WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS — WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS

women street photographers annual exhibition CALL

open to women and non-binary photographers

Guest judgeS:

MARY-IRENE MAREK (VP of marketing, leica CAMERA USA),

LAURA SACKETT (co-founder, creative director, LENS CULTURE)

Curated by Gulnara lyabib (founder of wsp)

AWARDS

– 70 Women and non-binary Street Photographers will show their work at the Artspace PS109 gallery, April 10-28

Two US$1000 Grants, Sponsored by Leica Camera

– Publication on social media with over 200,000 followers

– Dedicated page on www.womenstreetphotographers.com

submission form

The fees:

-This is a juried exhibition. Entries fee is $15.00 per photo.

1 free entry if submitted over 10 photos.

2 free entries if submitted over 15 photos.

3 free entries if submitted 20 photos.

– There will be no additional or hidden cost to photographers chosen for the exhibitions. The exhibition will cover all printing and framing cost.

- No refunds will be made but please know your fee helps to support Women Street Photographers around the world. Thank you!

***The finalists will be sent a new form with an agreement detailing the terms.

The DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 27, 2025

70 FINALISTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 30 on @womenstreetphotographers

FREE ENTRY

To promote and empower female photographers who can not afford the entry fee (NYC is excluded) or who live in countries that are under the US embargo email hello@womenstreetphotographers.com to request a free submission form. Write your reason.

GUEST JUDGES:

Paris Chong is the Gallery Director of the prestigious Leica Gallery Los Angeles. With over two decades of experience as a Curator she has represented galleries and artists at events including Photo LA, Photo SF, Paris Photo and Paris Photo LA in addition to promoting Leica Gallery Los Angeles at international shows such as Art Basel and Photo Paris. Ms. Chong has also served as a respected and sought-after portfolio reviewer for The International Photography Awards (IPA), Les Recontres d’Arles, The Palm Springs Photo Festival (PSPF), reFocus Awards, OpenWalls Arles, Photoville and the ongoing Meet the Curator portfolio reviews for Leica Akademie USA.

With her extensive involvement in the art community, Ms. Chong’s duties over the many years have also seen her coordinating both intimate and large group events at Leica Camera’s flagship store in West Hollywood. Celebrated artists range from the legendary Henri Cartier Bresson and Sebastiao Salgado to contemporary powerhouse names such as Neal Preston, Julian Lennon, Lenny Kravitz, Maggie Steber, Mary Ellen Mark and Ralph Gibson to name a few.

Ms. Chong has also found time to give back to the community on multiple levels such as serving as a Board Member for The Foundation for The Aids Monument (FAM), a non-profit formed to secure funding for a memorial monument in West Hollywood and The West Hollywood Design District (WHDD).

Further to her philanthropic side, Ms. Chong also Curates still life photography showings for The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) at its historic Hollywood headquarters.

https://leicagalleryla.com

Mary-Irene Marek, VP of Marketing at Leica Camera USA.

Mary-Irene Marek is a seasoned marketing executive with a deep passion for the photography industry and a career dedicated to serving its vibrant community. With a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts, she began her professional journey with the Eastman Kodak Company, where she developed a keen understanding of the evolving visual media landscape. Immersed in a period of rapid technological advancement, she embraced the shift from analog to digital, recognizing early on the transformative power of new tools and platforms in shaping the way photographers and filmmakers create, share, and connect with their audiences.

Her expertise expanded as she took on a leadership role at Adorama Camera in Manhattan, overseeing a team of filmmaking and photography professionals. In this capacity, she played a pivotal role in shaping marketing strategies, building industry partnerships, and fostering engagement among creatives and professionals alike. Her forward-thinking approach helped position the retailer at the forefront of innovative storytelling and content production, ensuring that photographers had access to the latest innovations and educational resources to elevate their craft.

Now, as Vice President of Marketing at Leica Camera USA, Mary-Irene continues to drive community and brand growth, leveraging her deep industry knowledge and strategic vision. She remains committed to empowering photographers, filmmakers, and visual storytellers through impactful marketing initiatives, educational programs, and community-driven efforts. Her ability to anticipate industry shifts and champion emerging technologies enables her to craft compelling campaigns that resonate with both seasoned professionals and the next generation of creatives.

