AIPAI Photo Contest
ENHANCING INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE THROUGH THE YOUTH TALENT
The “AIPAI Photo Contest” is the photography competition organised by AIPAI, the Italian Association for Industrial Archaeological Heritage ETS, and its partners. It was conceived to raise awareness and promote industrial culture, the memory of work, and the architectural, technological and landscape heritage of industrial archaeology.
As part of the wider competition, the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS has chosen to support this form of promotion of Italian industrial heritage and, together with it, to promote the talent of young amateur photographers through the “Mecenati di giovani talenti” award [“Patrons of Young Talent” award].
Starting in 2023, each edition of the AIPAI Photo Contest will feature multiple categories with multiple prizes, including the one sponsored by us.
The “Mecenati di giovani talenti” award [“Patrons of Young Talent” award] is given to a young photographer under the age of 35 who knows how to showcase industrial heritage through their photographs. The winner is offered a contract with the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, worth €1,000, to carry out a special photography project aimed at promoting the MAIRE group's corporate archive heritage.
To find out more about all the editions, the winners and the photography projects they have carried out, click below!
AIPAI PHOTO CONTEST 2023
2023, second edition of the AIPAI Photo Contest, the photography competition organised by AIPAI, the Italian Association for Industrial Archaeological Heritage ETS in collaboration with DICEA - Sapienza University of Rome, Do.co.mo.mo Italia, Ministry of Culture - UNESCO Office, Appia Antica Park, AEM Foundation, ISEC Foundation, Fondazione MAIRE, RoMe Museum Exhibition and Rete Fotografia.
New for this edition is the introduction of the “Mecenati di giovani talenti” award [“Patrons of Young Talent” award], supported by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, reserved for non-professional photographers under the age of 35. The prize is a contract worth €1,000 for the creation of a special photographic project on the MAIRE Historical Archive and the publication of the work in the magazine ‘Patrimonio Industriale’ (Industrial Heritage).
The winner is Claudia Mencarelli, with her photographs entitled ‘Lo scrigno’ (The Treasure Chest), dedicated to the Ex Alc.Este distillery in Ferrara. To find out more and see the works, click here.
A contract has been signed with the young photographer for a photographic project on the restoration of drawings from the MAIRE Historical Archive. Stay tuned for more information!
The first prize in the AIPAI Photo Contest 2023 goes to Nicola Bertellotti's photographic project “Soft Machine”; there are 4 special mentions and 12 other artists whose works have been selected.
AIPAI PHOTO CONTEST 2024
2024, third edition of the AIPAI Photo Contest, the photography competition organised by AIPAI, the Italian Association for Industrial Archaeological Heritage ETS and TICCIH Italia, in collaboration with DICEA - Sapienza University of Rome, Do.co.mo.mo Italia, Ministry of Culture - UNESCO Office, Appia Antica Archaeological Park, Appia Antica Regional Park, AEM Foundation, ISEC Foundation, Fondazione MAIRE, RoMe Museum Exhibition and Rete Fotografia.
New for this edition is the introduction of the ‘Modern and Industrial Appia’ award.
For the second consecutive year, the Fondazione MAIRE is supporting the “Mecenati di giovani talenti” award [“Patrons of Young Talent” award], reserved for non-professional photographers under the age of 35. The prize is a contract worth €1,000 for the creation of a special photographic project promoting the MAIRE Group’s heritage and the publication of the work in the magazine ‘Patrimonio Industriale’ (Industrial Heritage).
The victory goes to Giovanni Peyrone, with his shots entitled ‘Il ritorno della luce’ [“The Return of Light”], dedicated to the former industrial hub of the Gazometro in Rome. To find out more and see the works, click here.
A contract has been signed with the young artist for the creation of a special photography project. Stay tuned to find out more!
The first prize in the AIPAI Photo Contest 2024 goes to the photographic project “Geometries of Aridity: interrupted visions” by Erica La Placa, while the “Modern and Industrial Appia Prize” goes to “The paper factory on the Appia” by Diego Monfredini. There are seven special mentions.
AIPAI PHOTO CONTEST 2025/2026
2025/2026, fourth edition of the AIPAI Photo Contest, the photography competition organised by AIPAI, the Italian Association for Industrial Archaeological Heritage ETS, in collaboration with DICEA - Sapienza University of Rome, Do.co.mo.mo Italia, Ministry of Culture - General Secretariat - UNESCO Office, Appia Antica Archaeological Park, Appia Antica Regional Park, AEM Foundation, ISEC Foundation, Fondazione MAIRE - ETS, Musil Foundation, RoMe Museum Exhibition and Rete Fotografia.
New to this edition is the introduction of a special mention in memory of Giampietro Agostini, a photographer of rare sensitivity and for many years an active member of the competition jury.
For the third consecutive year, the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS is supporting the “Mecenati di giovani talenti” award [“Patrons of Young Talent” award], reserved for non-professional photographers under the age of 35. The prize is a contract worth €1,000 for the creation of a special photographic project promoting the MAIRE Group’s heritage.
The victory goes to Alessandra Flora, with his shots entitled “Dietro l’angolo: paesaggi inattesi della Ciociaria” [“Around the corner: unexpected landscapes of Ciociaria”], which explores the Sacco Valley as a “threshold place”. To find out more and see the works, click here.
A contract will be drawn up with the young woman for the creation of a special photography project. Stay tuned to find out more!
The first prize in the AIPAI Photo Contest 2025-2026 goes to Lorenzo Mini's photographic project “Colonie e industria” [“Colonies and Industry”], while the special mention in memory of Giampietro Agostini goes to “DEGNI DI FUTURO. Visioni del lavoro e utopie della bellezza" [“WORTHY OF THE FUTURE. Visions of work and utopias of beauty”] by Giovanni Poce; prizes were also awarded to those ranked 2nd to 5th, and other 10 artists have been selected to have their works exhibited at the AIPAI Photo Exhibition.
TO SUPPORT US
To contribute to initiatives promoting heritage, restoration projects for drawings in the Historical Archive, and the dissemination of corporate archive culture, you can donate through our ‘Support the MAIRE Historical Archive’ campaign on Rete del Dono.
