“Lugares do Povoamento” photography competition marks 600 years of settlement in the Azores

Entries are open for the “Lugares do Povoamento” photography competition, part of the commemorations marking 600 years of settlement in the Azores. The initiative is organised by the Government of the Azores through its Mission Structure for the Commemorations of the 600th Anniversary of the Discovery and Settlement of the Azores, in partnership with Associação Cultural Burra de Milho.

Open to amateur and professional photographers, the competition invites participants to capture places and features that bear witness to the archipelago’s early settlement. Subjects may include historic urban centres, churches and chapels, fortifications, monuments, landscapes, architectural remains, ethnographic features or traditions connected with the islands’ first communities.

Entry is free, with submissions accepted from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. Each participant may submit one photograph, taken in the Azores and relevant to the competition’s theme.

A specialist jury will assess the photographs anonymously, considering their relevance to the theme, originality and creativity, technical quality and visual impact. The following prizes will be awarded:

• First prize: €1,500;

• Second prize: €1,000;

• Third prize: €500.

The jury may also award one or more honourable mentions. The selected photographs will feature in an exhibition and a digital catalogue, helping to showcase the Azores’ historical, cultural and natural heritage while encouraging reflection on the islands’ collective memory and identity.

The awards ceremony and exhibition opening are planned for 2027, in partnership with Santa Cruz da Graciosa Town Council, as part of the official programme commemorating 600 years of settlement in the Azores.

Participants can consult the competition rules and submit their photograph through the entry form. Further information is available by email at concursolugaresdopovoamento@gmail.com.