The Chennai Photo Biennale is a prestigious international photography exhibition held every two years at Chennai India, showcasing contemporary photographic works from around the world.

The International Photography Open Call is organised by the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation as a yearly opportunity and exhibition. The Open Call welcomes applicants from around the world to submit their photographic works and projects. Selected finalists are exhibited in large scale public exhibition spread across the city of Chennai.

The open call is open to photographers of all levels, from amateur to professional, internationally. Both individual artists and collaborative teams are welcome to apply.

We accept a wide range of photographic styles and genres, including but not limited to fine art photography, documentary photography, portrait photography, landscape photography, conceptual photography, and experimental photography.

Note: AI Generated images are not accepted for this open call, any entries that are found to be generated will be automatically disqualified.

A Photo Series (also called a Photo Story or Project) is a group of images that work together to express a single idea, theme, or narrative. Each photograph should contribute to the overall story or concept — visually, emotionally, or conceptually.

When submitting a series, think of it as a cohesive body of work, not just a collection of unrelated images.

Your edit and sequence should reflect intention — showing how the images connect and build meaning together.

📸 Tip: Avoid uploading several standalone single images under the “Photo Series” category. If the photographs don’t relate to each other, please submit them individually under the Single Image category instead.

You can submit your work through our online submission platform. Please check the Rules section for the submission guidelines and instructions.

Yes, there is a submission fee, which helps us cover the administrative costs involved in processing and reviewing entries, as well as the expenses related to printing and producing the exhibition.

The fee are as follows:

South Asia - Single Image: 300 Per entry 

South Asia - Photo Story: 700 Per entry 

Rest of the World - Single Image: 8EUR Per entry

Rest of the World - Photo Story: 15 EUR Per entry

Students From India - Single Image - 100 Per entry

Students From India - Photo Story - 200 Per entry

All submissions will be reviewed by a celebrated international jury. Selected artists will have their work exhibited in the public exhibition, gaining exposure to a global audience of art professionals, collectors, and the general public. It's a great opportunity for networking and career advancement. Please see the Why Apply section for more information.

Submissions are reviewed by a panel of expert jurors who assess each entry based on artistic merit, originality, technical excellence, and relevance to contemporary photographic discourse.

Yes, you can submit work that has been previously exhibited or published elsewhere, as long as you have the rights to the work and it meets the submission criteria.

You retain full copyright and ownership of your images. By submitting your work, you grant the Photo Biennale the right to use your images for promotional purposes related to the exhibition.

Notifications of acceptance will be sent out in early Feb 2026. Please ensure your contact information is up-to-date in your submission profile.

You may submit multiple entries, but each entry requires a separate submission fee. Please ensure each submission meets the guidelines and is distinct from your other entries.

Yes, collaborative projects and group submissions are welcome. Please designate one person as the primary contact and include all contributors' names in the submission details.