The jubilee 10th year of the competition and the subsequent exhibition of journalistic photography SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2021 starts on 10th June, 2021. It comes with modified competition categories, an attractive international jury and a new registration system for contestants. The changes did not omit the exhibition of winning photographs, which will take place this year outdoors – in a public space.
„Last year was in a way a unique and unrepeatable year, which was unprecedentedly influenced by the global pandemic COVID-19. From the photographer’s point of view, it brought many situations and moments that deserve to be captured for future generations,“ said competition director Jana Garvoldtová, adding: Many restrictions have allowed us to work actively to improve the project from a technical point of view, resulting in a new attractive intuitive registration for contestants“. Competition photographs, whether as individual photos or series of photographs, may be entered by the contestants from June 10 to August 10, 2021 via an electronic registration form on the competition website www.slovak-press-photo.sk. Each contestant will receive a unique ID code upon registration, under which they may return to their application at any time to later supplement or update it. Photographers working for the media, as well as young beginning photographers and students under the age of 26, can take part in the competition, and the participation of full-time students in the competition is free of charge this year. Last year, 203 photographers registered for the competition, submitting a total of 1,827 images, of which 183 were series.
The submitted works will be evaluated from 13 to 16 August, 2021 by international 5-member jury composed of: Kadir van Lohuizen (photographer, NOOR agency, Netherlands) – jury chairman, Yuri Kozyrev (photographer, Russia), Jindřich Štreit (photographer and teacher, CZ), Roman Vondrouš (photographer, ČTK, CZ) and Jana Hojstričová (photographer and teacher, SR), who is also the guarantor of the project.
The announcement of the results of this year’s jubilee 10th SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2021 will be made at a press conference on 24 September, 2021. The award ceremony will be also held on 24 September, 2021 in the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace in Bratislava. The awarded works will be exhibited outdoors – in the Vajanského nábrežie public space (park) near Propeller from 24 September to October 31, 2021.
The international jury will evaluate individual photographs and series of photographs in 9 competition categories: News, Reportage, Portrait, Sport, Nature and Environment, World of Arts and Culture, Young photographers under 26 and students (international category), Long-term documentary (international category) and in the international category Everyday life. The competition category Photography created by mobile phone is not opened this year. A special category is the Bratislava Grant, which is held annually under the auspices of the Mayor of the SR capital city, Bratislava. The winner of this category, recommended by a jury and selected by the Mayor of Bratislava, Matúš Vallo, will receive a scholarship worth 2,000 EUR to photograph the transformations of Bratislava. The jury also annually awards the Young Talent of the Year award. The photographer, a student under the age of 26, who will capture the interest of the jury , will receive, in addition to the award from the mayor of Bratislava – Old Town, Zuzana Aufrichtová, also the opportunity to organize a separate exhibition at the premises of the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO Foundation.
An annual tradition is an exhibition of photographs by a member of the international jury. This year, the exhibition of the jury chairman, Kadir van Lohuizen, will be held – Rise of the Seas: Where will we go? The exhibition will be held from 16 August to 15 September 2021 in the public space of Vajanského nábrežie (park) near Propeller. „By installing Kadir van Lohuizen’s exhibition outdoors, we want to bring this cultural event to the widest possible public, with a view to possible future anti-epidemiological measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last but not least, our ambition is to apply the principles of social inclusion of people with physical and social limitations and disabilities, as well as with regard to the necessary protection of the environment by minimising the energy requirements associated with the exhibition. The intersection between the observance of these principles and the theme of the exhibition is more than relevant !,“ added Jana Garvoldtová. The exhibition addresses global issues of sustainability, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental protection. In his work, the author looked at the topic of the global consequences of sea level rise caused by climate change. The exhibition will also include a discussion with representatives of the state administration and the non-profit sector on the topic of the impacts of climate change and the need for sustainability in the daily lives of individuals and society as a whole. We are also preparing a screening of a thematic documentary and a presentation of the author’s book, in which the author brings interviews with families who had to leave their homes due to rising sea and ocean levels to find a new home.
The competition and subsequent exhibition of photographs SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2021 is held under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová, Minister of Culture of the SR Natália Milanová, Minister of Environment Ján Budaj, Mayor of the SR capital city, Bratislava, Matúš Vallo and Mayor of Bratislava – Old Town, Zuzana Aufrichtová.
The project was supported from public funds by the Art Support Fund. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Bratislava self-governing region.