LENS 2027 International Photography Exhibition: Enter by 6 January, AI Images Excluded
The seventeenth LENS exhibition
Perspective Gallery in Evanston, Illinois, has opened submissions for LENS 2027, its seventeenth annual international juried exhibition of fine art photography. The entry window runs from 23 September 2026 to 6 January 2027, with works exhibited from 4 to 28 March 2027. The organiser welcomes photographic processes and subject matter broadly, but states an important exclusion: AI-generated images will not be accepted.
Who can enter and what to upload
Photographers may submit up to five JPEG images made within the previous five years. Work already exhibited at Perspective Gallery is not eligible. Entries are submitted through the CaFÉ system linked from the gallery's official website. Image files should be titled with the name of the work rather than the photographer's name. These precise conditions matter for digital photographers as much as for those using film or alternative printing processes.
Fees, awards and selection
An early-bird fee of US$35 applies through 31 October 2026. After that, the regular non-refundable entry fee is US$40 for up to five images. The listed awards are US$300 for the Juror's Award, US$200 for first runner-up and US$150 for second runner-up. The 2027 juror is Anne Leighton Massoni, executive director and curator of Houston Center for Photography.
Exhibition costs for selected artists
Accepted artworks must be professionally framed and delivered for exhibition. International exhibitors can arrange for the gallery to print a work at the artist's expense instead of shipping a print. Where work is offered for sale, the gallery says artists receive 60 percent and the gallery retains a 40 percent commission. Shipping and framing requirements deserve attention because winning selection does not mean the cost of sending work to Illinois is covered.
Institutional track record and next steps
Perspective Gallery is a not-for-profit cooperative photography gallery in suburban Chicago. It publishes earlier winners and its 2027 exhibition schedule, with opening reception on 6 March and an online artists' talk on 11 March. Review the current prospectus and CaFÉ listing before payment, particularly for permitted photo processes, image rights and transport arrangements.
Official organiser information
Information reviewed on 23 October 2026. Please check the organiser's current rules and deadlines before paying, travelling or submitting personal information.