Decade-of-Change-white
A global photography award and collaborative exhibition dedicated to documenting the defining matter of our time: the climate crisis.

Decade of Change

From 1854 and British Journal of Photography, Decade of Change is a global photography award and collaborative exhibition dedicated to the defining issue of our time: the climate. 
Spanning humankind to wildlife and cityscapes to ecosystems, the award explores the many facets of the climate crisis: the strength and fragility of the natural world; the indirect impacts on communities and everyday people, and our global efforts to turn things around.

Why enter

Help transcend traditional barriers

Reports, statistics and articles are all invaluable resources. But the power of the image is universal. Through photography, we can help translate the reality of climate change to both public and private sectors — celebrating all that we have to protect, and cautioning all that we have to lose.

Get exhibited worldwide

Decade of Change curates some of the world’s most powerful creative responses to the climate crisis in an internationally-touring exhibition. Past venues have included Hong Kong’s Museum of Climate Change and the Nest Summit as part of New York Climate Week.

Get judged by industry leaders

Decade of Change is a cross-sector initiative, uniting prominent figures in art, politics, research and activism. Last year’s jury included Angela Glienicke, picture editor at Greenpeace; Miranda Massie, founder and director of the Climate Museum, NY, and Terry Tamminen, former CEO of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

“There is a transformational potential that comes through the arts, the painted canvas or the power of the camera that is not achieved by other tools” 

— Christiana Figueres, global climate leader & architect of the Paris Agreement, in conversation with BJP

Prizes

  • Two bodies of work, 30 single images and one moving image will be exhibited as part of a major internationally-touring exhibition, with the full line-up of venues to be announced
  • Dedicated digital coverage of your work by BJP journalists (plus social promotion) to our global audience of 2+ million
  • Have your work reviewed by a panel of experts — not simply in photography, but across science, activism, NGOs and beyond

Judges

Decade of Change is a cross-sector initiative, uniting prominent figures in art, politics, research and activism. Last year’s jury included:

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim

President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT)

Terry Tamminen

Former CEO, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

Muyi Xizo

Reporter and Video Producer, Visual Investigations Team, The New York Times

Angela Glienicke

Picture Editor, Greenpeace

Paul Dickinson

Founder and Executive Chairman, CDP

Tim Brooks - Leggo Image

Tim Brooks

Vice President of Environmental Responsibility, Lego

Kathleen Lei Limayo

Asia & Pacific Video Producer, 350.org

Miranda Massie

Director and Founder of the Climate Museum, New York

Categories and Submissions

Decade of Change 2021 is split between three categories: the Series Category, the Single Image Category and the Moving Image category. Across all three, the brief is broad and wide-ranging, inviting work that both immediately relates to the climate crisis as well as subject matter that is more indirect. 

Possible themes to consider include people and the anthropological causes/effects of the crisis; action and protest; urban life, and the ways in which cities and towns are implicated; the natural world and changing life underwater, on land and above air; questions of science, progress and innovation; possible futures, or something altogether more conceptual or abstract.

Exhibition Partners

Explore our 2022 winners

Meet the artists who are harnessing the power of photography to galvanise change.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m not an 1854 Access Member, how do I purchase an entry? 

Entry to Decade of Change is part of our Access Membership offering. Join our community today and claim your full entry to Decade of Change.

I have lost the email with my entry link

If you have lost your entry, use the reset form here, to send a reminder to your email address.

The system is stating my entry has been claimed when I have not entered.

Use the reset form here to retrieve your unique entry URL

Can I pay by PayPal / Cheque / Cash?

We can only accept Memberships paid for with a credit or debit card online

Can I enter more than once?

Yes, you may enter as many times as you choose.

I have a promotional code, how can I use it?

Please first choose the type of entry you wish to make (eg, one series entry). On the next page you will be able to enter your promotional code, and after submitting that form you will see your discount applied.

I have a promotional code, but it doesn’t work?

Please note that most codes are time-limited. If the deadline for using your code has passed, it will not be usable.

I bought too many entries / ran out of time, can I get a refund?

Sorry, but all entry fees are non-refundable, as stated in the terms and conditions that you accepted on entry.

Can I upgrade my entry?

No unfortunately we can not upgrade your entry once a purchase has been made

The entry system is saying that my entry has already been claimed when I haven’t entered. What do I do?

You may have already received an email from us with your entry link. If so, submit your images through the link provided.

I am an 1854 Access Member, why am I being asked to pay for my entries?

You will need to click on the members log in section on the submission platform, and enter your membership number in order to submit your entries.

Have my images uploaded correctly?

If your images have uploaded correctly you will see a small version of each photo on the entry page, alongside the caption you entered. If you cannot see your photo, then your image has not uploaded correctly. If a caption has been stored but no image, you can delete it using the Edit option.

