2026 Youth Photography Competition

If your photo contains an identifiable image of a person/s (any age) a photography consent form must be completed and signed by the person/s in the image. If the person/s in the image are under 18 years old, please ask a parent/guardian to sign the consent form.

Please submit a Photography Consent Form(PDF, 256KB) with your online entry form or please email a copy to inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Entry into the 2026 Youth Photography Competition means that you accept the terms and conditions.

• The Promoter is Colac Otway Shire Council (ABN 32 430 819 755) of 2-6 Rae Street, Colac

WHO CAN ENTER

• Entry is open to all young people aged 12 to 25 years who live, work and/or study within the Colac Otway Shire.

HOW TO ENTER

• Entries are open from Friday 24 July 2026 to Friday 4 September 2026. No entries will be accepted after 11:59pm on Friday 4 September 2026.
• The Colac Otway Shire Council 2026 Youth Photography Competition theme is "Focus: Looking Through My Lens"
• To be eligible to enter you must be aged 12-25, live, work and/or study in Colac Otway Shire.
• Take a photo using your smart device, phone, iPad and/or camera that applies to theme.
  
  1. Entrants can enter a maximum of two (2) entries, the same photo cannot be entered more than once.
  2. The image must be a JPEG or JPG and not exceed 5MB. Photos can be submitted via Council’s website or emailed to: inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au with completed entry forms.
  3. Entrants must complete all relevant forms in full to be eligible for entry into the 2026 Youth Photography Competition. All details provided by entrant must be true and correct. Each entry must be an original photograph created by the entrant.
  4. Photo entries from the 2023, 2024 or 2025 Youth Photography Competition cannot be entered.
  5. If any photo submitted contains an identifiable image of a person/s (any age), a photography consent form must be completed and signed by the person/s in the image. If the person/s in the image are under 18 years old, please ask a parent/guardian to sign the consent form. Submit a copy of Council's Photography Consent Form(PDF, 256KB) with your entry form. Persons in the image and/or parents/guardians may be contacted by Council to confirm they have provided consent.
  6. Photos must be of good quality to publish and be in good taste. Council maintains the right to refuse entry for any offensive or inappropriate photos. Entries who don’t meet the conditions listed in the terms and conditions will not be entered into the competition and not be eligible for judging.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

• Colac Otway Shire Council reserves the right to verify the validity of entries and to disqualify any entrant who tampers with or does not comply with the entry process.
• By entering this competition, you give the Colac Otway Shire Council permission to use your photography in promotion of the competition and for future promotions or Council publications. There will be no payment for use of photographs by Council. The photos will not be on-sold to a third party. As owner of the copyright of your entry, you grant Council and its partners exclusive, irrevocable, royalty free, worldwide license to use the photos comprising your entry in any form at its absolute discretion. Where possible, Council and its partners will acknowledge the entrant as owner.
• All photographs will be displayed in an online exhibition on Colac Otway Shire Council’s website and Council’s social media.
• Select photography entries will be printed by the Colac Otway Shire Council Youth Engagement team and displayed in a public exhibition at COPACC (Colac Otway Performing Arts and Cultural Centre).
• Employees of Colac Otway Shire Council are ineligible to enter the competition but can have their images displayed only.
• Council is not responsible for entries that are not received or are received late.
• Entries will be judged by the judging panel. The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

PRIZES

• Photography competition winners will be chosen by a judging panel.
• People’s Choice Award Winners will be selected by the public via Council's website, social media and public exhibition.
• Winners will be notified directly as well as announced on Council’s website and Council’s social media channels.

• Winners agree to participate and cooperate as required in all editorial or marketing activities relating to the Competition, including but not limited to being interviewed and photographed. The winner grants the Promoter a perpetual and non-exclusive license to use such footage and photographs in all media worldwide and the winner will not be entitled to any fee for such use.

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

• The Promoter collects personal information to conduct the Youth Photography Competition and may, for this purpose, disclose such information to third parties, including but not limited to internal council purposes, contractors, service providers and prize suppliers. Entry is conditional on providing this information. The Promoter may, for an indefinite period, use this information for promotional, marketing, publicity, research, profiling and/or other purposes, including sending electronic messages or telephoning the entrant. Entrants should direct any request to access, update, or correct information to the Promoter.
• Council is collecting this personal information for the purpose of administering the Youth Photography Competition. The information will be used for administration & geographic promotional purposes and will not be disclosed to any other party except as required by law. If you fail to provide this information, Council cannot process your entry. You may access this information by contacting Council on 03 5232 9400 or inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au.
• Personal information will be managed and stored by Council in accordance with Colac Otway Shire Council’s privacy and data protection policy. You can read more about how we handle your information here.