Experts from around the world have been invited to judge this year’s competition, including British photographer, Paul Graham and Sandra Phillips, Curator Emerita of Photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The Excellence Award Selection Committee will meet in July to choose seven Excellence Award winners and 14 Honorable Mention Award winners, before a Grand Prize winner is selected in November.

Since its launch in 1991, the New Cosmos of Photography contest has accepted 29,398 entries from both individuals and groups, many of whom have gone on to receive international success through their work. The contest is widely regarded as a gateway to success for new photographers, with previous Grand Prize winners including, Song-Nian Ang in 2018 with his work ‘Hanging Heavy on My Eyes,’ as well as Trond Ansten from Norway and Benjamin Breitkopf from Germany, who won in 2017 with “17 toner hvitt.” And Derek Man from UK was selected as an Excellence Award winner in 2018 with his work "What Do You See, Old Apple Tree?"

The Grand Prize winner of this year’s competition will receive JPY 1 million in prize money (approx. 7,500 euros) and a Canon camera. The winner will also have the opportunity to host an individual exhibit at the exhibition of winning entries at New Cosmos of Photography 2020. To encourage the continued pursuit of their creative activities, 2019 Excellence Award and Honorable Mention Award winners will also receive prize money and the chance to display their works at this year’s exhibition of winning entries.

Those wishing to enter the competition can do so by submitting original photography by post and online, either as an individual or as a group. Entries are open until 12 June and winners will be contacted directly at the end of July. For additional information about this year’s New Cosmos of Photography competition, please visit the New Cosmos of Photography homepage at: global.canon/en/newcosmos