Westmorland and Furness Together Through the Lens 2026: Local Photos Due 1 November
Westmorland and Furness Council in North West England is inviting local residents, workers and students to contribute digital photographs and brief personal stories to its free Together Through the Lens community project. Selected images form part of a permanent online gallery and a local touring exhibition, aiming to document the people and places of the council area rather than rank pictures in a conventional cash-prize photography competition.
Eligibility and deadline
Individual entrants must live, work or study in Westmorland and Furness. That geographical affiliation is a mandatory local restriction: photographers with no connection to the district are not eligible simply because they can email a photo. The submission deadline is Sunday 1 November 2026. The project opened for entries on 1 October, with the online gallery scheduled to open on 16 November and community exhibitions beginning 30 November, subject to changes.
Digital format, number of photographs and text
Individuals may submit up to three original photographs in JPG/JPEG format, no more than 10MB for each image. Screenshots are specifically excluded. Each image should have a title, the location where it was taken and a short explanation or personal story of at most 100 words. The subject can be family and friendships, community activities, hobbies, landmarks, local wildlife or everyday moments that express why the area matters to the participant.
Originality, consent and rights
Photographers retain their copyright, and participation is free. Entrants must obtain consent from people recognisable in images where legally or ethically appropriate; photos of children under 18 require parental or guardian permission. The Council's full project conditions and privacy notice apply to the online gallery and exhibition. This is not a request for a proprietary RAW file, and an Instagram-only post is not a substitute for the specified online submission process.
About the organizer and public exhibit
Westmorland and Furness Council is the local authority for the area including South Cumbria. The project is supported and funded by the Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership, which brings local bodies together around safer, stronger communities. Together Through the Lens is designed to build a lasting visual record of belonging, community pride and shared identity. The Council hosts the primary conditions and individual submission link on its own website.
How to enter
Use the official individual submission form linked from the Council page; groups and charities have a separate organisation submission route. Prepare up to three compressed JPG files and stories before starting, and check that contact and media permissions are accurate. Applications are subject to the Council's terms; the announcement does not claim a prize payment for every accepted work.
This article provides a summary. To avoid misunderstandings, please be sure to check the official page for full details.
Information verified on 19 October 2026.
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