International Call
ROME PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
10th Edition
“RELATIONS”
Exploring connections through photography
ORGANIZERS
The annual appointment of Roma Fotografia returns with its international photography call, now in its tenth edition.
The Call is promoted and organized by Roma Fotografia and the Department of Culture of the Municipality I Rome Centre, in collaboration with the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia and the magazine IL FOTOGRAFO.
INTRODUCTION / OBJECTIVES
Through photography, we have the chance to make visible the way we see the world and the relationships that inhabit it.
The “RELATIONS” call invites photographers of all levels to explore and interpret, through images, the deep meaning of connections in their many forms.
Why “RELATIONS”?
🔸 Human relationships – From love to friendship, from family to community, every relationship builds a bridge between people.
🔸 Connections with the natural world – The relationship between humans and nature, among animals, and between elements of the landscape, is a constant dance of balance and interdependence.
🔸 Urban and social relations – Public spaces, architecture, and dynamics of coexistence tell stories of closeness, distance, encounters, and clashes.
🔸 The allure of travel – Humans have always been driven to explore unknown lands out of curiosity, pleasure, or necessity. But travel is also a metaphor that leads us to discover our inner world, who we are or wish to become.
🔸 The new challenges of the intellect – Technological innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence are just some of the new frontiers shaping our contemporary world. They open up new possibilities and discoveries, but also demand important ethical reflections to avoid surrendering our humanity.
🔸 Body and mind: an unbreakable bond – Physical health reflects mental well-being. As life expectancy grows thanks to medical advances, new needs and desires emerge at every age, beyond limits and taboos.
🔹 Who can participate? Professional and amateur photographers and citizens of all nationalities.
🔹 What are we looking for? Images that can move, surprise, and tell authentic and original stories of connection.
🔹 Why participate? To have the opportunity to see your work exhibited, published, and recognized in a prestigious cultural context.
Shoot, narrate, move.
Show us your vision of “RELATIONS”.
CATEGORIES
The participation categories are:
SHORT STORY: The submitted work must be a project consisting of a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 photographs. Participants may submit more than one project.
SINGLE SHOT: Participants may submit one or more single images (also at different times).
Each author may participate with multiple projects or single photographs in both categories.
AWARDS
GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
A selection of the best works will be showcased in the prestigious
Sala dello Zodiaco at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia,
in a collective exhibition that will represent the symbolic heart of the 2025 edition.
EXHIBITIONS IN 5 MUSEUMS OF ROME
The winners and selected participants of the photography call will be exhibited:
on the 5 LED Video Panels (2.5 m² each) of the “Museum Circuit” during the third edition of “Roma Fotografia Future”, which will take place next autumn in Rome.
With the “Museum Circuit”, Roma Fotografia offers participants a unique and prestigious exhibition opportunity inside some of the world’s most renowned archaeological and museum spaces, such as:
- National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
- Castel Sant’Angelo
- MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts
- National Galleries of Ancient Art – Palazzo Barberini
- Palazzo Merulana
FIRST PLACE – SHORT STORY CATEGORY
- A PROJECTED EXHIBITION of the entire photographic project, displayed simultaneously within the “MUSEUM CIRCUIT”
- 6 photographs from the winning project exhibited in the GROUP EXHIBITION at the Sala dello Zodiaco of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
FIRST PLACE – SINGLE SHOT CATEGORY
- A PROJECTED EXHIBITION of the winning photograph, displayed simultaneously within the “MUSEUM CIRCUIT”
- The winning photograph will also be exhibited in the GROUP EXHIBITION at the Sala dello Zodiaco of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
ROMA FOTOGRAFIA FUTURE FINALIST PRIZE
- 12 to 15 finalist photographs from both categories will be selected for a PROJECTED EXHIBITION simultaneously within the “MUSEUM CIRCUIT”
- inclusion in the GROUP EXHIBITION at the Sala dello Zodiaco of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
PUBLICATION IN IL FOTOGRAFO MAGAZINE
The most significant works will be published in IL FOTOGRAFO magazine.
PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
The initiative is open to anyone over the age of 18 — professional and amateur photographers, and citizens of any nationality.
ENTRY FEES (VAT included):
All event organization and exhibition costs for the works selected by the Artistic Committee will be covered by the Call’s Organizing Team.
Participation is subject to payment of the entry fee and completion of the application form.
The entry fee is non-refundable.
Images from past editions
SUBMISSION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
You can participate in the Call from 11:00 AM (CET) on August 1, 2025, until 11:59 PM (CET) on October 19, 2025.
Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR IMAGES
Both published and unpublished photographs are accepted, in black and white or color, with vertical, horizontal, or square framing.
Images may be taken with any device: digital, analog, or smartphone.
Photos must be submitted in low resolution (maximum 1 MB) and JPEG format (.jpg) only.
Photographs must not contain watermarks.
If selected by the Artistic Committee, participants will be asked to send the same images in high-resolution JPEG format, within 5 days of receiving the notification email.
Images that do not comply with these specifications will not be considered.
It is mandatory to declare whether the photographs were created using AI image generators, including through combinations of multiple techniques (e.g., inpainting, outpainting, prompt whispering).
ARTISTIC COMMITTEE
The Artistic Committee is chaired by photojournalist Luciano Del Castillo (ANSA press agency), and composed of:
- Giulia Silvia Ghia, Councillor for Culture of Rome’s Municipality I Centro
- Luana Toniolo, Director of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
- Federica Berzioli, Editorial Coordinator of IL FOTOGRAFO magazine
- Maria Cristina Valeri and Alex Mezzenga, Roma Fotografia Association
The Artistic Committee, operating in total and unquestionable autonomy, will determine which individual photographs (SINGLE SHOT category) and portfolios (SHORT STORY category) will be included in exhibitions, screenings, or other events across Italy.
