To mark its 15th anniversary, JPI Oceans is launching a photo and art competition inviting artists, photographers, and enthusiasts to illustrate the science behind our Joint Actions.
Since its founding, JPI Oceans has coordinated European research and innovation on some of the ocean's most pressing and, at times, overlooked challenges: for instance, the ecological impact of deep-sea mining, the ocean's role as a carbon sink, and the consequences of changing light in marine environments, among many others. Some of these issues have since entered mainstream debate; others remain largely unknown beyond the research community. Art and photography have a unique capacity to bridge that gap, reaching broader audiences and evoking reactions in ways that policy papers or assessment reports rarely do.
Who can participate?
We invite creative individuals to draw on JPI Oceans’ 15 years of work as inspiration. We welcome submissions from professionals and amateurs alike that can bring artistic vision to ocean science, whether that means a photograph taken during fieldwork, a painting inspired by data, or a digital composition that reframes a familiar marine environment in unexpected ways.
All visual art forms and photographic techniques are welcome. The competition is open to individuals aged 18 and above worldwide, and each participant may submit up to two entries. Entries must have a clear thematic link to one of the JPI Oceans Joint Actions, a full overview of which is available at jpi-oceans.eu/en/joint-actions.
Participants are asked to indicate which Joint Action their work relates to and to provide a title for the piece at the time of submission.
Awards
The winner will be awarded with a prize of €1,000, and each of the two runners-up will receive €500.
Winning works will be showcased at the JPI Oceans office in Brussels, and promoted across our communication channels and events throughout the anniversary year. In addition, we are exploring ways to exhibit them in a policy space in Brussels.
Timeline
- Competition opens: 8 June 2026, World Oceans Day
- Submission deadline: 6 September 2026
- Winners announced: October 2026
Entries should be submitted by email to info@jpi-oceans.eu. Please consult the full submission guidelines and terms and conditions here.