Women's Photography Award
I AM / IO SONO - the female gaze on contemporary photography, in Rome
About Women's Photography
A distinctly female perspective on contemporary photography
The «I AM / IO SONO» Women's Photography Award is one of Rome's most significant photography festivals dedicated to the female creative gaze. Conceived and promoted by the Roma Fotografia Association together with the Department of Culture of the Municipio Roma I Centro, in collaboration with the Museo Nazionale Romano, the award enhances the female point of view on the contemporary world through an international call and a large collective exhibition.
The exhibition at the Museo Nazionale Romano
The heart of the project is the exhibition set up in the halls of Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, one of the branches of the Museo Nazionale Romano, just a stone's throw from Termini station. Here, contemporary photography enters into a dialogue with the museum's ancient art, creating a path where the shots of the selected authors confront statues, mosaics, and frescoes from the Roman era. This is one of the most recognizable features of the event: the contrast and continuity between the ancient gaze and the gaze of today.
An international call open to all
Every year, the award launches an international call open to professional photographers, amateurs, and citizens of all nationalities, divided into two sections: Short Story, a project consisting of four to eight photographs, and Single Shot, one or more individual images. A jury of experts selects the winning and finalist works, which are then printed, set up, and exhibited by the association, with the best ones also published in the magazine IL FOTOGRAFO, the project's media partner.
Identity, awareness, and self-determination
The title «I AM / IO SONO» captures the spirit of the festival well: an invitation to narrate who we are today, the origins, and the worlds that women are building, placing existence, belonging, and transformation at the center. Alongside the exhibition, the program includes a calendar of meetings and experiential and motivational paths dedicated to awareness, relationships, and the role of women in society, which make the award much more than just an exhibition.
A project for Rome and the Lazio region
Rooted in the Municipio Roma I Centro and the Esquilino district, the event is now a highly anticipated appointment in the cultural spring of the Capital and the entire Lazio region. With free admission by reservation, the Women's Photography Award brings a broad and transversal audience closer to photography, offering young authors and established names a prestigious showcase in the heart of Rome.
Women's Photography — edition 2026
5th edition: «I AM / IO SONO» 2026
From May 9 to June 10, 2026, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme hosted the fifth edition of the Women's Photography Award, featuring the collective exhibition of the winning and finalist works from the international call that concluded on April 20. An exhibition path that placed contemporary female photography in dialogue with the ancient collections of the Museo Nazionale Romano, in the heart of the Esquilino district in Rome.
The edition, promoted by the Roma Fotografia Association with the Municipio Roma I Centro and the media partnership of the magazine IL FOTOGRAFO, confirmed the double-path formula: on one hand the exhibition, and on the other, the meetings and experiential paths on May 9 and 10 dedicated to awareness and the role of women in society.
Programme Women's Photography 2026
The fifth edition opened on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM with the inauguration of the collective exhibition at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. The exhibition, open until June 10, brought together the works of 30 photographers, including winners, finalists, and those selected from the international call.
- Short Story Section - 1st place: Alessia Santambrogio with the project «The female figure in art: mirror of a timeless reality».
- Single Shot Section - 1st place: Giuliana Tregua with the photograph «MATER».
Among the finalists and selected authors were, among others, Adriana Miani, Antonella Cunsolo, Chiara Didoné, Cristina Macchi, Eleonora De Martin, Gloria Emili, Laura Bolognesi, Liliana Ranalletta, Marta Fabris, Paola Rizzi, Patrizia De Pace, and Prisca Tozzi.
The artistic committee and the jury were chaired by Federica Berzioli (editorial coordinator of IL FOTOGRAFO), together with the management of the Museo Nazionale Romano, the Councilor for Culture of the Municipio Roma I Centro Giulia Silvia Ghia, and photographers Maria Cristina Valeri and Alex Mezzenga for Roma Fotografia.
On May 9 and 10, alongside the exhibition, a calendar of meetings and experiential and motivational paths took place on the themes of awareness, relationships, and the role of women in society.
Highlights Women's Photography 2026
- Inauguration Saturday, May 9, 2026, 5:00 PM
- 30 photographers exhibited at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme
- Dialogue between contemporary photography and ancient art of the Museo Nazionale Romano
- Winners: Alessia Santambrogio (Short Story) and Giuliana Tregua (Single Shot)
- Meetings and experiential paths on May 9 and 10
- Free admission upon reservation
Prices Women's Photography 2026
Practical information — Women's Photography
How to get there
Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is located at Largo di Villa Peretti 2, in the Esquilino district, a few minutes' walk from Roma Termini station (trains, metro lines A and B, buses, and trams). By car, it is advisable to use the parking lots in the Termini area due to the city center's ZTL (restricted traffic zone).
Admission and booking
Admission to the exhibition is free upon reservation. Participation in meetings and inaugurations must be booked through the Roma Fotografia Association website and the online ticketing platform (Eventbrite).
Tips
The exhibition ticket also allows you to visit the permanent collections of Palazzo Massimo: we recommend dedicating time to the entire museum. For updates on dates and times, it is advisable to check the social media channels of Roma Fotografia.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Women's Photography
Palazzo Massimo alle Terme - Museo Nazionale Romano
Largo di Villa Peretti 2, 00185 Roma