The ninth edition of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents brings together emerging photographers and videographers from leading international art schools, to be exhibited at LUMA Arles this summer
Dior has unveiled the finalists for the 2026 edition of its Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents, the annual competition created in partnership with LUMA Arles and the École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie (ENSP) in Arles. Established in 2018, the initiative supports emerging visual artists and fosters connections between Dior and a network of leading international photography and art schools.
For its ninth edition, the award welcomed a new jury chaired by British photographer David Sims. He was joined by photographer Vasantha Yogananthan, Julie Jones, Director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, and founding jury members Maja Hoffmann, Founder and Executive President of LUMA Foundation and LUMA Arles, and Peter Philips, Creative and Image Director for Dior Makeup.
The competition invited students and alumni to respond to the recurring theme “Face to Face,” encouraging interpretations across photography and video. According to Dior, the submissions explored subjects including identity, difference, gender, the body, and introspection through a wide range of visual approaches, from poetic and dreamlike narratives to socially engaged perspectives.
The 2026 finalists represent institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Selected artists include Mayed Almheiri of the University of the Arts in Sharjah, Andréa Besset of the Haute École des Arts du Rhin, Debora Brune and Milena Schilling of Fachhochschule Dortmund, Yuan Chen and Akari Takenobu of Tokyo University of the Arts, Marcie Docherty and Hongyu Jiang of Central Saint Martins, Antoine Genoud of the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne, and Mohammed Zeedia of the Royal College of Art.
The winner of the 2026 Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents will be announced on July 9. The works of all ten finalists will be presented in an exhibition at LUMA Arles’ Lampisterie space within Parc des Ateliers from July 4 through October 4, 2026.
As luxury brands continue to deepen their engagement with cultural institutions and creative education, Dior’s award remains a platform for identifying emerging artistic voices while reinforcing the house’s longstanding investment in photography, visual culture, and contemporary image-making.