Deadline: 2-Jul-23

The WIPO Photography Prize is open to individuals of indigenous peoples and local communities located in one of WIPO’s Member States and under 30 years old.

Through this activity, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates and makes widely known the creativity of young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Participation encourages Indigenous and local community youth to convey an impactful message about their peoples, communities and culture through photographic storytelling.

The WIPO Photography Prize also raises awareness among young participants and their communities on how copyright can be used by them to protect their creativity expressed in the photographs, as well as how the protection of traditional cultural expressions relates to intellectual property rights.

Theme

• How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories
  • Under the theme, How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories, young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are invited to take and submit photographs that deliver an important message about their communities’ clothing.
  • The photographs would, for example, depict clothing that reflects cultural identity or cultural significance and embodies traditional designs and/or contemporary designs that are tradition-based and still reflective of the community’s cultural identity. The clothing may be everyday clothing or garments, textiles, or clothes worn for special occasions. “Clothing” includes headdresses, footwear and jewelry.

Award

• Winners will receive a variety of awards, including photography equipment with a total value of up to:
  • CHF 3,500 (1st place)
  • CHF 2,500 (2nd place)
  • CHF 1,500 (3rd place)

Eligibility Criteria

• Participants should be members of Indigenous Peoples or local communities located in one of the 193 WIPO’s Member States and be under 30 years old on the closing date for submissions (July 2, 2023). For participants not of legal age (e.g., 18 years old), authorization from a legal guardian is required.
• The participants must have taken the photographs and prepared the brief descriptions themselves.
• Photographs must not have been previously recognized and/or awarded in another photography competition. Each participant can submit a maximum of one entry. Combined entries are not allowed.
• If required, the participant should secure consent to display traditional knowledge and/or traditional cultural expressions in the photograph. Likewise, the photograph should not contain any sacred, secret or sensitive content.

For more information, visit WIPO.