Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026: International Photography Awards Ceremony on December 4

MONACO – International photography will take centre stage in Monte-Carlo on Friday, December 4, 2026, when the prestigious Oceanographic Museum of Monaco hosts the awards ceremony of the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026. The event will take place at 3:30 pm in the museum’s conference hall, in the historic district of Monaco-Ville.

The ceremony marks the culmination of an international competition dedicated to contemporary photography, with the aim of promoting creativity, recognising artistic talent and providing visibility to photographers from different cultural and geographical backgrounds.

Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026: An International Photography Competition

Organised by Teatro della Vita, the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 is held under the patronage of the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) and the Académie de l’Art Photographique de Monte-Carlo.

The competition represents an important opportunity for photographers to exchange ideas and showcase their work, bringing together established professionals and emerging talents. Its aim is to celebrate different artistic sensibilities and visual languages, creating a dialogue between cultures, experiences and perspectives through the universal language of photography.

Four Categories Celebrating the World Through Photography

The 2026 edition features four thematic categories, designed to welcome a wide range of photographic interpretations and artistic styles:

• Glamour & Beauty, dedicated to aesthetics, beauty and the artistic representation of the human figure.
• World in Focus, showcasing images that tell stories about people, cultures, places and different aspects of life around the world.
• Landscape, dedicated to photographs capturing natural environments and urban scenery.
• Open Theme, offering photographers complete creative freedom and the opportunity to experiment without specific thematic restrictions.

The submitted photographs have been evaluated by an international jury chaired by Dr Riccardo Busi, President of FIAP. His role adds further prestige to the selection process and highlights the international standing of the competition.

FIAP Medals and Special Awards: Competition Prizes

The Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 awards prizes to the top thirty photographers in each category.

The three highest-ranked photographers will receive prestigious FIAP medals:

• First place: FIAP Gold Medal.
• Second place: FIAP Silver Medal.
• Third place: FIAP Bronze Medal.

Additional distinctions will be awarded to other selected photographers. Participants ranked from fourth to tenth place will receive a FIAP Honourable Mention diploma, while those placed between eleventh and thirtieth position will receive a special jury mention.

A particularly important distinction will be the FIAP Light Blue Pin, awarded to the overall best photographer in the competition.

The competition’s final results will also count towards the honours and distinctions awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique, offering photographers an opportunity to further develop their international artistic careers.

Professional Photography Post-Production Software Among the Prizes

The awards also include professional software by Retouch4me, specialising in photographic post-production and image retouching.

These tools are designed to support photographers during the editing process, helping them enhance the technical quality and visual impact of their photographs.

A Showcase of International Photography at Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum

The December 4 ceremony will be more than just an awards presentation. The programme will also include a screening of a selection of photographs created by some of the competition’s outstanding participants.

Featuring images from all five continents, the presentation will take audiences on a visual journey through different cultures, landscapes, perspectives and interpretations of the contemporary world.

It will be an opportunity to discover the work of international photographers and appreciate the diversity of visual languages that characterises photography today.

The choice of Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum as the venue adds further prestige to the event, placing the competition within one of the Principality’s most renowned cultural and scientific landmarks.

Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026: Date, Time and Venue

The official awards ceremony of the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 will take place as follows:

• Date: Friday, December 4, 2026.
• Time: 3:30 pm.
• Venue: Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.
• Location: Conference hall.
• Address: Avenue Saint-Martin, Monaco-Ville, Principality of Monaco.
• Organiser: Teatro della Vita.
• Under the patronage of: Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) and Académie de l’Art Photographique de Monte-Carlo.

The event will bring together the protagonists of an international competition celebrating photography as an art form and a universal means of communication, recognising the talent and creativity of photographers from around the world.