To mark the 200th anniversary of photography, the Francisco Carolinum initiated an open photography competition that celebrates photography in all its facets, involves as many people as possible in Upper Austria, and showcases both professional and non-professional photographers.

The project comprised two competition tracks – one for artistic photography, aimed at artists as well as the art and photography scene in Upper Austria. The distinguished jury unanimously awarded the newly established prize for artistic photography to Erli Grünzweil (born 1992 in Rohrbach). This decision recognizes an exciting, emerging talent in the Austrian art scene – and simultaneously sends a signal for the promotion of contemporary perspectives.

In an amateur photography competition held in cooperation with the Upper Austrian newspaper OÖ Nachrichten and Energie AG OÖ, residents of Upper Austria were invited to submit photographs on the themes of nature and landscape. The 30 most popular photographs are now also on display at the Francisco Carolinum. However, the participatory approach doesn't end in the digital realm: during the exhibition, visitors can vote for their final favorite in person. This fosters a lively dialogue between the public and the institution – and a democratic process for selecting the images.