Now closed for 2026
About the Competition
The Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026 is a celebration of young talent, global connection, and the natural world that binds us all.
Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the City of London Youth Natural Environment Board, this competition invites young people from across the 56-nation Commonwealth family to share their vision through the lens.
This year's theme, Waves of Change, invites you to explore our oceans and waterways: their majesty, their vulnerability, and the communities whose lives depend on them. We're looking for images that move people. Images that tell stories words can't.
Open to all Commonwealth nationals and residents aged 18–30.
This Year's Theme
Waves of Change
From shifting coastlines to evolving cities, from cultural transitions to personal transformation: the world is in motion. Waves of Change asks you to look at your world and photograph what you see: the environment in flux, the communities adapting, the moments that mark a turning point.
Find out how the competition got its name:
Now closed for 2026
The Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Waves of Change is now closed for entries.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a photograph and shared their ocean story with us. We have received entries from across the Commonwealth's 56 member nations and cannot wait to share them with the world.
Our panel of eight world-class judges will now begin reviewing entries across four categories: Human-Ocean Connection, Hope and Resilience, Threats and Challenges, and Innovative Solutions.
To stay up to date with judging progress, shortlist announcements, and the winner reveal, follow us on social media:
Instagram: @royalcwsociety
X: @RoyalCWSociety
LinkedIn: Royal Commonwealth Society
Facebook: @RoyalCWSociety
Follow us:
Instagram: @royalcwsociety
X: @royalcwsociety
Facebook: @royalcwsociety
LinkedIn : royal-commonwealth-society
