The following rules and notes apply to our 2023 Photography Contest.
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Term:

The Rhizome Center for Migrants’ 2nd Annual Contest begins April 30, 2023, and ends June 15, 2023, at 5:00 PM Central Standard Time. By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest.

Who may enter:

The “Return and Belonging” category prize is open to residents of Mexico who are 18 years old or older and who have experienced return or deportation, or the effects of return or deportation.

The “Aspirations and Barriers” category prize is open to residents of Mexico who are 10-17 years old with at least one Mexican parent with migration experience. U.S. citizenship required.   

Individuals affiliated with the Rhizome Center, including employees, board members, interns, volunteers, and fellows, and their immediate families (children, parents, siblings and spouses) and others living in their households are not eligible for any prize. The Rhizome Center will determine winners’ eligibility in its sole discretion.

What to enter:

The following two (2) contest categories are drawn from subjects of special interest to The Rhizome Center for Migrants:

1. Return and Belonging: People, events, objects or activities connecting return or deportation to a history or cultural heritage; photographs that tell us what it means to be binational and provide a sense of what it is like to live in Mexico.

2. Aspirations and Barriers: Portraits that describe the hopes and dreams of the contestant, or the challenges in reaching those aspirations.

To be eligible for any category, a photograph must have been shot by the entrant, and the contestant certifies that he/she is the sole creator and copyright owner of the submitted photograph.

Cropped photos are eligible in all categories. Minor adjustments, including the removal of sensor dust or scratches on scans of negatives, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, toning, slight color adjustment and conversion to grayscale are acceptable for all categories. The addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted. If the judges determine that a photographer has altered his or her photo beyond normal photojournalism best practices, they reserve the right to disqualify it. 

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must be prepared to provide a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian, to The Rhizome Center for Migrants upon request. A release would not be requested where the model or minor is also the entrant. A sample model release is available here.

If the entrant is unable to provide all required releases, The Rhizome Center for Migrants in its sole discretion reserves the right to disqualify the submission, seek to secure the required releases, or permit the submission to remain in the contest.

Photos must be taken in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.

Photos that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content, as determined by The Rhizome Center for Migrants in its sole discretion, are ineligible for all categories of this contest.

Ethics:

If requested, entrants must disclose the circumstances under which an image was captured as well as any instructions given to a subject.

The welfare of a subject and its environment must be placed ahead of the desire to capture a photograph. Upon entering the contest, entrants certify that subjects were treated with respect and dignity, and that no people were harmed in creating a photograph.

How to Enter:

Please submit photographs and requested information online via our submission form. You may submit up to 3 photographs per category. Photographs must be submitted in .jpeg, .jpg or .gif format, at least 1200 x 1680 pixels. You must complete a separate form for each photo submitted.

We do not accept photographs submitted through the mail or email. High-quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable. Digital photographs, including mobile photographs, should be taken at the highest resolution possible.

The Rhizome Center may collect a photograph’s metadata upon entry.

You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant The Rhizome Center for Migrants (and those authorized by the Rhizome Center) a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the magazine and its website, exhibition, and commercial products (this includes any sales of products utilizing the photograph). Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The Rhizome Center for Migrants will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

Use of your personal data:

Participation in the contest requires the collection of your name and email address. By entering this contest, you are consenting to the use of your name and email address for further communications regarding this contest. 

Entry deadline:

The contest begins on April 30, 2023. All entries must be received via our submission form by 5:00 PM Central Standard Time on June 15, 2023.

Judging:

Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, responsiveness to the prompt, and overall impact.

The Rhizome Center for Migrants will select ten (10) finalists per category and a winner for each category. The twenty (20) finalists will be notified of their status and appear on our website in June 2023. The category winners will be revealed online in summer 2023. These dates may be subject to change.

The Rhizome Center for Migrants will notify winners via the contact information provided at the time of entry and may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five (5) business days.

Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.

Prizes:

Two (2) prizes will be awarded, as follows:

Category Winners: The winner of each category will receive $10,000 MXN.

One cash prize per person; winners may receive additional non-cash prizes. Winners must sign a release and license, as well as a declaration of eligibility, and will be responsible for paying any fees or taxes associated with the prize. All prizes are awarded “as is” and non-transferable.  In case applicable law prohibits the Rhizome Center from awarding a photographer the cash prize and/or any non-cash prize, the Rhizome Center may award the prize in name only.

Online Features:

The Rhizome Center may select photos for highlight on its website or display in a publicly accessible contest archive. Such selections will be made in the Rhizome Center’s sole discretion.

Conditions of Entry:

All entrants hold the Sponsors and their respective regents, directors, officers, employees, emeriti, fellows, interns, research associates, and volunteers (the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with entrant’s participation in the contest and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred because of entrants’ participation in the contest or winner’s acceptance and usage of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries. Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage software, hardware or telecommunications equipment or are off-topic, partisan-political, contain advertising, nudity, personal attacks or expletives, or is otherwise abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, sexually explicit, or that infringes on the rights of any third party.

The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. The Rhizome Center reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winners, the Rhizome Center reserves the right to award or not award the prizes in its sole discretion. The Rhizome Center reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Decisions of the Rhizome Center are final and binding.