Siena Awards Photo Festival
The international photography festival that turns Siena into a global showcase for imagery
About Siena Awards
A festival that brings the world to Siena
The Siena Awards Photo Festival is one of Italy's premier events dedicated to contemporary photography. Established in 2015 around the Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA), it has grown into a widespread cultural phenomenon that transforms the historic center of Siena and its neighboring villages into an open-air gallery every autumn. The 2026 edition, the twelfth, reaffirms the festival's international vocation: over 40,000 images from 163 countries were submitted to the associated competitions, a testament to its now global resonance.
Three major international competitions
The heart of the festival lies in the three awards that attract photographers from all over the world each year:
- Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA) — contemporary photography across all genres, from reportage to portraiture, and nature to sports;
- Creative Photo Awards — dedicated to experimental and creative image research;
- Drone Photo Awards — the world's leading competition for aerial and drone photography.
Exhibitions in the city and surrounding villages
The 2026 program offers a rich network of exhibitions hosted in evocative locations throughout the Sienese territory: from the former Lo Stellino Distillery to the Siena Natural History Museum, and the charming spaces in the villages of Castelnuovo Berardenga and Sovicille. Key exhibitions include the major retrospective by James Nachtwey, "Witness to Our Time," which spans four decades of war photography, "Meet Bob" by Jasper Doest, "Chernobyl: Memory of a Disaster" by Pierpaolo Mittica, and Cinzia Canneri's work on the Horn of Africa. The collective exhibitions "People Sharing All the World," "Above Us Only Sky," and "I Wonder if You Can" showcase the finalist images from the three competitions.
Award ceremony, talks, and special events
The award ceremony for the three international competitions takes place on Saturday, October 10th at the Teatro dei Rinnovati, the city's institutional heart. Alongside the awards, the festival hosts SIPA Talks, featuring some of the most influential international photographers and photojournalists, as well as screenings, guided tours, and special events held in some of Siena's most iconic locations.
Siena, the photography capital of Tuscany
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the city of Siena in the heart of Tuscany provides an extraordinary backdrop: strolling between Piazza del Campo, medieval alleys, and historic palaces to discover the festival's exhibitions is an experience that blends art, landscape, and tradition. The Siena Awards Photo Festival is now an unmissable event for photography enthusiasts and anyone wishing to experience Tuscany in a cultural and cosmopolitan light.
Siena Awards — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Siena Awards Photo Festival celebrates twelve years of great international photography, with over 40,000 images submitted from 163 countries to the three associated competitions. Exhibitions remain open from October 10th to November 29th in numerous spaces throughout the historic center of Siena and the villages of Castelnuovo Berardenga and Sovicille.
Key exhibitions include: the James Nachtwey retrospective "Witness to Our Time," "Meet Bob" by Jasper Doest, "Chernobyl: Memory of a Disaster" by Pierpaolo Mittica, and Cinzia Canneri's reportage on the Horn of Africa, as well as the collective exhibitions "People Sharing All the World," "Above Us Only Sky," and "I Wonder if You Can."
Programme Siena Awards 2026
2026 Program
- Friday, October 9th, 9:00 PM — special event with James Nachtwey;
- Saturday, October 10th, 4:30 PM — SIPA, Creative Photo Awards, and Drone Photo Awards ceremony at the Teatro dei Rinnovati;
- October 10th – November 29th — exhibitions spread across Siena, Castelnuovo Berardenga, and Sovicille (former Lo Stellino Distillery, Siena Natural History Museum, and other venues);
- SIPA Talks, guided tours, screenings, and experiences throughout the festival locations.
Highlights Siena Awards 2026
- James Nachtwey retrospective "Witness to Our Time"
- "Above Us Only Sky" — the best images from the Drone Photo Awards
- International award ceremony at the Teatro dei Rinnovati
- Three competitions: SIPA, Creative Photo Awards, Drone Photo Awards
Prices Siena Awards 2026
Practical information — Siena Awards
Getting there
By train: Siena station, connected to Florence and major Tuscan cities. By car: Florence-Siena highway (Siena exit), paid parking available around the historic center (ZTL). By plane: Florence and Pisa airports, followed by train or bus connections.
Tickets
Exhibitions require an entry ticket; a cumulative pass is available, granting access to all exhibitions for the entire duration of the festival. Purchase online at ticket.midaticket.it/sienaawards.
Tips
The exhibitions are spread across Siena, Castelnuovo Berardenga, and Sovicille: we recommend dedicating a full day to visit them at a leisurely pace. For information: [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Siena Awards
Centro storico di Siena
Strada Massetana Romana 50/a, 53100 Siena