High & Dry XXVI: A Photographic Exhibition of Peoples and Places of the World's Dry Lands

Call for Entries

International Affairs invites photographers of all skill levels to submit photos for our upcoming exhibit, the 26^th Annual High & Dry photo contest and exhibition.

In our 26^th year of this competition, we are further exploring how we can use art to increase understanding of the different STEM elements of the arid and semi-arid land environment. Photographers whose work is selected will be asked to provide a short description explaining why they picked their photo to reflect the theme.

The 2026 focus is "Water".

Images must reflect the theme of "Water" as it relates to arid and semi-arid environments. The choice of subject (abundance, scarcity, structures, people, animals, landscapes, etc.) is up to the photographer, but the image must indicate a connection to the STEM theme to be considered for juror selection. Photographers whose work is selected will be asked to provide a short blurb explaining why they picked their photo to reflect the theme. The resulting exhibition is one that calls to attention the beauties and realities of our increasingly dry planet.

Note: The International Cultural Center is a facility open to all age groups, so entries deemed inappropriate for display will not be accepted.

Submission Form

Disclaimer Regarding the Artist's Reflection

Only photographers whose work is selected will be asked to provide an artist reflection. You will not be asked to provide a scientific explanation if you are not comfortable with that. Just some additional context is all we are asking for. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

Eligibility

The exhibition is open to amateur and professional photographers. Photographs submitted must not have been previously exhibited in Lubbock. Entrants warrant that they have the copyright to all submitted work.

Fees

Photographers may submit up to 5 images at $6 each for a non-refundable fee of up to $30. Please click Done at the end of the survey, then email me at mattispa@ttu.edu to receive a link to the payment portal. (Note: CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AS PAYMENT)

The entry form and payment must be received at TTU International Affairs by October 23rd, 2026.

Award

First Place - $600 / Second Place - $300 / Third Place - $150

Juror: Peter Hiatt

Peter Hiatt is a photographer living in Fort Worth, Texas. He makes photographs about culture, land use, time, and experience. Hiatt’s past projects have focused on our shared cultural relationship to the land, specifically in modern America. More recently, his work has been concerned with human connection, the passage of time, and the experience of the sublime.

Hiatt graduated with a Master of Fine Art degree from the University of North Texas in 2017. He was the Instructor of Photography at Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana for seven years. In 2025, Hiatt moved back to his native Texas, where he served as the Visiting Lecturer in Photography at Texas Christian University. Currently, Hiatt is the Fine Art Printer at Fort Worth
Camera.

Hiatt has exhibited nationally in galleries and institutions including 500X, Artspace 111, Gallery 414, Texas Women’s University, the University of North Texas and the University of Oklahoma. He has had solo exhibitions at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, the Oak Cliff Cultural Center in Dallas, and the Wolfe Gallery at Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana.

Visit: hiattphoto.com

Calendar of Events

High & Dry XXVI

Friday, October 23 | Submission Deadline

Monday, November 9 | Notification Sent to Photographers

Friday, November 20 | Matted Prints Due at TTU International Cultural Center

Thursday, December 3 | Exhibit Opens

Friday, December 4 | Reception at TTU International Cultural Center

Friday, February 26 | Exhibit Closes

Specifications

Color and black & white photographs are eligible. Due to gallery limitations, three-dimensional works cannot be accepted.

Reproduction

TTU International Affairs will have the right to display, project, and reproduce selected work for exhibition, marketing, and promotional purposes only. Photographers retain copyrights to their individual works.

Liability

TTU International Affairs will exercise due care in handling the prints, but will not be responsible for loss, damage, or replacement during selection, exhibit, or shipping.

Notification

Notification will be emailed to you following the juror’s decision. This will be your official notification of the juror’s selection and this decision is final.

Exhibition Requirements

If your work is accepted, you will be asked to send one exhibition quality matted print for each accepted image, along with a prepaid shipping label, unless you plan to pick up your work. Prints must be in a pure white mat with the outside dimensions of 16”X20”. Any work which, upon receipt, is deemed to have been misrepresented by the digital image, or to be of poor technical quality, may be omitted by the juror or TTU International Affairs. Photographers whose work is selected will also be asked to provide a short blurb explaining why they picked their photo to reflect the theme.

After 12 months, if your print is still in the possession of International Affairs at TTU, your print will be added to the International Cultural Center Archive and used for future promotion and exhibition.

Questions? Contact Mattie Moriarty, mattispa@ttu.edu. For more information about upcoming International Affairs events, visit our webpage.