Terms & Conditions of SKIN, 5th edition of Visible White Photo Prize 2016
Deadline to enter is 29 February 2016 10 March 2016
Published on 2 November 2015.

Art. 1 – Theme
"Skin is an intersubjective membrane which is both tactile and visual, a thin and sensitive layer of protection which is the physical and cultural diaphragm between the inside of the body and the outside world.

“To have a thick skin” is a common expression that denotes an exceptional ability to protect oneself, one's body’s inner world, from the pressures of the outside world. Skin is the surface through which the psycho-physical perception of the other passes through. It's the place of physical contact, transmission of desire, but also of infection, and it's where the gaze of others rests. Skin reveals gender, race, trauma, aging, illness, irritation, excitement and emotion. Photography's exploration of the epidermis is a way to focus on, query and interpret this place of signs and of social, religious, and psychological rituals.

The theme can be approached from different perspectives. Look at skin to reflect on issues of identity, gender, class, ethnicity, race, ecology, politics, and technology, by addressing desire, trauma, ego, aging, torture, submission, multi-sensoriality, self-injury, tattoos, the different contours of sexuality, nanotechnology, implants, disease, contamination and contagion. All these issues in the context of varied geopolitical tensions, economy, sustainability and digital culture (from connectivity to gaming and mobile media)" - Nicoletta Leonardi and Lucia Minunno.

Art. 2 – Single works & Projects

Works and Projects can be in digital or analogue photography, or computer graphic modelling, software art, digital manipulations, polaroids, mobile phone photographs or images taken with any other photographic devices, presented in a two-dimensional format. Works should be presented as art photography in any form which could include photographic essays, personal stories in the style of storytelling, fictional narratives, documentary work, photojournalism or set pieces. There are no limits to the size of works submitted. Images submitted to the prize are uploaded online in JPG or PNG formats from applicants’ personal accounts in Celeste Network. We advise you submit images at least 2,500 pixels on the longest side. Before publishing your work, you can approve or not viewing in high resolution. It is possible to include up to 10 images in a project submitted to Skin. Projects with less than 10 images are still valid for the prize and will be considered on a par with other projects for selection and prizes.

Art. 3 – Eligibility
Skin is an international open call to all photographers, artists and creatives using photography, regardless of age, sex, experience, occupation or geographic location. It is possible to participate as an individual or as a group. Photographic images included in projects must have been taken within the last 10 years, and can or cannot have been exhibited before or presented in other prizes.

Art. 4 - Prizes
Total of 5,000 € Prizes*
2,500 € for the Best Project
1,500 € for the Runner-up Project
1,000 € for the Best Single Work

Art. 5 - Deadline
Deadline to enter is 29 February 2016 10 March 2016, midnight Italian time. To submit your work or project, it is necessary to pay the entry fee no later than the deadline hour. Applicants who have paid their entry fee before the deadline, can If they haven’t already done so, upload their projects in the following 7 days.

Art. 6 – Jury & Selections

By 31 March 2016, 5 single works and 10 finalist projects will be selected by the jury and announced online. Each juror will publish his or her preferred 10 single works and 10 finalist projects online. Single works and projects which receive most preferences will be considered finalists.

Finalists will be chosen by the following international jury:
Irene Alison, independent curator and journalist, Italy
Krzysztof Candrowicz, Hamburg Triennale, Germany
Louise Clements, QUAD, UK
Erik Kessels, Useful Photography, The Netherlands
Anna-Alix Koffi, OFF the wall Magazine, France

The three winners will be chosen by Nicoletta Leonardi, professor at Fine Arts Academy of Turin and Lucia Minunno, curator and art historian, Italy.

Art. 7 - Exhibition & Winners
The two winning projects and the winning single work will be announced on 13 May 2016 at the opening of the exhibition. The final exhibition will be held at the FSM Gallery in Florence, Italy, from 13 May to 6 June 2016. The exhibition of the finalist projects and works will take into account the space available at the exhibition and the spatial characteristics of each project.

