On this site we spend a lot of time pointing photographers to competitions — including plenty that ban AI images outright. On October 24, 2026, we decided to run the experiment from the other side: find the contests that explicitly welcome AI-generated work, enter them properly, and keep entering until we place. This article is the public record of that campaign — every entry, every result, win or lose, updated as it happens.
Our ground rules. One: we only enter contests or categories whose official rules explicitly allow AI-generated or AI-assisted images — where AI is banned, we stay out; those contests get covered here as news, never entered. Two: where a contest asks for disclosure of the tools used, we disclose. Three: entries are made by Christifa & Associates — a human entrant directing and selecting the work — because contest rules require an entrant who owns the work they submit. Four: the scoreboard below is honest. A loss gets logged with the same care as a win.
The shortlist
Eight contests we can actually enter (checked against each organizer’s own rules, 2026-10-24/25). Two more that first appeared on the list are NOT enterable for us and are left out of the table: reEarth (ages 4–25 only) and TCCP GENERATE (Central Pennsylvania residents only).
| Contest | AI route | Fee | Deadline | Top prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSE Photography Awards 2027 | SP2701 AI-Generated Photography | $30 Professional single (Early Bird to Nov 19, 2026) | Final extension Feb 25, 2027; results Apr 16, 2027 | $3,000 Professional Photographer of the Year |
| New York Photography Awards 2026 | SP2601 AI-Generated Images | $40 Professional single (Final Extension) | Nov 25, 2026; winners Dec 11, 2026 | $3,000 Photographer of the Year |
| International Photography Awards (IPA) 2027 | Special subcategory: AI-Generated Images | $40 Professional single (2026-cycle pricing) | 2027 deadline NOT YET POSTED — do not plan around it until confirmed | $10,000 Photographer of the Year |
| Sublime Photo Awards 2026 | AI only in Creative category — see flag | Free tier (not cash-eligible); paid $18–$36 | Nov 1, 2026 | $500 / $300 / $200 |
| AI Creativity Awards 2026 | AI Image & Illustration (disclosure required) | £35 (£15 students) | Nov 1, 2026; results Dec 1, 2026 | No cash — title, laurels, showcase |
| Aion Digital Art Prize 2026–27 | AI-ASSISTED only — fully AI-generated work NOT accepted | JPY 3,000 per work | Mar 1, 2027 | JPY 50,000 Grand Prize |
| NightCafe Daily AI Art Challenges | Platform AI challenges | Free | Daily | Platform credits only |
| PixAI Contests | Platform AI contests | Free | Rolling, ~weekly | Platform credits only |
Flags carried honestly: Sublime’s own terms contradict themselves (§6.2 permits AI in Creative; §8.20 lists AI-generated photos among disqualifications) — clarify with the organizer before paying anything there. IPA’s 2027 deadline is unconfirmed. Aion is AI-assisted only, so it does not fit fully AI-generated entries.
The entries
Status as of October 25, 2026: prepared, NOT yet submitted, nothing paid. Both entries below await the $30 + $40 spend approval; they are named here because this journal starts at the start, not after the first submission.
- MUSE Photography Awards 2027 — “Mending Light” (Professional, SP2701 AI-Generated Photography). An elderly fisherman mends his net in the first light of day. Image prepared to spec (1200×800 JPEG, 300 dpi). Planned fee $30.
- New York Photography Awards 2026 — “Ghost of the High Rocks” (Professional, SP2601 AI-Generated Images). A snow leopard rests on a lichen-covered ledge above a mist-filled valley. Image prepared to spec (1920×1280 JPEG, 300 dpi). Planned fee $40.
Reserves prepared, not yet assigned: “Neon Crossing” and “Red, Ascending”.
Results log
None yet — no entry has been submitted, so there is nothing to report, win or lose. Results will be added here exactly as they happen, including “did not place”.
Updates
- October 24, 2026 — Campaign launched. Research into AI-friendly contests under way; shortlist and first entries to follow.
- October 25, 2026 — Shortlist landed: 8 contests we can enter (corrected from an initial count of 10; reEarth and TCCP GENERATE are closed to us). First two entries prepared — “Mending Light” (MUSE) and “Ghost of the High Rocks” (New York) — awaiting spend approval; nothing submitted or paid yet.
