Exhibitions Standards

The Canadian Association of Photographic Art (CAPA) supports and promotes photography competitions coordinated by:

  • Canadian Camera Clubs associated to CAPA; and
  • recognized National or International Exhibitions/Salons.

With this support, CAPA permits its medals and ribbons to be used in competitions under the following conditions:

International/National Exhibition of Salon

Application Process

  1. CAPA will not accept any application for an Exhibition or Salon with a commercial purpose or with restricted subject (ie a subject that shows gratuitous violence, sexuality, etc.).
  2. Each year, the coordinator of an Exhibition or Salon must make a new application for CAPA Medals and Ribbons.
  3. First time applications for recognition must be received at least four months prior to the closing date for entries. Exhibitions applying for CAPA approval for the first time must submit a draft of their entry form and rules of entry. Established exhibitions may submit a revised entry form with the current rules of entry two months prior to the date of the competition. Submit your first time application to our CAPA Exhibition Standards Coordinator at – competitions@capacanada.ca
  4. For previous approved applications, you must submit your application two months prior to the commencement of your competition to our CAPA Exhibition Standards Coordinator at – competitions@capacanada.ca
  5. The basic requirements that the applicant agrees to provide before or after the date of the competition:
    1. a full listing of all competitions which includes: rules, editing restrictions, closing date, etc..
    2. a copy of the competition advertisement that includes the CAPA logo and that CAPA members are permitted to enter the competition as well as Canadian photographers. In addition, that CAPA medals and/or ribbons will be awarded to the winners in the various categories listed in the advertisement.
    3. a copy of the competition entry form will include details that CAPA medal(s) and ribbons will be awarded and is open to CAPA members and Canadian photographers and will indicate the dates of submissions and judging of the competition.
    4. a copy of the competition calendar or a list showing the following: closing date for entries, judging date, the date the exhibition or competition report will be mailed or emailed to the entrants, date for return of rejected images, exhibition dates and location address, expected date of return of accepted entries (if this is stated in the rules), production date for catalogues.
    5. a copy of the final competition report which lists the scores awarded during each competition where CAPA medals and ribbons were awarded with a notation of the winners names and titles.
    6. acknowledge that each competition will have three judges and the names of the judges will be provided either prior to or after the day of competitions.
    7. an acknowledgement that CAPA does not bear any liability or responsibility for error or mismanagement by the organizers.
  1. For all competitions that a CAPA Medal and/or Ribbons will be awarded, the Entrant must be the copyright holder of the image. CAPA will bear no liability for infringement of copyright.
  2. By using the CAPA Medals and Ribbons, CAPA reserves the right to charge a separate fee for each Photographic Category competition
  3. By complying with the above conditions, the CAPA logo can be incorporated in the advertisement provided it is the same size as any other international photographic association or society.
  4. The decision made by the CAPA Exhibition Standards Coordinator is final.