1 – Purpose & Schedule

The purpose of the call is to select the most compelling photographic projects for publication on GAZE. To ensure continuous and thorough research, the selection operates on a quarterly basis through four annual calls with fixed deadlines: March 15 (results from March 31), June 15 (results from June 30), September 15 (results from September 30), and December 15 (results from December 29).

 

2 – Eligibility

The call is open to all photographers of Japanese nationality aged 18 and over, whether residing in Japan or abroad, including both emerging artists and established professionals.

 

3 – Scope & Guidelines

The selection covers open-theme photographic projects comprising a minimum of 6 images. Each project must be the work of a single author; collective submissions are not accepted.

Each photographer may submit only one project per session. Artists selected in previous editions are eligible to participate in subsequent calls with a new project.

 

4 – Submission Requirements

For each project, the required documentation must include:

• a) Images: From 6 to 20 photographs in JPG format, with a maximum file size of 1 MB per image. Photographs must be free of signatures, watermarks, frames, or visible credits. Files must be named according to the artist’s intended sequence, using a two-digit progressive numbering system (01, 02, 03...) preceded by the artist's name and project title (Firstname_Lastname_ProjectTitle_01.jpg).
• b) Project Statement: A descriptive text written in English, up to a maximum of 1,000 characters (including spaces), provided in PDF or DOC format.
• c) Biography & CV: A concise curriculum vitae in English (PDF or DOC), including the author's place of birth, educational or exhibition background, and contact email address.

All required documentation (images, project statement, and author profile) must be enclosed in a single folder named with the artist’s First and Last Name (e.g., Firstname_Lastname). The folder must be sent by [SwisseTransfer.com] to: gaze@minodivita.com.

For any procedural inquiries, please contact the same email address.

 

5 – Selection & Results

The selection process is entrusted to the founder and curator of GAZE, Mino Di Vita, whose artistic judgment is final and unappealable.

For each quarterly session, a maximum of 10 authors will be selected to preserve the platform’s high qualitative standards and ensure maximum visibility for each project. From all authors selected across the four annual calls, the curator will choose the final 10 projects to be published in the annual GAZE print catalogue at the end of the year.

Selection outcomes will be communicated exclusively to selected authors via email according to the schedule in Section (1). No individual feedback or evaluation notes will be provided for unselected projects, except for participants who have requested the Curatorial Review option.

 

6 – Entry Fees

To partially cover administrative, curatorial, and operational costs of the GAZE platform, an entry fee is required for each submitted project.

• Standard Submission (€35): Includes project evaluation and potential selection for publication on GAZE and in the annual print volume.
• Submission + Curatorial Review (€75): Includes project evaluation, potential selection for publication on GAZE and in the annual print volume, plus a detailed critical and conceptual analysis sheet prepared by the curator in English.

The Curatorial Review option is an independent analytical service and does not grant any competitive advantage or preferential treatment in the final selection, which is conducted under identical merit-based criteria for all candidates.

Payment is made at the time of submission via Stripe secure payment processing. Entry fees are strictly non-refundable.

Authors selected for publication on the website or in the annual print volume will not be asked for any additional financial contribution, nor are royalties or financial compensation provided for image reproduction.

 

7 – Copyright & Licensing

Authors retain full and exclusive ownership of copyright over their submitted works.

By applying, the artist grants GAZE a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce the images solely for publication on the website, in the annual print volume, and in promotional or exhibition materials related to the project. Every published image will be accompanied by author credit. Inadvertent omissions in crediting shall not constitute a breach, provided GAZE promptly undertakes reasonable efforts to rectify the omission.

 

8 – Warranties & Indemnity

Each participant warrants that they are the sole author and legal copyright holder of the submitted works and that the images do not infringe upon third-party rights.

The author assumes full legal responsibility and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the organizer, Mino Di Vita, from any claims, liability, or damages arising from third parties in relation to the submitted or published works. GAZE assumes no responsibility for technical failures of the website or for unauthorized third-party use of online materials.

Contact & Inquiries: gaze@minodivita.com