The PA250 Mercer County Photo Contest celebrates the 250th anniversary of Pennsylvania by showcasing the beauty, culture, and history of Mercer County through photography. Submissions must highlight scenes from the county and will be judged for their creativity, composition, and connection to the region.

Submissions Open March 2025

Submissions Open March 2025

Details

Contest Timeline:

• Submission Period: March 1, 2025 – November 30, 2025

• Preliminary Judging: December 2025

• Final Judging & Exhibit: March 2026 at Sans MOCO Gallery, Greenville, PA

  • Categories:

    • Under 18

    • Over 18

  • Eligibility:

    • Open to photographers of all ages and skill levels.

    • Photos must be taken within Mercer County, PA, and represent local landscapes, architecture, events, or culture.

  • Submission Guidelines:

    • All entries must be submitted online.

    • Submission deadline: November 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.

    • Each participant may submit up to three photos.

    • Photos must be in JPEG format with a minimum resolution of 3000x2000 pixels.

    • No watermarks, signatures, or identifying marks on the photos.

    • Minor post-processing (color correction, cropping, etc.) is allowed, but excessive manipulation will result in disqualification.

  • Photo Requirements:

    • Photos must clearly depict scenes from Mercer County.

    • Subject matter may include landscapes, buildings, street scenes, nature, festivals, or everyday life in Mercer County.

    • Photos must be original and owned by the entrant. Any entries found to infringe on copyright will be disqualified.

  • Judging Criteria: Photos will be judged based on the following criteria:

    • Creativity and originality

    • Technical quality (lighting, composition, etc.)

    • Relevance to Mercer County

    • Emotional impact

    Judges will include local artists, photographers, and community leaders.

  • Preliminary Judging:

    • Judges will review all submissions in December 2025 and select a group of finalists based on the judging criteria.

    • Finalists will be notified by January 2026 and invited to participate in the final gallery exhibit.

  • Final Judging & Exhibit:

    • Finalists will have their work showcased in a special gallery exhibit at Sans MOCO Gallery in March 2026.

    • Finalists will be responsible for providing their work as ready-to-hang for the gallery exhibit.

    • Winners will be announced at the exhibit’s opening reception, where final judging will take place.

    • Prizes will be awarded to the top three finalists in each category, with additional prizes for honorable mentions.

  • Prizes: Awarded for both categories.

    • 1st Place: $300, 2nd Place: $200, 3rd Place: $100

    • Honorable Mentions: Certificate of recognition

  • Legal:

    • By submitting a photo, participants grant the PA250 Committee and the Sans MOCO Gallery the right to use their photos in promotional materials, exhibitions, and publications, with full credit to the photographer.

    • Entrants retain copyright of their submitted photos.

    • PA250 Mercer County and Sans MOCO Gallery are not responsible for any lost or damaged files.

Contact Information:

For any questions, please contact the PA250 Mercer County Photo Contest team at ben@beckxco.com or visit our Facebook page for more information.

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your vision of Mercer County!