contests
Admin · 2026-10-24 16:53
The Nikon Fotobus Grant 2026 is now open for applications from all photographers
Applications are now open for the Nikon Fotobus Grant 2026—a free grant program for photography projects in which three artists will receive a total of €10,000 in funding and Nikon cameras.
Important—this is not a traditional contest for the single best photograph. The funding is intended to support the continuation of a photography project that has already begun but is not yet complete. All genres of photography are permitted. (Picter)
Prizes
🥇 €5,000 + a Nikon camera
🥈 €3,000 + a Nikon camera
🥉 €2,000 + a Nikon camera
The cash prize will be paid out after the winners are announced. The organizers do not impose specific restrictions on how the funding must be used, but a final project report must be submitted after one year. (Picter)
Who can participate?
There is one key restriction.
Photographers who meet at least one of the following criteria may apply:
- are enrolled in a full-time study program in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland; or
- are no older than 30 years of age and live in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
Citizenship is not a factor. Therefore, a Latvian citizen may participateif, for example, they are studying at a German university. However, a photographer who lives and studies only in Latvia does not qualify for this competition. (Picter)
Participation is free of charge.
What do you need to submit?
The application must include:
📷 up to 30 photographs from an ongoing project;
📝 a project description of up to 3,000 characters in English or German;
👤 the author’s biography of up to 1,500 characters.
It’s not just the quality of individual photos that matters—the jury will also evaluate the selection and sequence of images as a cohesive photo story. (Picter)
AI-generated photographs are not permitted. Image manipulation and staged shots are allowed, but they must be clearly indicated in the work descriptions. (Picter)
Copyright
Copyright remains with the photographer.
The organizers may use images from funded projects for communications related to the Nikon Fotobus Grant and to promote future contests. Winners must acknowledge the support of the Nikon Fotobus Grant in future publications, books, exhibitions, and other materials related to the funded project. (Picter)
Deadline
⚠️ There is currently a slight discrepancy on the official pages.
Picter’s contest timeline lists October 31, 2026, while the full contest rules state November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Berlin time. (Picter)
Since entries are submitted directly through the Picter system and the closing date currently listed there is October 31, ProPortfolio recommends playing it safe and submitting your work by October 31. (Picter)
The shortlist of 20 projects is scheduled to be published December 1, while the three funded projects will be announced in December. (Picter)
Is the competition reputable?
Yes. The competition is organized by the nonprofit Fotobus Society in collaboration with Nikon, and applications are managed through the well-known photo contest platform Picter. Fotobus Society has been active since 2018 and brings together more than 1,200 members from over 30 universities. (Picter)
Entry fee: free
Prize fund: €10,000 + 3 Nikon cameras
Deadline: recommended by October 31, 2026
Participation from Latvia: only if the study or residency requirements for Germany, Austria, or Switzerland are met
AI images: not allowed
Copyright: remains with the author