OPEN CALL : ‘THE SEA AROUND US’ WGOA PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

About the Open Call

Calling all photographers! To coincide with the Waterford Gallery of Art’s next major exhibition, ‘The Sea Around Us’, we are looking for your photographs of the sea, coast, beaches and quaysides – images inspired by joy, awe, ecology or heritage and the importance of the sea to our everyday lives. Send us a high-resolution photograph (no larger than 10MB) for the chance of your image(s) to be included on-screen within our next exhibition – the winning entry will receive €250 and their work printed and framed to feature in the exhibition as well as be included in the permanent Waterford Art Collection. The Waterford Gallery of Art is home to the Waterford Art Collection. One of the oldest and best civic collections of art in Ireland. ‘The Sea Around’ us (opening September 2025) features works by artists from the Waterford Art Collection (inc. Micheál de Burca, Patrick Leonard, Bea Orpen, William Leech and more) as well as recent acquisitions, loans, and new commissions.

What is Offered

Inclusion on-screen within the exhibition, the winning entry will receive €250, their work printed and framed to feature in the exhibition, and be included in the permanent Waterford Art Collection.

Requirements

Images must feature the sea in some way (black and white, colour, impressionistic, documentary, macro, etc.). All works must be your own images and creations. Files sent for selection must be high resolution, though less than 10MB. Please send no more than 3 images per submission. Please label the files you have submitted with your name, location, year and image title (if relevant). Images submitted must be from the last 5 years. Artists and photographers must be living and working on the island of Ireland, and images submitted must depict the Irish coast.

How to Apply

To enter, send all images to: waterfordgallery@waterfordcouncil.ie. Please title the subject of your email: ‘Open Call: The Sea Around Us’