Photo Contest | Gather: The Power of Place-based Connection

The human need to gather and find joy in connection is as strong as ever. City spaces provide an unparalleled backdrop for planned and chance human encounters and exchanges that sustain and propel society forward. Whether in grand public squares, intimate cafés, bustling markets, neighborhood parks or civic halls, urban spaces remain the heartbeat of human interaction. In this era of digital saturation and increased isolation, the need to connect, exchange ideas, and celebrate moments has never been more profound. 

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. This year, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we also celebrate the essential role cities play in bringing people together.

Urban gathering takes countless forms:

• In parks, where nature and community intertwine.
• In the corridors of academia, where ideas ignite movements.
• On festival streets, where music and culture weave a shared rhythm.
• In stadiums, where strangers become allies in the thrill of the game.
• Along transit lines, where millions share fleeting yet meaningful moments.
• In demonstrations, where citizens speak out for their rights.
• Around dinner tables, where food becomes the medium for connection.

Cities thrive because they create environments that are active, innovative, and full of opportunities. Serendipitous encounters fuel productivity, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. The richness of urban life depends on these moments of connection.

What we’re looking for

Submit your best photos or videos (1 minute or less) that capture how cities bring people together: To learn. To connect. To celebrate. To play. To indulge. To protest. To care. To grow. To move. To transform.

Prizes & Submission Details

Grand Prize: $500

Deadline: April 15, 2025

To enter via Instagram, mention @penniur in the caption of your post. Please include a short description of the photo, the date and location of the photo, and the hashtag #PennIURPhotoContest. If you do not use social media, email your submission with the subject line “Penn IUR Photo Contest Submission: Gather.”

Join us in showcasing the city’s timeless role as a convener. Please submit your work and help us tell the story of how urban spaces continue to shape human connection--no matter where we are. 

A prize of $500 will be awarded to the top submission as determined by a panel of Penn-affiliated judges. Other exemplary submissions will be awarded Honorable Mentions.

Additional information

• The contest is open to the public, including all Penn students.
• Submissions will be judged by a panel of Penn IUR affiliates.
• Winning photographs will be shared with Penn IUR Urban Link subscribers and on social media.

Notes

• Photographers should submit no more than 3 photographs/videos.
• All photos must be your original work, not AI generated. Collage, cropping, and use of software such as Photoshop is permitted.
• By entering the contest, you acknowledge that the submitted photo is an original work created solely by you, that the photo does not violate, plagiarize or infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, database, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the photo. You will retain all copyrights over the image, and the image will be attributed to you when used.
• By entering the contest, all entrants grant Penn IUR and its affiliated publications an unrestricted, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, display, distribute and create derivative works of the entries (along with a name credit). Penn IUR will not be required to seek any additional approval in connection with such use.
• Submissions that fail to meet ethical standards will not be considered. For additional information about general ethical guidelines for photographers, read the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics.
• Prizes and awards constitute taxable income. U.S. taxes will be deducted from payment for winning photographs, regardless of a photographer’s nationality. 

Submission details to come. Questions? Please contact penniur@upenn.edu.