Compete 2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest
Opportunity Description
U.S. National Deadline: March 15, 2026 – The National Council on Aging (NCOA) invites photographers to showcase adults aged 60+ thriving through family, friendship, and community. Celebrate empowered individuals, supportive families, and the vibrant connections that bring joy, purpose, and vitality—demonstrating that aging well means staying active, engaged, and connected.
In-Person Exhibition: May 26–29, 2026, NCOA Conference at Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.
THEME: Stronger Together: Family. Community. Connection.
BENEFITS & AWARDS
All selected artworks will appear on the virtual ncoaGallery.org website. In addition, 20 award-winning photographs will be printed on high-quality, large-format canvas for presentation in the onsite exhibition at NCOA 2026 Age+Action Conference in Arlington, VA; showcased in multiple art galleries throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DMV); and proudly included in the permanent collection at NCOA’s headquarters in Crystal City, VA.
NCOA will grant the following awards:
- First Place Award: $1,000
- Second Place Award: $600
- Public Vote Award: $500
- Eight Merit Awards: $300 each
- Ten Honorable Awards: $150 each
ELIGIBILITY
U.S.A. based professional and amateur photographers/visual artists (National Call). Photos should feature an older adult (60+) living in the United States as the primary subject, and may also include family, friends, or community members who share a meaningful connection with them.
JUROR
We are honored to have Carol Lukitsch return as the awards juror for the 2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest, Stronger Together – Family, Community, Connection. A distinguished artist, educator, and curator, she has juried over 300 national and local exhibitions and spent over six years as Curator and Director of Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington in VA. A Fulbright Grant recipient who taught studio art for more than two decades, Lukitsch has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, with pieces included in major public and private collections such as The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Montecatini, Italy; The State Museum of Painting and Sculpture in Ankara, Turkey; and the American Embassy in Panama. She holds an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BFA (cum laude) from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.
APPLY ONLINE – No Fee
Winners Notified: April 30, 2026
About:
The National Council on Aging delivers the resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy our nation needs to ensure that every person can age with health and financial security. Learn about the work we do, the people we serve, and why equitable aging matters now more than ever
National Council on Aging, Inc.
251 18th Street South, Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22202
