Winners crowned at Liverpool City Region Photo Awards

After sifting through more than 2,000 images and many hours of deliberation, judges have revealed the winners of this year’s Liverpool City Region Photo Awards.

Hundreds of photographers from across the city region entered the competition which celebrates the very best in local photography.

Six winners were selected along with 12 highly commended photographers from categories covering Celebration, Connecting, Futures, Shared Spaces, Movement, and Care.

Delivered by Open Eye Gallery with the support of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as part of this year’s Cultural Events Programme, the competition attracted some of the region’s best amateur and professional talent. The independent judges commented on the high standard of entries.

Councillor Mike Wharton, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade, said:

“The Liverpool City Region Photo Awards showcase the incredible creativity and talent we have across our communities. Photography has a unique power to tell stories, spark conversations, and bring people together, and this year’s entries truly reflect the vibrancy of our region. It’s inspiring to see so many perspectives captured through the lens, highlighting what makes our city region such a special place to live and work.

“Supporting cultural initiatives like this is vital for our economy and our identity. These awards not only celebrate artistic excellence but also strengthen community connections and promote inclusivity. I’d like to congratulate all the winners and highly commended photographers for their outstanding contributions – their work will leave a lasting impression on everyone who visits the exhibition.”

Among the highly commended photographers was Andrew Dunford, an amateur photographer who participated in this year’s ‘Photo Here’ residencies that brought together six diverse community groups from across the city region, including refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQI+ members, and D/deaf and BSL users.

His image, commended in the Movement category, reflects the dynamism and energy of weekend football across the region. Andrew won £100 for his achievement with category winners receiving £500 each.

Andrew Dunford commented on his commendation:

“I am quite pleased with myself! To be highly commended in a competition that hundreds of people entered is an honour.

“I’ve always been interested in photography, and I really enjoyed the residency. It was the first time I had ever worked collaboratively with a group of photographers, and I found it very interesting and learnt a lot from it.”

Declan Connolly, Liverpool City Region Photo Awards Lead at Open Eye Gallery, added:

“This year’s Photo Awards have been an incredible journey, with over 2,000 submissions from photographers of all backgrounds. The breadth of creativity and the depth of storytelling in these images is remarkable.

“We’re proud to deliver this competition as part of the Cultural Events Programme, creating opportunities for both emerging and established photographers to share their vision. The exhibition is not just a showcase of talent; it’s a celebration of collaboration and diversity. We invite everyone to visit the gallery and experience these powerful images.”

The Liverpool City Region Photo Awards exhibition is free and open to the public until 11 January 2026.

Winners and commended submissions make up a physical exhibition at the gallery, but an image from every entry is also featured in the Digital Window Gallery exhibition. In addition, the outside walls of the gallery have a selection of photography from the ‘Photo Here’ residencies.