photokina Newsroom

“Academy meets photokina” — established as part of the trade fair’s supporting program — has entered the next round. Students and graduates of universities and academies offering photography studies, from Germany and abroad, were invited to apply for one of the coveted stand areas at photokina 2010 in Hall 1. To be eligible for submission, projects had to be no more than one year old and suitable for inclusion under the motto “Unlimited – Exploring limits, experiencing limits, and exceeding limits.” From more than 50 submitted works, the jury has now selected the 22 universities that may present themselves and their work at photokina 2010.

The selection process was anything but easy. The jury was particularly impressed by the numerous entries — especially those from abroad — and the creative interpretations of the motto. In the end, the jury was convinced by the works of twelve German universities and ten European universities. These included the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, and Sabanci University in Istanbul. The German participants include Folkwang University Essen, the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) Saar, and the degree courses of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Hanover, Würzburg, Aachen, Mainz and Dortmund. Included in this press release is a full list of the participating universities.

Three of the 22 universities will also be presented with Promotion Prizes with a total value of €15,000. The Promotion Prizes are sponsored by the market research firm Gfk, the photographic trade association Ringfoto, and the Photographic Industry Association. The final decision regarding which three of the exhibiting universities will be recognized with a prize will be made on the opening day of photokina.

The universities that did not make it onto the Academy exhibition area will still have the opportunity to present themselves to photokina visitors: All the universities that were not selected for “Academy meets photokina” will have the opportunity to present themselves and their students’ projects by means of a DVD projected in a “Black Box”, as part of an overall program.

The DGPh information stand in the “Academy meets photokina” area offers participants the opportunity to present themselves to photokina visitors by means of informational material, catalogues, and books. The program will be complemented by the support of the magazine Zeit Campus, which will invite visitors to the Zeit Campus Lounge to view photo portfolios. The meeting point also offers a prominent gathering place in Hall 1, where the focus is on interesting discussions and the exchange of ideas.

To increase the visitors’ awareness of “Academy meets photokina” also during the trade fair and to strengthen international communication, “Academy meets photokina” is being branded with its own key visual, beginning immediately. By doing this, the organizers are hoping to further highlight the importance of promoting young talent at photokina.

Academy meets photokina 2010 — the participating universities