Summary
- The Wellcome Photography Prize 2027 offers a total prize fund of £52,000
- Entry is free and open to creators from every country
- Each main category winner will receive £10,000
- The remaining finalists will receive £1,000 each
- Entries close on October 21, 2026
Event Details
The Wellcome Photography Prize 2027 has opened for entries, offering a total prize fund of £52,000.
The international photography competition is inviting creators from around the world to submit images exploring how health is experienced, represented and understood.
The competition is particularly notable because it is not limited to professional photographers. Self-taught image makers, scientists, healthcare professionals and people drawing on personal experience are also eligible to enter.
Three main categories
The Wellcome Photography Prize 2027 includes three main entry categories.
The first focuses on striking individual photographs, while the second is dedicated to photographic series that tell a complete story. The third category celebrates scientific and medical imaging, revealing subjects and processes that are often invisible to the human eye.
Entries may cover a wide range of subjects, from biomedical research and scientific discoveries to personal stories of care, illness, human connection and change.
A total prize fund of £52,000
The winner of each category will receive a cash prize of £10,000.
The remaining finalists will each receive £1,000, bringing the competition’s total prize fund to £52,000, or approximately $70,000.
Entry is free, and applicants do not need to have any professional or academic affiliation with Wellcome.
Who can enter
The competition is open to entrants from every country, regardless of their level of professional experience.
Professional and amateur photographers, researchers, scientists, doctors, healthcare workers and creators documenting personal experiences of health and wellbeing may all submit work.
The competition aims to connect photography with science and human experience, transforming complex ideas into images that can be understood by a wider audience.
Entry dates
The submission period opened on July 14, 2026, and will close on October 21, 2026.
The Wellcome Photography Prize now operates on a biennial cycle, while the 2027 edition marks 30 years since the competition was first established in 1997.
You can take a look here.
What we think
The Wellcome Photography Prize is a valuable opportunity for photographers and scientific image makers, combining free entry, substantial cash prizes and a subject with genuine social and scientific relevance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter?
Entry to the Wellcome Photography Prize 2027 is free.
What is the total prize fund?
The total prize fund is £52,000, approximately $70,000.
How much will each winner receive?
The winner of each of the three main categories will receive £10,000.
Who is eligible to enter?
The competition is open to professional and amateur creators worldwide, and no affiliation with Wellcome is required.
When is the entry deadline?
Entries close on October 21, 2026.
