By Coral Gables Gazette staff
The Coral Gables Museum is asking photographers to interpret the city through the people, freedoms and civic ideals being examined as the United States marks its 250th anniversary.
Entries for the 2026 edition of Capture Coral Gables, the museum’s annual community photography contest, will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.
Photographers of all experience levels may submit as many as 10 images across five categories: People and Community in Coral Gables; Freedom, Expression and Civic Life; Resilience, Peace and Stewardship; Coral Gables in the World; and The Future of Coral Gables. The entry fee is $10 per photograph, and submitted images must have been taken since Jan. 1, 2025.
From the city’s centennial to the nation’s 250th
The new categories continue an anniversary-driven approach the museum used for last year’s contest.
The 2025 centennial edition asked photographers to explore Coral Gables’ first 100 years through categories including Cultural Fusion, Centennial Treasures, Gables of the Future, True Coral Gables, Curious Gables and AI Memories of The City Beautiful. That competition drew more than 200 submissions and produced an exhibition of more than 25 works by 19 finalists.
This year, the frame widens from the city’s history to the national anniversary.
Rather than focusing only on architecture, recognizable places or photographic technique, the categories invite entrants to consider how broad civic ideas appear in Coral Gables: who constitutes its community, how freedom and public life are expressed, what resilience and stewardship look like locally and how the city sees its place beyond South Florida.
The contest is being presented as part of the museum’s America250 programming, which connects exhibitions and public programs to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Twenty-five photographs will reach the gallery
A jury of photography professionals will select 25 finalists from the submissions. Their photographs will be printed, framed and displayed at the museum.
Finalists will be asked to provide high-resolution, print-ready files meeting the museum’s specifications.
One winner will be selected in each of the five categories. The museum also will present a Grand Prize, or Juror’s Pick, recognizing the photograph judged strongest in creativity and technical execution. A separate People’s Choice Award will be determined through public voting during the exhibition.
The museum has not yet announced the members of this year’s jury.
Past jurors have included photographers, educators and South Florida arts professionals. The 2025 panel consisted of multidisciplinary artist and Florida International University instructor Yessica Gispert, photographer Victor Jaramillo and arts administrator Laurie Escobar.
Exhibition opens during September Gallery Night
The finalists’ photographs will be exhibited from Sept. 4 through Oct. 25 at the museum’s 285 Aragon Ave. galleries.
The exhibition will open Sept. 4 during Coral Gables Gallery Night, when the museum offers free evening admission as part of the citywide first-Friday arts program. Category winners and the Grand Prize recipient are scheduled to be recognized during the opening program.
Public voting for the People’s Choice Award will continue during the exhibition. The museum lists Oct. 17, during its Family Day programming, for the announcement of the winner.
Entering the contest
Capture Coral Gables 2026
Entry deadline: Monday, Aug. 17, at 11:59 p.m.
Entry fee: $10 per image
Maximum submissions: 10 photographs
Eligible photographs: Images taken since Jan. 1, 2025
Exhibition opening and awards: Friday, Sept. 4
Exhibition dates: Sept. 4 through Oct. 25
People’s Choice Award announcement: Oct. 17
Coral Gables Museum
285 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables
