Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA) 2026
The Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA), part of the Siena Awards programme, is one of Europe's most prestigious international fine-art photography competitions. The 2026 cycle closed in January, with winners announced at the awards ceremony on 10 October in Siena. AI-generated photos are prohibited, and RAW files are required from final-round nominees - one of the more rigorously enforced authenticity regimes outside photojournalism.
- Deadline
- January 9, 2026
- Entry fee
- Per-entry fees vary by category and number of submissions
- Results
- October 10, 2026
Authenticity policy
AI policy
SIPA has a strict policy regarding Artificial Intelligence. AI-generated photos are not accepted. Only photographs captured and edited by humans are eligible.
RAW files
Participants who are listed in the final round are requested to submit the RAW/original camera files of their photographs for nomination.
Editing rules
SIPA's editing rule is darkroom-equivalent: post-processing to optimize an image is allowed but key composition elements cannot be added or removed. RAW files are mandatory for final-round nominees, and jurors retain discretion to reject any entry believed to be over-manipulated. This combination is one of the stricter authenticity regimes among international fine-art contests.
Verified on June 12, 2026