A new $5,000 award for orchid photography will headline this year's juried photography exhibition at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, giving local photographers the chance to compete for the show's largest prize.
The Richard and Ellen Sandor Photography Prize, announced Monday, July 14, will recognize a photograph that artistically captures the beauty of an orchid species. It is the first dedicated cash prize in the exhibition's 46-year history, according to Selby Gardens.
Submissions open Monday, Aug. 3, and close Monday, Aug. 10. Winners will be announced online Thursday, Aug. 27, when the virtual exhibition opens. The exhibition will remain available through Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Prize honors longtime arts supporters
Richard and Ellen Sandor are photography collectors and philanthropists whose private collection includes more than 2,500 works dating to the 1840s.
Ellen Sandor is a new media artist whose work is included in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution and the Art Institute of Chicago. She also serves on the board of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.
The couple also sponsors the Richard and Ellen Sandor Annual Lecture on Art and Nature at Selby Gardens, making the new photography prize an extension of their longstanding support for the institution.
Entry requirements and fees
Eligible photographs must have been taken within the past year at one of Selby Gardens' two campuses: the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus at 1534 Mound St. or the 30-acre Historic Spanish Point campus at 401 N. Tamiami Trail in Osprey.
Photographers may submit entries in five categories:
- Living Art
- Make a Splash
- Plant Portraits
- The Birds and the Bees
- Black and White
Entry fees are $30 for the first image and $10 for each additional image, up to three total, for Selby Gardens members. Nonmembers pay $45 for the first image and $15 for each additional image, also limited to three entries.
Jennifer O. Rominiecki, president and CEO of Selby Gardens, called the exhibition "one of the most exciting opportunities to see Selby Gardens through the eyes of our community."
A jury will select the Sandor Photography Prize winner based on artistic merit, creativity and visual impact. Accepted photographs will be displayed in an online gallery throughout the virtual exhibition, which is presented in partnership with Observer Media Group.
Complete contest rules are available at Selby Gardens' website. Questions may be directed to [email protected].
Important dates
- Monday, Aug. 3: Submissions open for the 46th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition.
- Monday, Aug. 10: Submission deadline.
- Thursday, Aug. 27: Award winners announced and virtual exhibition opens.
- Wednesday, Sept. 30: Exhibition closes.
