The Festival Impacto is based on the premise that contemporary artistic creation can function simultaneously as an instrument of critical reflection and as a space for social intervention. Art becomes a means of questioning values, practices, and cultural, social, and technological structures, fostering an active relationship between creators and audiences. The works presented at the festival are understood as processes of visual research, in which the artistic gesture and the discussion that emerges from it become part of the same field of reflection, a space where art transforms into a question and where the act of seeing can constitute a first gesture of responsibility.

Festival Impacto structures its artistic program around three lines of visual research: new media art, photography, and short documentary film, developed through an open call for artistic participation. This curatorial format invites both creators and audiences to propose new perspectives on contemporary ethical issues, promoting a logic of participation that extends to the creative process itself, establishing the festival as a platform for the production and presentation of works that critically explore the role of the image in shaping social reality.

Awards & Prizes


AWARD FOR BEST PHOTOGRAPHY

The Best Photography Award grants a prize of €750.00 to the selected work, recognizing excellence in photographic practice and its capacity to interrogate and reveal the hidden dimensions of contemporary consumption.

Submissions may address, among other dimensions:
▪ Invisible labor and production chains
▪ Waste, excess, and disposable culture
▪ Environmental impact and resource exploitation
▪ The illusion of choice and the construction of desire
▪ Tensions between necessity, identity, and responsibility
▪ Traditional crafts and endangered knowledge

The winning photograph and a selection of shortlisted works will be exhibited in Lisbon in October as part of the official Festival Impacto program, offering visibility within a curated context focused on artistic practice and social impact.

In addition, the awarded work, together with a selection of featured photographs, will be included in a touring exhibition across Portugal in 2027, expanding their reach to diverse audiences and reinforcing the festival’s commitment to accessibility, dissemination, and sustained public engagement with impactful visual narratives.

AWARD FOR BEST NEW MEDIA ART

The Best New Media Art Award grants a prize of €750.00 to the selected work, recognizing innovation in artistic practice and its critical engagement with emerging technologies and contemporary ethical challenges.

(image or video up to 10 seconds)

Submissions may explore, among other topics:
· Duality of identity: authenticity vs. artifice;
· Alter egos: multiple personas assumed consciously or driven by social pressures;
· Mechanics of deception: distinguishing between real and manipulated images;
· Trust in the digital age: the impact of manipulated portraits on public trust;
· Ethical reflections: privacy, consent, creative ownership;
· Legitimacy of multiple identities: fragmentation and multiplicity of the post-digital
“self.”

The winning work and a selection of shortlisted projects will be exhibited in Lisbon in October as part of the official Festival Impacto program, providing visibility within a curated context dedicated to artistic innovation and social impact.

In addition, the awarded work, along with selected pieces, will be included in a touring exhibition, extending their reach to broader audiences and reinforcing the festival’s commitment to accessibility, dissemination, and continued public engagement with critical digital practices.

Rules & Terms


AWARD FOR BEST PHOTOGRAPHY

Theme
Under the title “The Invisible Price Tag”, the competition invites visual reflection on the ethical impacts of contemporary consumption.

Submissions may address, among other dimensions:
▪ Invisible labor and production chains
▪ Waste, excess, and disposable culture
▪ Environmental impact and resource exploitation
▪ The illusion of choice and the construction of desire
▪ Tensions between necessity, identity, and responsibility
▪ Traditional crafts and endangered knowledge

Interpretations are free, provided they are conceptually grounded.

Participation

Applications are open until the official deadline and follow the selection process defined by the festival. Submissions can be made online via the official open call page: https://festivalimpacto.org/en/open-call-fotografia/

Individuals aged 16 or older, regardless of nationality or country of residence, may apply.

Each participant may submit up to 5 (five) photographs.

Technical Requirements (Mandatory)
Photographs must meet all of the following requirements:

▪ Digital format JPEG (.jpg);
▪ Minimum 3000 pixels on the longer side;
▪ 300 dpi;
▪ sRGB color profile;
▪ Vertical orientation only (mandatory);
▪ No watermarks, signatures, or identifying elements.

Works submitted in horizontal orientation or any format other than vertical will not be
considered.
Series are allowed, provided all images comply with vertical orientation.

Each submission must include:
▪ Title of the work(s);
▪ Descriptive statement (max. 500 words), specifying:
▪ Relation to the theme;
▪ Conceptual framework;
▪ Critical or narrative intent;
Brief biography (max. 150 words).

AWARD FOR BEST NEW MEDIA ART

Theme
Under the title “Digital Portrait: Unmasking Deepfakes,” the competition invites a critical reflection on identity, digital manipulation, and ethics in the post-digital era.

(image or video up to 10 seconds)

Submissions may explore, among other topics:
· Duality of identity: authenticity vs. artifice;
· Alter egos: multiple personas assumed consciously or driven by social pressures;
· Mechanics of deception: distinguishing between real and manipulated images;
· Trust in the digital age: the impact of manipulated portraits on public trust;
· Ethical reflections: privacy, consent, creative ownership;
· Legitimacy of multiple identities: fragmentation and multiplicity of the post-digital
“self.”

Interpretation is open-ended, provided it is conceptually grounded and ethically reflective.

This Open Call is exclusively for New Media Art works (image or video up to 10 seconds)
generated using Artificial Intelligence. Works produced entirely by traditional methods or without the use of AI will not be accepted. The use of traditional photography or portraiture as a starting point is permitted, provided that its subsequent processing involves Artificial Intelligence.

Participation
Applications are open until the official deadline and follow the selection process defined by the festival. Submissions can be made online via the official open call page: https://festivalimpacto.org/en/open-call-new-media-art/

Individuals over the age of 16 may apply, regardless of nationality or country of residence.

Each participant may submit up to 5 (five) images or videos (max. 10 seconds each).

Each participant must clearly indicate the AI tool(s) used and describe whether there was any additional human intervention in the processing or editing of the work.

Technical Requirements (Mandatory)
1. Entries must cumulatively meet the following requirements:
· Digital format: JPEG or PNG for images; MP4 for videos;
· Images: minimum 3000 px on the longest side; videos: Full HD recommended;
maximum duration of 10 seconds;
· 300 dpi for images; sRGB color profile;
· Vertical orientation recommended for images or videos (any different format must be
justified in the descriptive text);
· No watermarks, signatures, or identifying elements.

2. Videos must be produced entirely by AI, with a maximum duration of 10 seconds, in Full HD (1920×1080) or higher. Human post-production is permitted only for technical adjustments related to exposure or compression, provided such adjustments are described in the description.

3. Works that do not meet these criteria may be disqualified.