Sharjah Heritage Days launches Dh20,000 photography competition

It aims to showcase the architectural beauty of the Heart of Sharjah as well as the visitor experiences

Cash prizes totalling Dh20,000 will be distributed among the three winners for each category. Sharjah Institute for Heritage

The Sharjah Institute for Heritage has launched a Dh20,000 photography competition that aims to showcase the ongoing Sharjah Heritage Days cultural festival.

The competition, open to professionals and amateurs, features two categories. The first is dedicated to architectural photography and is open to submissions that highlight the aesthetic elements of the Heart of Sharjah – the creekside venue where the festival is taking place – including its traditional wind towers and country pavilions.

The second category puts the spotlight on visitor experiences, showing how they interact with the festival’s cultural offerings.

Only original photographs taken during the ongoing 18th iteration of Sharjah Heritage Days, which wraps up on Saturday, April 10, will be considered for the award.

Photographs should not have been published or submitted to other competitions.

Applicants can participate in both categories, submitting one black and white or colour image for each.

The size of the photographs must be a minimum of two megabytes and, while post-processing the photos is allowed, the digital modifications must not affect the originality of the image.

Photographs with watermarks, signatures, texts or symbols will not be accepted, and the jury is authorised to reject any entry that does not comply with these rules.

Cash prizes totalling Dh20,000 will be distributed among the three winners for each category. The first place winner will be awarded Dh5,000, while the second and third place winners will receive Dh3,000 and Dh,2000 respectively. If an entrant wins in more than one category, they will be awarded a larger prize amount.

Submissions are open until 12pm on Monday, April 5. All submissions must be made to [e-mail] with details of the participant's full name, date of birth, nationality and phone number.

“The success of Sharjah Heritage Days is determined by the level of public engagement and participation, especially as it brings together the diversity and richness of the world cultures,” Ahmed Albairaq, director of corporate communication at SIH, said. “These were the key reasons to launch this competition, which will allow us to share our visitors’ experiences and encourage them to capture the essence and beauty of the event through photography, while also providing a platform to the many gifted photography enthusiasts and professionals who visit us every year.”

Once submitted, the photographs will be part of the SIH archive. The institute’s management reserves the right to dispose of and use the pictures as it sees fit across its exhibitions, publications and advertisements.

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