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AWARD

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AFAF AWARD PHOTO

For artists whose primary medium of expression is photography

Photography is an important medium in contemporary art, yet its presence in the art market remains more limited compared to painting and sculpture. This category focuses on artists working primarily in photography, offering opportunities for presentation, sales, and collection-building in the commercial setting of an art fair. We welcome a wide range of photographic expression, including digital, film, prints, and manipulated photography.

Prizes & Entry Benefits

■ Prizes

Grand Prize (1 artist) Selected from the finalists through final on-site judging by the jury at the AFAF venue. Finalists (multiple artists) Selected from the finalists through final on-site judging by the jury at the AFAF venue. E.SUN BANK Prize Works selected for the E.SUN BANK Prize will be acquired as part of E.SUN Bank’s collection and featured on the official AFAF website. *There may be cases where no work is selected for this prize. Audience Award Visitors will vote for their favorite among the finalist works on display during the exhibition period, and the Audience Award will be selected based on the voting results.

■ Entry Benefits

  1. Exhibit/sell at the special booth during “ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2026”
  2. Feature on the official AFAF website
  3. Opportunities to be introduced to commercial galleries
  4. Cash prize
    • Grand Prize: JPY 100,000
    • Finalists: JPY 50,000
  5. Invitation to the award ceremony to be held on October 1st (Thu) at the venue
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Process

Mid-July

Jury Announcement (Planned)

Sun, August 9, 2026 23:59

Entry Fee Payment

  1. Please purchase the applicable entry item via STORES. After purchase, download the application materials (PDF / application form). *Entry fees can be paid by credit card, convenience store payment, PayPal, Rakuten Pay, carrier payment, or PayPay balance.
  2. For bank transfer: If you wish to pay by bank transfer, please transfer the entry fee to the designated account. After the transfer, please register using the bank transfer application form listed in the guidelines. Once your application has been confirmed, we will send you the application form.
    Application Guidelines →

Mon, August 10, 2026 Noon

Application Form Deadline

The application form will close at this time. *A Google account is required to fill out the application form. If you are unable to access the form, please contact us by email.

August

First Screening

Artists will be selected by the jury. Please note that the screening period may vary depending on the number of applications and jury availability.

*Please note that we do not provide individual updates on the screening status.

Tue, September 1, 2026

Announcement of Finalists

On the official website (planned).

*Even after the announcement, selections may be revoked if false statements are confirmed.

Wed, September 30, 2026

Final Judging

The Grand Prize and E.SUN BANK Prize will be decided by the jury at the ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA venue.

October 1 – October 4, 2026

ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2026

Exhibition at the AFAF venue. Final judging and the award ceremony will be held during the exhibition period.

*Move-in: September 30, Move-out: October 4

*Award Ceremony: October 1 at the venue (planned)
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Guidelines

■ Eligibility

  1. No restrictions on age or nationality.
  2. Works must be primarily photographic in nature. Any technique is accepted, including digital, film, prints, and manipulated photography (photomontage, digital composition, etc.). *Applicants must hold the copyright to the submitted work themselves.
  3. Applications may be a series or a single photograph (1–10 works).
  4. At least one print work within the specified size limits must be available for exhibition/sale at the “ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2026” venue (October 1–4, 2026). *Applicants must be able to respond to purchase requests from E.SUN Bank. If works cannot be sold, the selection will be revoked.
  5. Must be present at the venue during the exhibition period for display oversight and interaction. *Applicants are required to submit their available hours in advance; scheduling will be coordinated by the organizers.
  6. Must be available for setup (Wednesday, September 30) and takedown (Sunday, October 4). *All transportation, travel, and accommodation expenses are the responsibility of the artists.
  7. Must be available to attend the award ceremony scheduled during the exhibition period at the venue. *The award ceremony will be held on October 1st (Thu).

■ Application Materials

  1. Photographic images (digital data)
    • Up to 10 images (if submitting multiple shots, please place the representative image first)
    • *As a general rule, please apply with the works you plan to exhibit if selected.
    • File name: “Artist name_Work title_1”, “Artist name_Work title_2″…
    • JPEG format, 72dpi or higher, with the long side between 1,400px and 2,000px (files under 3MB recommended)
    • Accepted print size: up to F100 (must be able to bring a printed copy suitable for exhibition) *Please prepare exhibition prints from source files with sufficient resolution for sharp printing at exhibition size.
  2. Artwork Details: Title, size (cm), technique (digital/film/other), print material, Year of Production, description
  3. Applicant Information: Name, nationality, address, date of birth, gender, phone number, affiliation (for students), profile, statement

■ Entry Fee

General: JPY 5,000 (tax included) Student: JPY 3,000 (tax included) *A photo of your student ID is required

*We regret that no cancellations will be accepted for any reason due to the applicant’s personal circumstances.

■ Copyright

  1. Copyright of the works belongs to the artist. However, the right to use the copyright for printed materials, websites, and other promotional purposes related to this open call and “ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2026” belongs to the organizer, ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA (a general incorporated association).
  2. The names, ages, biographies, and images of finalists’ works will be published in promotional activities and on the website related to this open call and “ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2026”.
  3. Personal information will be used for receiving applications, inquiries, notification of screening results, and other matters necessary for the operation of this open call.