Lorne Community Connect 2025 Photographic Prize seeks entries from Australian photographers

Now in its third year, the competition has adopted the theme ‘Routine and Ritual’ and is seeking entries that present the routines and rituals that play significant roles for both people and nature. For people, some are biologically driven, like nightly sleep or birthdays, others by necessity or choice – weekly bin night, a morning coffee or pre-dawn surf. The natural world has its own versions, exemplified by the shifting of the tides, changing of the seasons and annual spectacles of migrating birds and animals. These routines are connected because they serve as bookmarks, providing a measure to keep stock of time.  The Lorne Community Connect 2025 Photographic Prize will be judged by Jason Smith, former director and CEO of Geelong Gallery who was recently appointed the director of the Art Gallery of South Australia. Jason is currently Chair of the Arts, Heritage & Culture Pillar Group of G21 – Geelong Regional Alliance and has held positions as Director & CEO of Heide Museum of Modern Art; Director of Monash Gallery of Art; and Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Victoria. He has written on the works of more than 150 artists for a range of publications.

Entries are open until February 28, with finalists’ work showing in an exhibition at the Lorne Community Connect Arts Hub in April. As well as the first prize of $1000 cash, sponsored by Mantra Lorne, a runner-up will receive a $500 Bells Fine Art printing voucher. The shortlist of finalists will be announced on March 10, with the exhibition opening at the Arts Hub on April 17, where the winner will be announced. The exhibition will then run from April 18 – 28 2025. Click here for more information.