UK-China International Photography Competition 中英国际摄影大赛

A thoughtful photograph can transcend cultural and linguistic divides, reveal our common humanity, and enhance mutual understanding between China and the UK.

中文版

2024 Competition theme: 'Daily Rituals'

The theme of this year's competition is ‘Daily Rituals’, which go beyond mundane chores and unconscious habits. They are intentional practices that add value to our lives. Meaning can be found in the smallest of things, turning everyday routines into enrichening moments.

Do you, a friend, or family member have a daily ritual that adds meaning to your lives? Whether it’s having a cup of tea, meditating each morning, sketching an art piece, or something completely different, use your smartphone to capture the essence of a Daily Ritual in a photograph.

How to enter

Use your smartphone camera to capture a daily ritual and the person doing it. This can be anyone - yourself, a loved one, or a perfect stranger – just make sure to include a human element in your photo. Then, give it a title and brief description of why the daily ritual is meaningful (maximum 50 words/75 characters). Finally, submit your photo, title, and caption to us via email at competitions.mci@manchester.ac.uk by Friday, 5 April 2024. to be considered for the competition, please be sure to include your full name and the country the photo was taken in (the UK or China).

Judging criteria

Concept: Does the submission capture the theme well, in both the image and accompanying caption?
Creativity: Does the submission capture the essence of the theme in a unique and surprising way?
Composition: How technically competent is the submission? Have composition, lighting, contrast, and mood been considered?

This is not a professional photography competition. Digital editing of smartphone photos should be kept to an absolute minimum. The emotional impact of the photo will outweigh its technical quality.

By entering the competition, participants agree that their submissions can be used for marketing and/or communications purposes.

Prizes

2 Winners (Best UK Submission & Best China Submission): £500/each
2 Runners Up (2nd Best UK Submission & 2nd Best China Submission): £200/each
Highly Commended (12 UK & 12 China Submissions): Premium competition goodie bag/each

The top 30 photos will be publicly exhibited at the University of Manchester as well as at Yunnan University, China.

History and sponsorship

The UK-China International Photography Competition was launched by The Manchester China Institute (MCI) and Creative Manchester in 2019. 2024 marks the 6th annual contest, which is supported by the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures (SALC) of the University of Manchester and the Manchester Museum, Yunnan University, and a wide range of partners both in the UK and China.