Grants & Fellowships / Verified 2 September 2026
The Sony World Photography Awards accept single images taken in 2026 from photographers worldwide with no entry fee. The competition offers $5,000 USD, Sony equipment, and travel to London for the Open Photographer of the Year category, with exhibition inclusion. Deadline: January 5, 2027.
Every fact, with its receipt
What the organizer actually says
Deadline. January 5, 2027
“5 January 2027 at 16:00 GMT (entries); judging January 6–31, 2027; shortlist and category winners announced prior to April 2027; overall winner announced April 2027”✓ Checked on the organizer’s site
Cost to apply. Free to apply
“Free”On file — not confirmed on a public page
What you get. Open Photographer of the Year $5,000 USD plus Sony digital imaging equipment, flights and accommodation to the London ceremony, exhibition inclusion
“$5,000 USD (overall winner); Sony Digital Imaging equipment (category winners and shortlist); flights and accommodation to London awards ceremony (overall winner); global press exposure; exhibition inclusion; book inclusion”✓ Checked on the organizer’s site
Who can apply. Open to all members of the public. Under 16s require parental/legal guardian consent. No nationality or residency restrictions stated.
“No nationality or residency restrictions stated”✓ Checked on the organizer’s site
How they choose.
“Judged by a panel (specific judges not named on this page); up to 15 shortlisted photographers per category plus category winners selected; one overall winner announced in April 2027. Public online rating process may also occur.”✓ Checked on the organizer’s site
Members only
Whether this is worth your entry fee, your shipping, and the weeks it takes to put an application together depends on work only you have…
The facts are free
We read your work once, free, and email you the analysis.
One free read per artist. It doesn’t expire.