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SOMETHING LIKE JOY

The Happiness That Catches You Off Guard

Decagon Gallery   /   Deadline: 09/15/26

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Something Like Joy

Submission Deadline: September 15
Notification: September 30, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 7 –December 7

Juror: Aline Smithson

The Exhibition

Not the easy kind. Not the posed smile or the perfect moment. We're talking about the joy that surprises you — that shows up in an ordinary afternoon, in a stranger's face, in light falling just right on something nobody else noticed.

Something Like Joy invites photographers to submit work that finds delight, warmth, wonder, or beauty in the world as it actually is. Big celebrations and quiet moments are equally welcome. So is the complicated happiness that comes after hardship — the laugh through tears, the small victory, the unexpected gift.

If your photography looks for the good — in people, in places, in everyday life — this call is for you.

Juror: Aline Smithson

Location

Online

Fees

$25 for 4 entries, $5 each additional

Eligibility

All photographers worldwide, over 18

Awards

First Place: $500 + Solo Exhibition on the Decagon Gallery website

Second Place: $250

Third Place: $150

Two Honorable Mentions: $50 each

Human Presence Nomination: Free entry to a future Decagon open call

Evaluation Criteria

Photographs will be evaluated by the juror for their aesthetic quality and adherence to the theme.

Contact Information

John Manno
Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY 11217

W: https://www.decagongallery.com/something-like-joy-entry
E: info@dedcagongallery.com