Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH), organisers of the 18^thedition of Sharjah Heritage Days
(SHD), has announced the launch of an AED 20,000 photography competition in two categories, open to both amateurs and professionals.

The first category will include architectural photographs that showcase the aesthetic elements of the venue, and the country pavilions on site. The second category will honour the photos that best capture the experiences of visitors, guests and participants at SHD.

Only original photographs taken in the ongoing edition of SHD, and not published or submitted for other competitions previously, will be considered for the prize. Applicants can participate in both competition categories by submitting one colour or black and white image for each.

A total of AED 20,000 is up for grabs as cash prizes for three winners each in the two categories. The first-place winner will be awarded AED 5,000 and the second-place winner will receive AED 3,000, while the third-place winner will take home AED 2,000. If an entrant wins in more than one category, s/he will be awarded the larger prize amount.

All submissions must be made to photography@sih.gov.ae with details of the participant’s full name, date of birth, nationality and phone number. Competition entries must be submitted before 12pm on Monday, April 5, 2021.

The size of the submitted images must be minimum 2 megabytes.Digital modification of photos is allowed within permissible limits such that it does not impact their originality. Images containing text, signatures or symbols will not be accepted. The jury is authorised to reject any entry that does not comply with the set of rules and conditions laid out by the organising committee.

Once submitted, all photographs will be part of the SIH archive. The Institute’s management reserves the right to dispose of and use the pictures as it sees fit across its exhibitions, publications and advertisements.

Speaking about this new offering, Ahmed Albairaq, Director of Corporate Communication at Sharjah Institute for Heritage, and Head of the Corporate Communications Committee of Sharjah Heritage Days, said: “The success of Sharjah Heritage Days is determined by the level of public engagement and participation,especially as it brings together the diversity and richness of the world cultures. These were the key reasons to launch this competition, which will allow us to share our visitors’ experiences and encourage them to capture the essence and beauty of the event through photography, while also providing a platform to the many gifted photography enthusiasts and professionals who visit us every year.”