Art. 8 – Entry & Fees

It’s quicker and cheaper to pay online from your account in Celeste Network, but you can choose to make a bank transfer.

Online:
Single Work 20 €, for additional single works 15 €.
Project 70 €  (up to 10 single images), for additional projects 60 €.

By mail:
Text and images of your project are uploaded in your page by Celeste staff, 70 €/single work, 110 €/project. Send to: Celeste Network, Via Sangallo 23, 53036 Poggibonsi (Siena), Italy.

Entry fees are not refundable.

There are two ways to pay entry fees and enter your project:

1. Online with credit card
You do this from your personal account in Celeste Network. If you don’t have an account, ‘Sign-up’ using the link top-right in the website’s header bar. If you already have an account, login, then in the graphics box ‘Skin’ at the centre of your admin homepage click on ‘Enter a Project’ or  'Enter a work' and use your credit card to pay your entry fee with PayPal. Activation is immediate, you can proceed to upload images, statement, description of your project or work and publish them by confirming. The first image you upload is the image which will represent your project in Celeste Network's pages and will be seen in a larger format than the following 9 images. You can add a different title to every work in your project.

2. By electronic bank transfer
If you choose this method you will have to wait about two working days after payment to begin upload. Make payment to: Celeste Network - Banco Posta - IBAN: IT74 W076 0114 2000 0000 5409 079 - BIC / Swift: BPPIITRRXXX - Send your entry fee in € Euro currency, net, without transfer fees or commissions payable by Celeste on receipt. For bank transfers coming from outside-Europe you must add 10 € Euro to the entry fee. Once your account has been activated by Celeste staff, login, in the graphics box ‘Skin’ at the centre of your admin homepage click on ‘Upload a project’ or 'Upload a work', and proceed to upload images, statement and description of your project and publish by confirming. The first image you upload is the image which will represent your project in Celeste and will be seen in a larger format than the following 9 images. You can add a different title to every work in your project.

3. Western Union or Money Gram
Send to: Name: Steven; Surname: Music; Address: San Gimignano (Siena); Country: Italy.
Ensure that we receive your entire, entry fee amount in Euro €, net of any transfer charges. If we have to pay transfer charges your application process will be halted. Please include in the description which accompanies your payment the following: ‘Entry fee payment for Visible White Photo Prize 2016 by (artist’s name, surname and country from where the money is being sent)’. Send confirmation email to info[at]celesteprize.com with the transaction code. As soon as we receive your entry fee we shall activate in your account in Celeste Network the possibility to upload your prize work.

Art. 9 - Production & Transport
Photographers selected and invited to exhibit their work in the FSM Gallery, Florence, Italy, will be responsible for the costs of production of their work, transport and insurance to and from Florence, as well as any personal travel and accommodation expenses.

Art. 10 - Catalogue
A catalogue will be published which includes presentation of the finalist singe works and projects, images and texts by finalist photographers, as well as critical introductions by Skin’s curators Nicoletta Leonardi and Lucia Minunno.

Art. 11 - Rights
Every photographer, artist or person submitting images to Skin retains copyright of the works, images and texts he or she uploads, but gives Celeste Network the authority to use indefinitely the same above mentioned visual and textual materials for communication and promotion purposes only; to create the catalogue or other promotional material, and to use in Celeste's websites. Artists who submit works to Skin declare and accept that they are the authors of the images they upload and possess all rights to use these images in the competition and onsite in Celeste Network. Photographers, artists or persons uploading work guarantee that they have received permission and authorization, as required by law, from persons represented in their photographic works, or from their legal representatives. Celeste Network as organizer is not and cannot be held responsible for any dispute among photopgraphers, artists, other persons or third parties who might claim author’s rights over images of a work submitted to Skin.

• Celeste Network has by Italian law to hand over to the Italian state 25% of prize money for tax purposes. This sum will be withheld by the organizer from each prize winner.