Photography Contest

Each year, Penn Institute for Urban Research hosts an annual photo contest on an urban-focused topic. The contest is open to the public and winning photographs shared with Penn IUR Urban Link subscribers and on social media.

Gather: A Photo Contest Celebrating 20 Years

gathering at PHS Pop Up garden South Street
Announcement February 26, 2025
Photo Contest | Gather: The Power of Place-based Connection

The Penn Institute for Urban Research invites photographers and visual storytellers worldwide to participate in our ninth annual photo contest, Gather: The Power of Place-based Connection. 

Urban Development
View the Announcement

All Galleries

Gallery September 12, 2024 2023 Photography Contest: Urban Nature Penn IUR is pleased to announce the winner of its 8th Annual Photography Contest: “Wetland for All” by Amitava Chandra.
Gallery January 5, 2023 2022 Photography Contest: Thriving For the seventh year, Penn IUR held a photography contest to capture the experience of cities around the world. The theme in 2022, “Thriving,” drew attention to the resilience of urban places and people in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
Gallery August 19, 2021 2021 Photography Contest: Civic Engagement As part of the University’s 2020-2021 academic theme year, Penn IUR held a photo contest on civic engagement in cities around the world. Participants were asked to capture the ways that urban community engagement has adapted to altered social circumstances and working conditions amid a year of unprecedented public need. 
Gallery October 27, 2020 2020 Photography Contest: Cities and Contagion As part of its Cities and Contagion: Lessons from COVID-19 initiative, Penn IUR held a photo contest on the impact of the pandemic on cities around the world. Participants were asked to capture the ways that urban places have adapted in both planned and unexpected ways.
Gallery May 22, 2019 2019 Photography Contest: Urban Informality Penn IUR hosted a photo contest on the theme of urban informality, inviting people around the world to submit images that capture the ways that people in urban areas create or use informal systems to survive and thrive. 
Gallery April 17, 2017 2017 Photography Contest: Urbanization and Migration The Penn Institute for Urban Research, in collaboration with the Center for Public Health Initiatives, is pleased to announce the winner of its photo contest on the theme of public health and the urban environmental landscape. 
Gallery February 25, 2016 2016 Photography Contest: Urban Health and the Environmental Landscape The Penn Institute for Urban Research, in collaboration with the Center for Public Health Initiatives, is pleased to announce the winner of its photo contest on the theme of public health and the urban environmental landscape.

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