SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO APRIL 25th

The resilience of Victoria’s multicultural communities is something to be celebrated and remembered. That’s why we are so excited to launch this new photography competition; Capturing Culture: Multicultural Victoria in Focus.

Photography is a powerful medium of expression. A way to capture those fleeting moments that communities are built from. The social events. The meals. The hard times and the support to get past them. Those quick glances between loved ones, be they in sorrow or joy.

Capturing Culture will recognise the resilience and lived experiences of multicultural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and create a visual record of a unique time in Victoria's history. It will also capture the vibrancy, significance and connectedness of multicultural communities that existed before the pandemic, and which will prevail long afterwards.

Shortlisted entries will be showcased in an exhibition launched at an event in June 2022. We may ask selected artists whether they would like to enter into an agreement to allow future use of their images

We are interested in celebrating new and exciting perspectives of Victorian artists through the medium of photography, regardless of entrant’s professional background in photography, or experience. Prizes and opportunities will be awarded to the collective amount of $9,000 across six awards.

If you are an emerging or established Victorian multicultural artist, submit your entry for Capturing Culture by 25 April 2022.

Awards & Prizes

An award will be given to the winner and runner up of four categories:

Days of Significance and Cultural Celebration

Photos of an important day of significance that multicultural communities celebrate or recognise here in Victoria. These cultural days and events have played an important role in creating connections during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Faces

This category will showcase the faces of our multicultural communities, and the important stories captured behind them. We encourage you to submit refreshing takes on human portraiture, whether taken inside or outside a studio, planned or sporadic, of anyone in your community.

Daily Life

Whether it is sharing a meal, or connecting with family, the experiences in our daily lives that brought comfort and support during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will be rewarded in this category.

Resilience

The resilience of our multicultural communities throughout hardship and overcoming hardship will be celebrated in this category.

In addition, we are excited to run the following two awards, for which every eligible entry will automatically be considered.

Minister's Award for Multicultural Photography

The winner of this award will be chosen by the Victorian Minister of Multicultural Affairs, The Hon. Ros Spence MP.

People’s Choice

This winner of this award will be chosen by you, the public. A shortlist of entries will be shared via the VMC’s social media channels and voted upon by the community – let their voices be heard!

Prizes and opportunities will be awarded to the collective amount of $9,000 across six awards, may include:

• a monetary prize;
• photography equipment or voucher;
• a mentoring session with a renowned photographer and /or film industry leader;
• a winning print or merchandise; and/or
• large-scale display of their work in a public place.

Rules & Terms

Submission Deadlines

Competition open date: Friday 18 February 2022

Competition close date: 11:59pm, Monday 25 April

Submission fee: FREE

All entrants will be contacted by early May 2022 and advised of the outcome of their submission.

Submission Requirements

All submissions must be submitted via FilmFreeway in English and include:

1. Photographic image in jpeg/png format
2. Title and year
3. Selected category for submission
4. Artist biography (100 words)
5. Artwork statement explaining the story told by the image (200 words)
6. Considerations for exhibiting the artwork (i.e preference in form of display) - optional


Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible , all submissions must meet the following requirements:
1. The Work must be created and developed prior to the Closing Date.
2. Applicant must be over the age of eighteen (18) as at the Closing Date.
3. Applicant must be based in Victoria and the Applicant identifies as being from a multicultural or multifaith background.
4. The Work must correlate thematically to one (1) of the Categories.
5. The Work must not include any sensitive or inappropriate content, themes or imagery. It must not degrade or defame any persons or contain any false, misleading, infringing, abusive, defamatory or threatening content.
6. The Work may be manipulated with the use of technology or a mix of artistic mediums, however, such manipulation must be clearly outlined within the Work’s description.
7. The Work must be original and solely owned by the Applicant.
8. The Work must be photo-based artwork, including analogue and digital photography or staged and directorial photomedia work.
9. The Competition Entry Requirements set out in clause 3 have been fulfilled.
10. VMC reserves the right to verify the validity of the Work and reserves the right to disqualify any Applicant for submitting Work that is not in accordance with these Conditions or if the Applicant has engaged in any misconduct or unlawful actions to jeopardise the proper conduct of the Competition.
11. Applicant(s) may submit artwork on behalf of a group or organisation. The group may decide how to split any prizes awarded (monetary or otherwise).
Regarding options for applicants to apply via email as opposed to FF:
12. You can also submit your artwork via email to vmcphotography@think-hq.com.au.
Please attach your photograph, and provide us with your name, photograph title, and preferred competition category (outlined below).
A Capturing Culture team member will respond with an email confirmation.

Authorised Use

Use of the images submitted to the competition, and those awarded prizes, are outlined in the Terms and Conditions which can be found online at: https://www.multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au/capturing-culture#terms-and-conditions

Selection

A dedicated panel of judges consisting of experts in the photography and visual arts sector, and community leaders from Victoria’s multicultural communities, will be provided with a detailed assessment criteria to guide selection of winning entries.

Assessment criteria will include:

i. whether the Work meets all eligibility criteria and includes necessary components;
ii. whether the Applicant’s statement aligns with sharing personal experiences or stories of multicultural communities in Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
iii. whether the Work will authentically present as having been created by, with and for the Victorian multicultural community.