Leica Camera USA

@leicacamerausa

WSP EXHIBITION CURATOR

Gulnara Lyabib Samoilova is a Tatar born American photographer, author, and the founder of Women Street Photographers. With 45 years combined experience as a documentary and street photographer, artist, darkroom printer, photojournalist, and photo editor, Samoilova transformed the successful Instagram feed, @WomenStreetPhotographers, into a platform for women photographers from around the globe, launching a website, traveling exhibitions, artist residency, and photography book, Women Street Photographers (Prestel, 2021).

With her vast experience and expertise, Gulnara has organized and curated over 30 successful exhibitions in four continents, including the first two Women Street Photographers and Leica Women Foto Project Summit in New York City. This three-day event featured group and solo exhibitions, grants, panel discussions, and photo walks, and showcased the work of 75-85 female photographers from 33 countries. In addition to her curatorial work, Gulnara is also an inspirational speaker, guest judge (Lens Culture, LWFP, Lucie Photo Book Prize, UNESCO) , portfolio reviewer ( Arles Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Photo Nola), and LOBA nominator.

A former Associated Press photojournalist, Gulnara received national and international awards for her iconic photographs of September 11, including first prize in the World Press Photo competition and nomination for the Pulitzer Prize by the AP. Gulnara’s work is a part of major collections such as the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Public Library, New York Historical Society, and Houston Museum of Fine Arts. She holds a certificate in creative practices from the International Center of Photography. Gulnara lives and works in New York City.

www.gulnara.com

@gulnara.samoilova

SUBMISSION FORM

ABOUT ARTSPACE PS109

http://www.artspace.org/our-places/el-barrio-s-artspace-ps109

El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 is a community-driven project which has transformed an abandoned public school building in East Harlem into an arts facility with 89 units of affordable live/work housing for artists and their families and 10,000 square feet of complementary space for arts organizations.

PS109 is an impressive building. Designed by Charles B.J. Snyder and completed in 1898, this structure is five stories tall with a steeply pitched roof. Exterior details include several copper-clad cupolas and a wealth of decorative terra cotta.

PS109 contains 89 units of affordable live/work housing for artists and their families with 3,000 square feet available for a resident gallery in addition to 10,000 square feet of non-residential space for arts and cultural organizations on the ground floor and lower level.

ABOUT ARTSPACE

http://www.artspace.org/

Artspace is non-profit organization that uses the tools of real estate development to create affordable, appropriate places where artists can live and work. They consistently develop these projects in ways that also support more stable, healthy communities anchored in existing assets. Because Artspace owns each of the projects it develops, they are able to ensure that they remain affordable and accessible to artists in perpetuity. Over the last three decades, Artspace has led an accelerating national movement of artist-led community transformation. With headquarters in Minneapolis and offices in Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Seattle and Washington D.C., Artspace is America’s leading developer of arts facilities and has served as a consultant to hundreds of communities and arts organizations nationwide.

Women Street Photographers FESTIVAL

artspace ps109, New York City,

APRIL 10-12, 2026

ABOUT WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS

Founding in 2017 by award-winning photographer Gulnara Lyabib Samoilova, Women Street Photographers is an online and in-person community providing support and amplifying the work of for women artists from all races, ethnicities, creeds, generations, abilities, and sexual and gender identities around the world today.

Designed to expand commonly held notions of street photography by adopting an inclusive, expansive, non-traditional approach, Women Street Photographers provides platforms to showcase the work of amateur and professional photographers alike, including an Instagram feed, @WomenStreetPhotographers, website, traveling exhibitions, artist residency, inspirational film series, and photography book, Women Street Photographers (Prestel, 2021).

With 43 years combined experience as a documentary and street photographer, artist, darkroom printer, photojournalist, and photo editor for the Associated Press, Gulnara uses her experience and expertise to create visibility for women street photographers and empower them to follow their passion.