We are pleased to present the results of the 19th edition of the Rovinj Photodays international photography competition. Following a record-breaking number of submissions and a thorough judging process, we proudly announce the finalists of Rovinj Photodays 2026.
This year’s competition, which closed on March 1st, received over 3,000 photographs from artists across 30 countries, once again reaffirming the international significance of the festival and its role in promoting contemporary photography.
About the Jury
The 2026 expert jury was composed of distinguished professionals in the fields of photography, curating, and visual arts:
- Sabina Salamon – Senior Curator, Photography Collection, MMSU Rijeka, Jury President (Croatia)
- Dubravka Lazić – doctor of filmology, artist, professor (Serbia)
- Dino Rekanović – founder of the ROTLICHT festival and chief curator of the Photo Cluster gallery (Austria)
- Stefania Rössl – Photographer and Director of the SIFEST Festival (Italy)
- Hrvoje Slovenc – Visual Artists (USA)
- Massimo Sordi – Photographer and Co-Director of SIFEST Festival (Italy)
- Jano Viazo, photographer, curator, and CEO of the PARADAJS PHOTO platform
The jury’s task was to select finalists across the competition categories, as well as the overall winner of the Grand Prix Rovinj Photodays 2026. Jury members were granted full autonomy in determining both the number and composition of finalists, ensuring a high-quality and carefully curated final exhibition.
During the selection process, the jury also made the decision not to include finalists in the Fashion category, as the submitted works in that category were assessed as not meeting the required standard for exhibition. This decision reflects the festival’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a high level of quality and professional criteria.
“This year, the international jury of the Rovinj Photodays festival reviewed around 3,000 thousand photographs submitted from around thirty countries around the world. In addition to the already established names, a significant number of new applicants were recorded, and authors from neighboring Italy are leading the way. We are satisfied with the high level of the selected works. To maintain uniformity in quality, the jury decided to omit the Fashion category this year, because it received a significantly smaller number of applications that significantly differed in quality from the other categories. Congratulations to everyone and we look forward to seeing you in May.” — Sabina Salamon, Jury President
Finalists come from the following countries:
Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Mexico.
Final Exhibition in Rovinj
During the festival, held on May 15 and 16, 2026, a group exhibition of all finalists will take place — the central highlight of this year’s edition.
The Grand Prix winner will be officially announced during the closing night ceremony on May 16 at Island Hotel Istra.
Awards and Recognitions
- Online presentation of finalists and artist statements on the official festival website
- Inclusion of selected works in the permanent digital archive of the museum
- Official diplomas for all finalists and winners
- Digital catalogue of the final exhibition
- Complimentary accommodation for finalists at Island Hotel Istra
- All category winners receive the Kadar award statuette
Grand Prix Photodays 2026
- Cash prize of €2,000
- Solo exhibition and catalogue at Rovinj Photodays 2027
- Complimentary accommodation in Rovinj at Island Hotel Istra in 2026 and 2027
- Work included in the museum’s archive under curatorial care (in digital or printed format)
- Official title and certificate: Grand Prix Photodays 2026
Finalists 2026
DOCUMENTARY
- Matteo Trevisan (IT)
- Robin Tutenges (FR)
- Akoš Kovač (RS)
NUDE / BODY
- Cinzia Canneri (IT)
- Paola Sablić (HR)
- Sergey Melnitchenko (UA)
ARCHITECTURE
- Gianluca Santoni (IT)
- Katerina Kouzmitchova (PL)
- Fadil Šarki (RS)
LANDSCAPE
- Filippo Ferraro (IT)
- Stefan Stefanovski (RS)
- Ema Lančaričova (SK)
PORTRAIT
- Monica Almereyda (MX)
- Bojan Batar (RS)
- Emanuele Artenio (IT)