my submission by email?

We do not accept entries by email as an alternative to digital uploading. Please register on picter.com and upload your entries online.

Can I submit video stills or installation shots with my submission?

Yes, you can submit video stills and/or installation shots as part of the images for a series. Make sure to explain that these are stills from a video or installation shots in the series description. It's not possible to upload the video itself but in both cases you may provide a link in the description.

My work has been awarded in other competitions. Can I still submit them?

Yes. There is no restriction to submitting work that has been part of other photo competitions or prior exhibitions.

Can I enter as a duo or collective?

Yes, duos and collectives are more than welcome.

Can I submit using an artist name?

Yes, but you must include your real name on the application form as well.

Will my images be sold?

No. You retain copyright to your work and your images will not be sold or used for commercial purposes.

If I win, will I have to send in high-resolution files of my work?

Yes. Once the jury has made its final selection, we will contact you to request high-resolution files to produce the exhibition.

Who will decide which works are selected?

A select group of internationally renowned jurors from around the world will view all the images submitted and select the winning entries.

When will I know if I have been selected?

A shortlist will be announced on the Festival website as well as social networks, and notified to all the participants on March 9, 2020.The winners will be announced to all the participants and published on the Festival website and its social networks on March 12, 2020. If you have not been notified that your work has been selected by 9 March 2020, please assume your application has not been successful.

If my work is not selected, will I receive feedback about it?

Due to the high number of submissions to the Open Call, it is impossible for the jury to provide personalized comments to the participants.

Got a question not covered by this FAQ?

Get in touch with a member of our team via email (getxophoto@getxophoto.com), and we'll be more than happy to answer your questions!