I can’t upload my images – I see a green bar, it says 100%, but that’s it

Our image uploader is designed to work with all modern web browsers, but some – in particular, Internet Explorer 11 – aren’t able to use it. If you are unable to upload your images please either download a modern browser (we recommend Google Chrome), or click the link on the upload page to use our Classic Uploader instead.

What’s the Classic Uploader?

The Classic Uploader uploads image files in a way that’s slower, but better supported by old browsers such as Internet Explorer 11. Please note that it can accept JPEG files of up to 5MB in size only, and that you will experience a wait after clicking the Upload button.

Can I send my photos by email / WeTransfer / on DVD / some other way

We can only accept images that are uploaded using our entry system. This ensures that each one is logged with your entry details, and made available to our judges.

I uploaded one image, and now want to go back to upload more, but the system will not let me do so – what’s wrong?

Either the competition deadline has passed, or you have previously submitted your entry to the judges. In order to do so you will have read a notice warning you, and ticked a box confirming your understanding, that doing so would prevent you from making any further changes.

There isn’t enough room for my image title, or other text

Please note that maximum lengths that apply to these texts. The length limits are noted on the form used to enter them and are given in characters (letters), not words.

I can’t see the option to submit my entry

The Submit button appears at the top of your entry page once you have uploaded at least one image.

What happens when I submit my entry?

Your entry will be confirmed on a web page after submitting, and then we will send you a confirmation email, and your images (along with their captions, statements etc) are stored, ready to be viewed by the judges.

I have submitted my entry – can I change it?

No, once your entry has been submitted you may no longer alter it in any way.

Could you please check my images / text / entry?

I’m afraid this isn’t possible – our system receives thousands of images, so we can’t check individual ones. Please ensure that you are happy with your images and statement before submitting it.

Can you please provide an invoice for my entry?

Your entry confirmation email includes a full VAT invoice, we can not provide any other invoice request

Can you please tell me what category I applied for?

Your entry confirmation email includes your selected category

Professional and non-professional photographers from all over the world are eligible to enter.

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Entries can be shot using any camera model (film or digital) or electronic device, and images may be portrait, landscape or square in format.

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1854 Media reserves the right not to show the submitted work

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Each entrant will be deemed to warrant that they own the entire copyright for the work or that they have permission from the licensee and/or copyright owner/s for the uses.

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Each video must be a maximum of 10 minutes. All submissions must be made by providing a link to a video platform. Please do not upload videos to the system.

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Each image can be a maximum of 10MB in size. All images must be submitted as JPEG files – any files submitted in any other format (including TIFF, PDF, PSD etc) will be discarded.

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You may submit a title (200 character limit) and caption (750 character limit) for each photograph entered. For the Stories Category, you can also provide an artist’s statement (1000 character limit). All accompanying text must be written in English.

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The deadline for entries is 2 December 2021 23:59 (UK Time).

Judging will take place shortly after the deadline.

Entrants have an additional 24 hours following this deadline to finalise and submit their entry.

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Once your images and captions have been uploaded to the system you will see an option to submit your entry. Once submitted, your entry cannot be altered. Only submitted entries will be viewed by the judges.

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The winners must be available to supply high-res files promptly for exhibition purposes.

Digital files of the winning images will be created for press and publicity purposes.

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1854 Media & British Journal of Photography cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to submitted work.

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No copyright is transferred to 1854 Media & British Journal of Photography in respect of any work entered or accepted.

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1854 Media & British Journal of Photography reserve the right to display, reproduce and publish in any media, any entry, without payment, for the sole purpose of Decade of Change – this year and in future – and its promotion and publicity.

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1854 Media will organise and cover costs from the framing, printing, curation and production of the Decade of Change show.

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A selection of images will be published through 1854 Media & British Journal of Photography digital channels.

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You will be asked to pay for your entry by Credit Card. All payments are handled securely by our payment partner Stripe. After payment, you will receive an email containing a personal upload URL, where you may submit your images and statement.

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All entry purchases are final. Having purchased an entry, it is your responsibility to upload and submit your images and statement before the deadline. No refunds will be issued.

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In order to receive your award status, you must be subscribed to the Awards Communications list on our mailing system. If you have not received your status after the deadline, you must simply resubscribe by filling out a form to our newsletter list.

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Please note that 1854 Access members entering awards as part of their membership (as opposed to a paid entry) will be required to remain a member throughout the periods when awards are judged and exhibitions/outputs are planned, for their entries to be eligible.

All entries are subject to 1854 Media’s General Competition Terms and Conditions.

Decade of Change is a global photography award and collaborative exhibition dedicated to the defining issue of our time: the climate.