Photo competition

Photography showcase

The RISE Africa Annual Photography  Showcase encourages imaginative and novel thinking to collectively envision the futures of African cities. It aims to promote citizen photography and grassroots storytelling, as well as curated photo-journalism, as a way to excite and encourage citizens and decision makers about their homes. The resulting photography entries will be used to elicit ideas from city officials, urbanists, decision-makers, private sector and civil society who will explore and engage with the exhibition through a number of workshops. These annual showcases intend to produce realistic, novel and positive demonstrations of Africa which are curated from within.

In order to achieve this, ICLEI Africa will be running an annual photography competition to which anyone who is passionate about the future of African cities is encouraged to contribute. Each year there will be a new theme to explore key thematic areas of RISE Africa. See thematic areas here.

Our environments are dynamic storytellers, ceaselessly whispering tales of interconnectedness, resilience and untold narratives. From the bustling cityscapes to the serene wilderness, every corner, every rustle and every ray of sunlight carries a profound story waiting to be unravelled. In conversations between individuals and their cities, the simplest materials often hold unlimited potential through imagination. A piece of chalk can transform a pavement into childhood nostalgia, or in the hands of a teacher inspire a generation of thinkers and doers. As African storytellers, we are raised on parables steeped in symbolism, bringing larger-than-life ideas into our homes. That same storytelling tradition can reveal the power of tangible, everyday actions working towards thriving urban spaces in images and languages that resonate with our experiences.

This year, the RISE Africa Photography Competition invites you to listen closely to your cities, your neighbourhoods and the streets coursing through them. Question your daily experiences and see the possibilities your environment presents to the world around you. Tell a story about the transformation of everyday elements of urban life in the collective hands of passionate, creative people in pursuit of adaptable, prosperous African cities.

This theme can be explored through literal representation or creative abstraction, celebrating the present or exploring the future — and everything in between. As a creative catalyst, your images could consider questions such as:

  • -Which inspiring people, places and projects in your everyday life can serve as examples for others to follow?
  • -When seen through a different lens, what new possibilities does your urban environment reveal?
  • -How can the imaginative use of light, colour and composition champion the existing triumphs and limitless potential of your African city?