Student Open Call 2025

With one image, we ask you to share your vision on the theme of the Noorderlicht Biennial in 2025: Machine Entanglements. All submissions will be exhibited. 

How do you envision a future intertwined with technology, nature, and machines? 

Machine Entanglements 
In 2025, the Noorderlicht Biennial focuses on the intertwined relationship between technology, ecology, and heritage. Quickly developing technological advances have profound impacts on biodiversity, social structures, and our shared past. With Machine Entanglements, Noorderlicht wants to create awareness and start a dialogue: how does technology shape our lives, our landscape and our collective memory?

We are curious about your view of tomorrow's world, and invite you to submit your work for the Student Open Call! A submission could include photography, video stills, 3D renders, or other lens-based techniques. 

Who are you? 
Any student from a photography and lens-based media program may enter. There is no selection and, no competition. The work of all participants will be exhibited in an alphabetical overview during the Noorderlicht Biennial 2025 at one of our locations in Friesland. 

Image and submission specifications
You can send us a maximum of one image per student. We ask you to submit the file in color profile RGB, in 300 DPI or in the maximum resolution possible for you. More than 300 DPI is not required. We ask you to submit the work in JPG or TIFF format. In the file title, please include your name (or the name you use professionally) and the title of the image. (So: Name_Title). The image may be sent in the attachment of the mail, or via WeTransfer. 

We ask that you clearly state the following per email, along with your submission. This information (except your contact information) will be used during the exhibition and when using the image online. If you do not want this information mentioned, please indicate this clearly in the mail. 

• Your name, year of birth, nationality.
• The name of the course or educational program in which you are currently enrolled.
• The title of the submitted work.
• The technique of the submitted work.
• Links to your social media and/or website.
• Contact information (email and phone number.) We will use this information to contact you and it will be stored confidentially.

Credits and permission
We will put together an exhibition with all entries at a special location in Friesland, NL.  The form will be determined later. Participating in this call therefore means that you are participating in the festival and that your work will be exhibited. With your submission you give Noorderlicht permission to exhibit your work, to use your image on our website, social media and in the press, of course with given proper credits.

Deadline for submissions: May 26, 2025. 
Submissions can be sent to: [email protected] 

More information about the Noorderlicht Biennial can be found on our website: www.noorderlicht.com. We look forward to your submission!