OPEN CALL

show us your neighborhood

We're looking for photos that capture the heart of our communities—from everyday moments between neighbors and shared traditions to the food, fabric, architecture, and spaces that reflect the rich diversity of Los Angeles County.  

To celebrate the ninth annual United Against Hate Week, LA vs Hate is launching a new campaign that honors the neighborhoods, people, cultures, and communities that make Los Angeles County what it is.  

Building on the foundation of last year’s Signs of Solidarity initiative, this year’s campaign brings the message “Los Angeles Neighbors United Against Hate” directly into communities across LA County through local signage and visual storytelling.  

5 Winners will receive:

  • $75 gift card to a local business

  • Artist recognition on official Los Angeles County social media

  • Featured display on community signage across LA County

Submit Your Entry

  • Submit your favorite photo that you feel represents Los Angeles or a specific neighborhood you love. Whether you were born and raised, currently living in, have special memories, or just love to hang out in this neighborhood, we wanna see your neighborhood through your lens (literally!). 

    What does your neighborhood mean to you? What is a space/texture/smell/street that you feel represents your community? Your photo could capture a neighborhood street, local business, mural, gathering, food, architecture, landscape, cultural tradition, colorful details, or an everyday moment that represents your neighborhood.

    We’re especially looking for images of:

    • Food

    • Fabrics

    • Community spaces

    • Representation of community (hands interlocked, diverse groups together, etc.)

    • Landmarks

    • Background elements

    • Buildings

    • Flora and fauna

    • Textures

    • Neighborhood stores

    • Signs

    Work will be judged based on the following criteria:

    • Representation of neighborhood

    • Quality of photography

    • Creative viewpoint

    Please Note: While we’d love to see photos of you, your friends, and family in these neighborhoods, we can only accept them if they’re a smaller part of the frame and not the main subject. 

    How Your Photos Will Be Used

    Selected photos will be used as visual backgrounds and core design elements for LA vs Hate’s United Against Hate Week campaign. Photos may be paired with campaign messaging and layover text, including “Los Angeles Neighbors United Against Hate,” and featured across community signage, social media, digital and print materials, and other campaign communications.

    We’re looking for images that can stand on their own while also leaving room for campaign messaging — helping us visually celebrate the diversity, culture, connection, and community that make LA County home.

  • October 1: Submissions Open
    October 15: Submission Deadline (Closes at 11:59 PM)
    Week of October 19: Winners Announced
    Mid-Late October 2026: Selected art goes public!

    All entries will be reviewed online.The competition will accept online entries from October 1, 2026 to October 15, 2026. The online system will remain open until 11:59 p.m. PT on the day of the deadline.

    Artists must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and must be located in LA County.

  • Photos will only be considered if they are:

    • High resolution

    • Minimum size of 1080 × 1350 pixels

    • File type: .jpg, .tiff, or .pdf

    • Vertical orientation is preferred

    • Must be original work created by the entrant, or the entrant must have all necessary rights and permissions to submit the photograph

    • AI-generated imagery is not permitted

    • Unlawful or prohibited activity portrayed is not permitted

    • Subject matter must be G-rated

    • Photographs must comply with all applicable laws and these Terms & Conditions

    Photographs that do not meet these requirements may be disqualified.

    • Who can enter: Open to Los Angeles County residents 18 years and older.

    • When to enter: Submit your photos between October 1–October 15, 2026. Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM PT on October 15, 2026.

    • How to enter: Submit your original photo(s) through the official LA vs Hate Open Call submission form. There is no entry fee, and you may submit as many photos as you’d like.

    • What to submit: Photos should capture the people, places, culture, character, and everyday moments that make your LA County neighborhood special. See the submission guidelines for required file types, resolution, and other creative requirements.

    • Photo requirements: Photos must be original work, high resolution, G-rated, and may not use AI-generated imagery. Vertical photos are preferred.

    • People in photos: People may appear in your photo, but should not be the main subject. If recognizable individuals appear, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions. Parental or legal guardian permission is required for recognizable minors.

    • Your rights: You retain ownership of your photographs. By submitting, you give LA vs Hate permission to crop, resize, edit, reproduce, publish, display, and distribute your photo for LA vs Hate and United Against Hate Week 2026 campaign, communications, educational, and community engagement purposes, including social media, websites, posters, postcards, wheatpastes, events, and other campaign materials.

    • Artist credit: LA vs Hate intends to credit photographers when their work is used publicly. You can provide your preferred name or social handle when submitting.

    • Prizes: Five winners will each receive a $75 gift card to a local Los Angeles County business. No cash alternative.

    • Selection: Submissions will be reviewed by LA vs Hate team based on creativity, quality, representation of neighborhood, and alignment with the Open Call's purpose and creative direction.

    • Disqualification: Submissions may be disqualified if they do not meet the submission requirements, are submitted late, infringe on someone else's rights, use AI-generated imagery, contain unlawful or prohibited content, or otherwise violate the full Terms & Conditions.

    • Contest changes: LA vs Hate reserves the right to modify, extend, suspend, or cancel the Open Call if necessary.

    • Social media: This Open Call is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or affiliated with Instagram, Facebook, or other social media platforms.

    By submitting a photo, you confirm that you have read and agree to the full Terms & Conditions.

    View the full Terms and Conditions.

  • How Many Photographs Can I Submit?
    We know that no single image can fully encapsulate a community, so we encourage you to submit as many photos as you want!

    What Are We Looking For?
    We want a photograph that best represents your community. I can feature buildings, murals, food, fabrics, signage, streets, common spaces (parks, basketball courts, beaches, etc). Please do not feature faces as the main subject matter.

    What Happens with My Work?
    Selected submissions could be used for social media, posters displayed in local shops and distributed in communities, and/or wheatpastes posted in Los Angeles County. All selected works will have messaging overlays relating to communities coming together to combat hate in Los Angeles County.

    Will I get credit for my work?
    Yes, any photograph used will be credited on the social media post, poster, and/or wheatpaste with your desired social handle.

PrizinG

The Top Selected Designs will become part of the official United Against Hate Week 2026 campaign in Los Angeles County through a variety of assets including, but not limited to, social media images, community posters, and neighborhood wheatpastes. The campaign assets will highlight what brings us together in the ongoing effort to fight hate.

5 Winners will receive a $75 gift card to a local business. Artist recognition on official Los Angeles County social media.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOGRAPH