2026 NCOA National Photography Awards

Description

2026 NCOA National Photography Awards
Call For Professional And Amateur Photographers Based In The USA
THEME:  Stronger Together: Family. Community. Connection.The National Council on Aging (NCOA) invites photographers to showcase adults aged 60+ thriving through family, friendship, and community. Celebrate empowered individuals, supportive families, and the vibrant connections that bring joy, purpose, and vitality—demonstrating that aging well means staying active, engaged, and connected.“Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” — Brené Brown
Entry Fee: FreeAWARDS:NCOA will grant the following awards:First Place Award: $1,000Second Place Award: $600Public Vote Award: $500Eight Merit Awards: $300 eachTen Honorable Awards: $150 each
All selected artworks will appear on the virtual ncoaGallery.org website. In addition, 20 award-winning photographs will be printed on high-quality, large-format canvas for presentation in the onsite exhibition at NCOA 2026 Age+Action Conference in Arlington, VA; showcased in multiple art galleries throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DMV); and proudly included in the permanent collection at NCOA’s headquarters in Crystal City, VA. 
JURIED EXHIBITION:
Carol Lukitsch will serve as our guest juror this year. Together with the NCOA Committee, we will review all eligible submissions and select the final works based on creativity, storytelling, technical quality, and alignment with the theme. Twenty award-winning photographs will be printed on premium-quality canvas for public exhibitions.
About the Guest Juror: We are honored to have Carol Lukitsch return as the awards juror for the 2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest, Stronger Together – Family, Community, Connection. A distinguished artist, educator, and curator, she has juried over 300 national and local exhibitions and spent over six years as Curator and Director of Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington in VA. A Fulbright Grant recipient who taught studio art for more than two decades, Lukitsch has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, with pieces included in major public and private collections such as The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Montecatini, Italy; The State Museum of Painting and Sculpture in Ankara, Turkey; and the American Embassy in Panama. She holds an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BFA (cum laude) from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. 
ELIGIBILITY:
The national call is open to U.S.-based professional and amateur photographers ages 18 and above.Photos should feature an older adult (60+) living in the United States as the primary subject, and may also include family, friends, or community members who share a meaningful connection with them.
KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. ETWinners Notified: April 30, 2026Public Voting Opens: May 15, 2026In-Person Exhibition: May 26–29, 2026, NCOA Conference at Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VAPublic Vote Winner Announced: June 10, 2026Awards Mailed: June 30, 2026Additional DMV Gallery Exhibitions: June—November, 2026, TBA (Curated by Mosaic Arts).
User Entry Process Tutorial
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