Newhaven Photographic Competition 2026
Competition Overview
Newhaven Town Council (“the Council”) invites entries to its photographic competition celebrating the theme of “Best of Newhaven.”
The competition aims to highlight the people, places, landscapes, and character that makes Newhaven unique.
Entry to the competition constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
Winning entrants in each category will be publicly displayed for one year. Entry to the competition constitutes acceptance of the Council’s right to publicly display (and where necessary crop images for display).
Eligibility
The competition is open to amateur photographers only.
For the purposes of this competition, an amateur photographer is defined as a person who does not derive any of their income from photography.
There will be three categories:
12 years and under
13 to 18 years
Over 18 years
Entrants under 18 years of age must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to enter the competition.
Entry Requirements
All photographs must:
Be taken using a mobile phone only (no cameras or professional photographic equipment permitted)
Be taken by the entrant themselves
Reflect the theme “Best of Newhaven”
All images must be submitted in portrait orientation
All images should be in TIFF or JPEG format (.jpg or .jpeg). Winning photographs will be enlarged and printed onto a banner 1 metre x 1.5 metres in size. To ensure good print quality, please submit the highest-quality version of your photograph and do not reduce its size before sending it to us.
Basic editing (e.g. cropping, brightness, contrast) is permitted; however:
Images must not be heavily manipulated
The use of artificial intelligence to generate or alter images is not permitted
The Council reserves the right to request evidence that the image was captured using a mobile phone and may request a copy of the original, unedited image, either before or after voting.
Content Standards and Right of Refusal
Entries must be suitable for public display and community use.
The Council reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse, disqualify, or remove any entry that it considers to be:
Offensive, obscene, or indecent
Defamatory or misleading
Discriminatory or inflammatory
Depicting unlawful, unsafe, or antisocial behaviour
Inappropriate or likely to cause offence or reputational harm
The Council’s decision regarding the eligibility and suitability of entries is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Submission Process
Entries must be submitted via email to: photocomp@newhaventowncouncil.gov.uk
A maximum of one entry per person may be submitted.
Entries must be received by midnight on 15th October 2026. Late entries will not be considered.
Judging and Prizes
The Council will first review all entries to ensure compliance with these Terms and Conditions, including the Content Standards. Only entries deemed suitable will proceed to the public voting stage.
All accepted entries will be displayed at a public exhibition to be held at the Atrium, Marine Workshops, Railway Approach, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0ER from 5th to 8th November 2026 (“the Exhibition”).
Entry to the competition constitutes agreement for the public display at the Exhibition of the image that is entered.
Voting will be conducted by visitors to the Exhibition via an online form accessed by a QR code displayed throughout the exhibition or by completing a manual form at the exhibition. Instructions for voting will be provided at the venue.
Winners in each category will be determined based on the number of valid votes received and will receive a prize of £100.00, with runners-up in each category receiving a prize of £50.00
In the event of a tie, the Mayor of Newhaven will have the deciding vote.
Vote Integrity
The Council reserves the right to ensure the fairness and integrity of the voting process. Any attempt to manipulate or unfairly influence the outcome, including (but not limited to) duplicate voting, automated voting, or coordinated vote rigging, may result in the disqualification of the entry concerned and/or the removal of affected votes.
The Council reserves the right to:
Remove any entry from the exhibition or voting process if concerns arise after display
Discount any votes it reasonably considers to be invalid or fraudulent
Make the final decision in the event of a dispute
The Council’s decision on all matters relating to voting and results is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Copyright and Use of Images
Entrants retain copyright of their photographs.
By entering the competition, entrants grant the Council a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual licence to:
Use, reproduce, publish and display submitted images
Use images across all media, including but not limited to posters, websites, social media, printed materials, exhibitions, and press publications
The Council will make reasonable efforts to credit the photographers where practicable.
Entrant Responsibilities
Entrants confirm that:
They are the sole creator and copyright holder of the image
The image does not infringe the rights of any third party
Consent has been obtained from any identifiable individuals featured in the image
Any photographs featuring children under the age of 18 have been submitted with written permission from their parent or legal guardian.
Entrants agree to indemnify the Council against any claims arising from a breach of these conditions.
Data Protection
Personal data supplied will be used solely for administering the competition and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Personal data will not be shared with third parties unless required by law.
General
The Council reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions or cancel the competition at any time should it deem it necessary.
The Council’s decision on all matters relating to the competition is final.
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.