Organizer: PHOTO IS:RAEL Ltd., an Israeli non-profit public benefit company and the initiator of the International Photography Festival.

Deadline:  28 July 2026.

Submission Category: This is a single open call for the Main Exhibition, with no separate award tracks. The 2026 theme is “CITIZENS.” Accepted media include photography, film, video, performance documentation, animation, digital works, interactive works, and hybrid forms. Both existing works and new project proposals related to the theme are welcome.

Eligibility: Open to artists worldwide, at all stages of their careers. Each applicant may submit one entry only. Applications must be submitted in English or Hebrew. Submissions should include 6–12 images; for video, installation, or performance documentation, applicants should provide a direct viewing link in the project description and upload 6 related images.

Entry Fee: USD 22. The fee supports the registration process, jury process, and presentation of artworks at the 2026 International Photography Festival.

Awards & Benefits: Selected works will be exhibited in the Main Exhibition of the 13th PHOTO IS:RAEL International Photography Festival and featured in the 2026 festival catalog and website. For selected existing works, the organizer will cover the full exhibition display costs. Works requiring international shipping or special production will be handled case by case in consultation with the selected artist. No cash prize is specified in the official open call.

Core Introduction: Founded in 2009, PHOTO IS:RAEL International Photography Festival is one of Israel’s largest photography events. The 13th edition, taking place in Tel Aviv in October 2026, is themed “CITIZENS” and positions photography as an active civic practice. The open call invites artists to explore public expression, social participation, visibility of marginalized communities, democratic resilience, and the transformation of personal experience into shared public knowledge. It is especially relevant for photographers and interdisciplinary artists working with social issues, identity, civic life, and experimental visual forms.