UAE, India and China leading participants at Sharjah's Xposure Awards 2026-27

The Xposure International Photography and Film Awards 2026–2027 have received over 22,000 photography and film submissions from 108 countries, including 21,587 photographs and 543 film entries. Judging has now begun, with finalists and winners to be selected across the various categories.

Entries came from around the world, with China, the UAE and India leading participation, reflecting the awards’ global reach among photographers and visual content creators.

Photography entries covered nature, portraiture and urban environments, alongside work incorporating new technologies. Film submissions explored human, social and environmental themes in different genres.

This broad participation comes ahead of the 11th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival, organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB). Finalists and winners in photography and film will be announced during the festival, with selected works also featured in its exhibition programme.

Long-term impact

Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of SGMB, said: “This high level of participation reflects the festival’s international appeal and its ability to attract creatives from diverse cultures and backgrounds, reinforcing Xposure’s standing as a global destination for visual storytelling.”

Allay said Xposure reflects Sharjah’s wider approach to supporting creative talent, giving photographers and filmmakers opportunities to present their work while recognising projects with both artistic value and human relevance.

He noted that investment in photography recognises creativity as an essential part of cultural expression and helps pass its value to future generations.

He added that the Xposure Awards recognise the dedication and effort behind every creative work, whether expressed through photography or film, while supporting creators whose work can raise public awareness and create long-term impact.

Diverse categories

The photography awards feature 10 categories, including Architectural Photography, Mobile Photography, Nature & Landscape, Night Photography, Portraiture, Photomanipulation and AI, Sports Photography, Street Photography, Visual Storytelling, and the Junior category for UAE residents under the age of 18.

Nature & Landscape attracted the largest share of photography entries at 23%, followed by Street Photography at 19% and Portraiture at 15%.

The film awards feature four updated categories this season comprising Narrative Short Film, Documentary Short Film, Environmental or Social Impact Film, and Action, Innovation and New Tools.

Judging criteria

An international judging panel of 37 photographers, experts and industry professionals is evaluating the entries based on originality, visual appeal and artistic impact. Shortlisted works will then go through a more detailed assessment of composition, technical quality, storytelling and relevance to the category theme.

A winner and runner-up will be selected in each category, alongside an overall winner. The Awards Oversight Committee will review the judges’ scores before the results are approved to ensure consistency in the evaluation process and adherence to the established criteria.