The Source Photography Writing Prize 2026 is open for submissions. The winning entry will receive £500 / €570, and we will either publish it or commission you to write an article for us in the future.
We are always looking for new writers to contribute to Source. If you've not written for Source before, we invite you to send us an article. The winning entry will receive £500/€570 and we will either publish it or commission you to write an article for us in the future. All shortlisted entries will also be considered for publication or for future paid commissions.
Most of the writing in Source takes a specific form: book reviews, exhibition reviews or texts introducing sets of pictures, so these would be good models to follow. But we are also interested in other forms of writing, so if you want to submit something in a different form, then please do.
Our interest in photography is not only about the photographs that appear in books and exhibitions; it touches most aspects of life and we like to read about those encounters too. This could be an article about a particular photograph of historical, aesthetic or biographical interest to you. It could be about some cultural or philosophical aspect of photography. It could be something we've not thought about.
We enjoy writing that is thoughtful, funny, well researched and surprising. It could be personal or dispassionate. It could be fun, or deadly serious. It might shed new light on something we thought we knew or introduce us to something we've never heard of before.
The rules:
1. You should not have written for Source before.
2. The article must be no more than 700 words.
3. The article should not have been published previously.
4. It should include your name and contact email.
5. Your submission should reach us by 5.30 pm (GMT) on 1 August 2026.
What will happen next:
Everything submitted will be read by Source editor Richard West. The articles he likes will also be read by the other members of the Source staff. The Source staff will collectively choose the winner. We will aim to reply to everyone who has submitted an article by 20 September (depending on how many submissions there are and how busy we are). We may ask you about your article but we probably won't be able to enter into correspondence about it.
How to Apply
There is no fee to submit. See https://www.source.ie/writingprize2026/ for further details on how to apply.
While we have publicised this opportunity, please note that: (i) the application and selection process is managed by the advertising company/organisation; and (ii) we rely on them to: provide accurate, up-to-date details about themselves and the opportunity; ensure that opportunities are ethical and paid fairly. To report a listing, please email [email protected].