HÀ NỘI — The biennial national art photo exhibition kicked off yesterday to assess the achievements of Vietnamese photographers in the last two years.

Both Vietnamese professional and amateur photographers are invited to take part in the contest. They can send single photographs or a group of photographs on two topics: Hạ Long – Quảng Ninh – from new angle or a free topic on Việt Nam.

The photographs should have been taken in the last two years. Each photographer can send up to eight works for two topics, maximum three of which are groups of photographs. The entries should not have been submitted to any previous national and international contest hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists.

At the launching ceremony yesterday, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vương Duy Biên said he hoped the organising board would receive many high quality works reflecting vividly the Vietnamese society, its achievements in the process of renewal and integration in the fields of economics, politics, culture, society, security, defence, as well as the beauties of nature, people throughout the country in general and Quảng Ninh in particular.

The entries should be submitted directly to website anhnghethuatvietnam2018.com by July 31, 2018.

The organisers will give two gold medals, along with VNĐ30 million (US$1,318) in cash, four silver, six bronze and 10 consolation prizes.

The gold prize winners at this contest will be eligible to apply for the State Prize and Hồ Chí Minh Prize in Literature and Arts, the highest honours in Việt Nam.

The organisers plan to show 200 to 250 works at an exhibition held in October in northern province of Quảng Ninh, as a cultural activity in the framework of the National Tourism Year 2018 themed Hạ Long – Quảng Ninh.

More information on the contest can be accessed at the website anhnghethuatvietnam2018.com or facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhotographDepartment. — VNS