Welcome to the 18th Annual People’s Choice Photo Contest, hosted by the Turner Center! This exciting competition showcases local talent and celebrates the beauty, creativity, and culture of Valdosta. Please review the following rules and guidelines carefully. Click HERE to view and download.

Theme: Hometown USA

As part of the national America250 observance, this year’s contest encourages participants to reflect on 250 years of the American story by showcasing the people, places, traditions, and moments that define Valdosta, Lowndes County. From everyday life to historic landmarks, photographers are asked to interpret what “home” and “America” mean through their own unique lens.

Awards:

Best in Show – $500 Cash Prize
1^st Place – $200 Cash Prize
2^nd Place – $150 Cash Prize
3^rd Place – $100 Cash Prize
Youth Best in Show – $100 Cash Prize

Honorable Mention winners will receive an Honorable Mention Ribbon.

Submission Guidelines

1. Submission Portal: Artists must submit their entries through the Turner Center’s website: turnercenter.org.  See form below.
2. Photographs must be taken within the City of Valdosta limits and be taken within the last two years.
3. File & Format of Photos: 1) Artists are required to print their own photographs; 2) Prints must be 8 in x 10 in; high-resolution, clear images; and 3) The artwork must be labeled with the artist’s name and photo title on the back of the photograph. We recommend work submitted should be considered for general viewing of all ages.
4. Only two (2) submissions per person.

Entry Fee

There is no entry fee for this contest.

Delivery Process

After submitting through the website by May 30, 2026, artists must deliver their printed photography to the Turner Center by : June 5, 2026. The Turner Center reserves the right to disqualify an entry for any violation of the contest rules or explicit subject matter. All contest decisions are final.

Photographer/Copyright

Entries must be submitted by the original photographer. Do not submit a photo taken by someone other than yourself. You must be the sole owner of the copyright of any image submitted. Your submission of the photo and entry form is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of the photo.

Photo Subject Restrictions

Photos must be appropriate. Obscene, provocative, or otherwise questionable content will not be considered. The Turner Center retains sole discretion as to what constitutes inappropriate content. Photos containing recognizable people must be accompanied by a Photo Release Form signed by the photographed person(s).

Return of Photos

The photographs will remain on display in the Tillman Gallery through July 20, 2026. Artists who attend the Awards Reception on July 20, 2026, will be asked to take their photographs with them as they leave the event.  Anything uncollected after August 20, 2026, will remain the property of the Turner Center.

Ownership and Usage Rights

Contest participants grant the Turner Center the non-exclusive right to publish, use, distribute, reproduce and publicly display entered photographs, and to create derivative works from all photographs, in perpetuity, in any of its online, print or other media publications, materials or exhibitions, for purposes of promoting the Valdosta community, through its publications, advertising and websites, and without payment or compensation. The Turner Center will make every effort to credit photographers when using photos, but there may be circumstances where it is not possible to do so. Subject to the rights granted to the Turner Center, contest participants retain all other copyrights and rights to future use of the photographs entered in the contest.

Voting Process

1. Public Viewing & Voting: Entries will be displayed in the Turner Center’s Tillman Gallery and visitors can vote for their favorite entries while at the Center.

Thank you for your participation, and we look forward to seeing your creativity on display! For further questions, please call the Center at 229.247.2787 or contact the Assistant Director & Curator, Madison Caldwell, at [email protected].