Decagon Gallery
Entry Point
—Being seen at the start—
For Photographers Who Are
Learning Outside Educational Institutions
Deadline: April 15
Entry fee: NO FEE
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Overview
Learning Outside Educational Institutions is a submission section of the ENTRY POINT Open Call dedicated to photographic work developed outside formal educational institutions.
It offers a considered space for early work shaped through self-directed practice, informal education, mentorship, or personal research. Learning here is understood as a continuous and self-organized process, and early work is approached as a meaningful stage of formation rather than a finished outcome.
Who ENTRY POINT is for
This section is intended for photographers at the beginning of their practice who are developing their work outside formal academic structures and are at an early stage of their photographic path.It creates a shared curatorial space for those who are still forming their voice and do not yet consider their work fully professional, allowing non-institutional learning paths to be seen and taken seriously without pressure to meet academic or industry expectations.
ENTRY POINT recognizes learning outside educational institutions as a valid and substantial way of forming a photographic practice at its early stages.
Curatorial Intention
Learning Outside Educational Institutions approaches early photographic work with attention to process, intention, and authorship in formation.
Rather than evaluating technical mastery or professional readiness, curatorial attention is placed on how a visual language is emerging through self-directed exploration. The section values clarity of intent over polish, and presence over completion.
Learning Contexts
This section is intended for work developed through self-initiated projects, informal training, workshops, mentorships, or other non-institutional learning environments.
Different learning paths are respected and presented within a shared international curatorial context, while remaining distinct.
Approaches and Conditions
A wide range of photographic approaches is welcome, including conceptual, documentary, staged, experimental, analog, digital, and mixed techniques.Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
For questions related to the use of AI tools, please refer to Decagon Gallery’s AI Policy, which outlines the gallery’s position and guidelines.
AI Policy → [click here]
Timeline & Terms
Selected works will be announced by email following the curatorial review.
Notification of Acceptance: April 15
Exhibition Launch: April 15 — June 15
Artists retain full copyright to their work.
Decagon Gallery requests permission to use selected works solely for exhibition presentation and related communication.
What Participants Receive
Selected participants become part of an international online exhibition.Each exhibited work receives a short curatorial note.
Participants receive a digital badge and certificate acknowledging their participation in the ENTRY POINT Open Call.
How to Submit
Submissions are accepted through the form below.
Participants may submit up to 5 photographs for consideration. Following the curatorial review, one work may be selected for inclusion in the online exhibition and to receive a curatorial note.
Please upload photographic files in JPEG format, minimum 2100 pixels on the longest side, maximum file size 4 MB per image.
File naming format: FirstName-LastName_Title.jpg
(example: John-Manno_Humanity.jpg)