2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) invites U.S.-based professional and amateur photographers to submit work for the 2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest. The theme is "Stronger Together: Family. Community. Connection." Photographs should feature an older adult (60+) living in the United States as the primary subject and may also include family, friends, or community members who share a meaningful connection with them.

All selected artworks will appear on the virtual ncoaGallery.org website. Twenty award-winning photographs will be printed on high-quality, large-format canvas for presentation in the onsite exhibition at the NCOA 2026 Age+Action Conference in Arlington, VA (May 26–29, 2026), showcased in multiple art galleries throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and included in the permanent collection at NCOA's headquarters in Crystal City, VA. Awards include: First Place ($1,000), Second Place ($600), Public Vote Award ($500), Eight Merit Awards ($300 each), and Ten Honorable Awards ($150 each). The juror is Carol Lukitsch, a distinguished artist, educator, and curator with an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Deadline: March 15, 2026. Winners will be notified April 30, 2026. There is no entry fee. Apply online at callforentries.com.