Last week of the photo contest: Urban heat in the Mediterranean

The photo contest organised as part of the European project Cool Noons is coming to an end – submit your entries by 30 September 2025!

The photo contest “Urban Heat in the Mediterranean” explores how urban tourism adapts to climate change, particularly in the face of increasingly intense heatwaves, in the Cool Noons project cities: Marseille, Dubrovnik, Lisbon, Imola, and Budva.

The 3 best photos selected by our jury will be awarded:

• 1st prize: a round-trip to one of the project cities (up to a maximum of €360)
• 2nd prize: photography equipment (up to a maximum of €200)
• 3rd prize: 2 hours of professional artistic mentoring with the Heartline collective (portfolio restructuring, support with applications, development strategies)

A selection of 15 to 20 photos will be showcased in Euro-Mediterranean exhibitions in Athens, Budva, Coimbra, Dubrovnik, Imola, Lisbon, and Marseille in the first half of 2026.

How to participate:

• Fill out the online registration form and submit your project
• All information is available in the online photo competition rules
• For any questions, participants may contact: coolnoons@interreg-euro-med.eu

Artistic inspiration: recap of the participatory workshop with artist Kmar Douagi

On 7 September, photographer Kmar Douagi led an online workshop for contest participants. Affirming that an image can help transform the world, she opened a conversation where everyone was invited to share their perspective.

Heatwaves: everyone’s concern

The workshop began with the question: “Who suffers the most when the city burns?” The discussion highlighted the vulnerability of those unable to protect themselves – precarious residents, plants, and the city itself, seen as a living environment rather than a mere backdrop.

The poorest people are most at risk, as they are “without the possibility of protecting themselves at home or escaping the heat elsewhere.” One participant reminded everyone of our interconnectedness, arguing that “if one person suffers, then we all will.”

Photography: a medium between viewer and viewed

“Imagine a photograph that speaks of heat in the city. What do you see? Who is in front of and who is behind the lens?”

Answers varied: oneself, foreign journalists covering a story, a selfie of the photographer behind the lens, people at the beach, the beaches of Budva, or even a burning garden. These proposals allowed Kmar Douagi to refer to the work of Martin Parr and Robbie Macintosh, renowned photographers inspired by summer and seaside resorts.

Photography as an intellectual and social tool

Born during colonisation, the camera made it possible to show the world through European eyes.

Photography is therefore never neutral: images are always shaped by our situated points of view.

Who captures the moment? Who stands in front of the lens? Photography is both an intellectual and social tool, revealing contexts, imaginaries, and narratives.

While Kmar Douagi questioned the work of Sebastião Salgado, one participant mentioned a fetishising trend in photography to portray young Tunisians “with a delinquent look.”

To take a photo… or not?

Drawing on her past experiences, the artist asked: “What makes us feel entitled to take a photograph? What gives us permission? And what remains invisible at that moment?”

Some participants shared missed images and regrets, while others emphasised the importance of legitimacy in past projects. Kmar Douagi linked these reflections to the work of Olivier Marboeuf and Elsa Leydier’s thinking on contemporary photography.

The making of the image

The workshop reminded participants of the intention behind every photographic act. As the artist summarised: “You don’t take a photo, you make it.”

One participant spoke about her practice of editing and reframing: wide shots presenting context, closer images revealing symbolic detail.

All participants were able to share one of their projects, expressing their intentions and the aesthetics that inspire them. Light and contrasts, the revelation of (situated) beauty, the use of public spaces, and emotions – such as anger – emerged as powerful guides in their creative process.