Additionally, if deemed appropriate, photographic projects submitted in the SHORT STORY category may have individual images extracted and included in a SINGLE SHOT exhibition.
Individual photos (SINGLE SHOT) and portfolios (SHORT STORY) may therefore be selected to participate, either simultaneously or at different times, in various “ROMA FOTOGRAFIA” exhibitions and events.
The Committee’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal. No specific justification is required for the acceptance or rejection of works, nor for curatorial choices in the exhibitions organized by ROMA FOTOGRAFIA and its partners.
Photographs from previous editions
WARNINGS
The organizers of the Call reserve the right to use the submitted images for the purpose of promoting the Call itself, both in print and online publications. Copyright and all other rights remain with the participating photographers. Works submitted to the Call Secretariat, according to the terms and deadlines outlined, will not be returned.
The submission of photographs and payment of the entry fee constitutes automatic acceptance of these Regulations.
Founding members of the ROMA FOTOGRAFIA Association, members of the Artistic Committee, their relatives, and anyone directly involved in the organization of the Call are excluded from participation.
It is mandatory to declare whether the submitted images were created using AI image generators, including any combination of different techniques (e.g., inpainting, outpainting, prompt whispering).
PRIVACY, AUTHOR’S RESPONSIBILITY, AND RIGHT OF EXCLUSION
Each participant is responsible for the material they submit. They agree to release the organizers from any liability towards third parties, including individuals depicted in the images — especially minors.
Participants must inform the subjects portrayed in their photos (when required) and obtain their consent in accordance with Italian Legislative Decree no. 196 of June 30, 2003, and subsequent amendments, as well as GDPR 2016/679. Submitted images must not contain sensitive data.
Each participant declares to be the sole author of the submitted images, that the works do not infringe the rights of third parties, and that any necessary permissions or authorizations for depicted subjects have been obtained.
The organizers reserve the right to exclude from the Call and not publish any images that do not comply with the technical and thematic requirements of the Call, or that violate commonly accepted standards of public decency, morality, or ethics.
Images deemed offensive, inappropriate, vulgar, or harmful to human and social rights will not be accepted.
COPYRIGHT AND USE OF SUBMITTED MATERIAL
The rights to the submitted images remain the exclusive property of the author, who authorizes their use for events, publications, or promotional activities related to the Call, and for institutional or promotional purposes of the ROMA FOTOGRAFIA Association and its Partners.
These organizations are allowed to freely use the images, publish them on social media, print, and promote them to support the Call or related initiatives.
By registering, participants automatically authorize the organizers to reproduce the works — non-commercially — in catalogues, publications, CDs, and online platforms, with author credit always provided.
Roma Fotografia and its Partners are committed to always including the author’s name when using any image.
Personal data provided by participants will be used solely for the promotional and organizational purposes of the Call, in accordance with Italian Legislative Decree no. 196/2003 and GDPR 2016/679.
Submitted materials will not be returned under any circumstances.
ACCEPTANCE AND DECLARATIONS
By participating in the International Call, authors:
– Authorize the ROMA FOTOGRAFIA Association, its organizers, and partners to publish and distribute, both online and offline (including social media), any images related to the submitted works for the promotion of the Call and the Association.
– Authorize the organizers and partners to process personal data in accordance with GDPR 679/2016.
– Declare to be the sole author and rights holder of the submitted works, with full and exclusive rights, including economic exploitation rights, and that no limitations affect those rights.
– Guarantee that the submitted work is original and does not infringe any third-party rights, and commit to indemnify ROMA FOTOGRAFIA and its partners from any claims or damages related to the submitted material.
– Authorize ROMA FOTOGRAFIA and its partners to publish the submitted works and/or registration documentation, in whole or in part, via any media or platform, including the official website www.roma-fotografia.it, social media accounts of the Call and its partners.
– Accept full responsibility for all content submitted.
– Acknowledge that incomplete or non-compliant documentation may lead to exclusion from the award.
– Understand that submitted documentation will not be returned.
– Recognize that any work found to be plagiarized or in violation of third-party rights will be excluded.
– Fully accept these Regulations and acknowledge that submitting the application implies acceptance of all clauses.
PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING
Pursuant to GDPR 679/2016, personal data and images collected during the Call will be processed — including electronically — for activities directly related to the competition, including exhibitions and website publication.
The Data Controller is: Associazione Culturale ROMA FOTOGRAFIA, represented by its legal representative pro tempore.
APPLICABLE LAW
The rights and obligations of the Call are governed by Italian law.
The Call and its awards fall outside the scope of Presidential Decree 430 of October 26, 2001, which regulates prize competitions and games of chance, as the Call is aimed at the realization of a cultural and social exhibition, and the prizes are recognition of personal artistic merit or are intended for public entities or organizations with social or charitable purposes, under Art. 6, paragraph 1, letters a) and e) of the Decree.
COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
This Regulation is published on the website www.roma-fotografia.it
For any information regarding the Call or “ROMA FOTOGRAFIA”, contact:
📩 romafotografiaphotocall@gmail.com
PREVAILING VERSION
The original version of these Regulations is in Italian. The Regulations have been translated into English. In case of any conflict between the English translation and the Italian version, the Italian version shall prevail.