Zone Mag - 5th Collective Book Open Call

• Zone Mag

• Deadline: January 31st, 2026

• Theme: Open

• Prize: Publication (Digital & Print) + Exposure

• Entry Fees: Yes

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

Here we go again. We’re excited to announce the Open Call for ZONE’s fifth collective book. By now, many of you already know how this process unfolds—but if you don’t, here’s what guides us.

At the heart of ZONE is an interest in the conversations that arise when images from vastly different contexts are placed together. We’re curious about how photographs begin to behave when they are no longer isolated—how they interact, overlap, and form something larger than themselves. By starting from the widest possible field of images and paying close attention to what emerges, we uncover new layers of meaning within the collective whole. This approach is also the reason we do not impose a specific theme.

Our collective books are conceived as artist books rather than traditionally curated magazine issues. Each edition is shaped by its own logic, resulting in differences in format, scale, materials, and overall approach. Still, a continuous thread connects all of them. Across our first four books, we have brought together the work of 498 artists from around the world.

Selections are made solely on the strength of the images themselves. We do not consider résumés, reputation, or prior achievements—only how the work functions within the flow of the book. While we aim to create space for emerging and lesser-known voices, no one is favored unless their images contribute meaningfully to the collective structure.

We are often especially drawn to artists who resist being boxed in by expectations set by their previous work—those who create from curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to question their own ways of seeing.