Student Photographer of the Year
Empowering the next generation of photographers at SXSW
UNiDAYS launched the Student Photographer of the Year competition in 2024 to challenge perspectives and redefine visual storytelling. In 2025, they set their sights on global expansion, rolling out across the UK, France, Germany, and the USA.
student focused
Brief
To help introduce the competition at scale, UNiDAYS needed a launch moment that would cut through—one that not only captured the attention of young creatives but actively inspired them to push creative boundaries.
Insight:
SXSW stands at the intersection of culture, creativity, and innovation—making it the perfect stage to introduce the competition to a global audience. With over 50,000 students in Austin, our insight network revealed a key shift: for the first time, SXSW 2025 would fall outside Spring Break, meaning students were actively looking for opportunities to engage with the festival and connect with the creative industries.
Delivery
We brought UNiDAYS’ Student Photographer of the Year competition to life at SXSW, creating an immersive launch event designed to inspire, connect, and elevate emerging talent.
Hosted at the University of Texas at Austin, the event showcased last year’s winning entries through a curated photography exhibition. Each section of the space spotlighted a different competition category—Best Use of AI, After Dark, In Action—allowing attendees to explore the stories behind the imagery. The exhibition didn’t just draw attention; it drove action. Multiple creative industry patrons expressed interest in acquiring print rights from student photographers, turning the showcase into a tangible career opportunity.
Hosted at the University of Texas at Austin, the event showcased last year’s winning entries through a curated photography exhibition. Each section of the space spotlighted a different competition category—Best Use of AI, After Dark, In Action—allowing attendees to explore the stories behind the imagery. The exhibition didn’t just draw attention; it drove action. Multiple creative industry patrons expressed interest in acquiring print rights from student photographers, turning the showcase into a tangible career opportunity.
To further ignite creative ambition, competition partner Ocean Culture Life hosted a Fireside Chat with Dr. Shireen Rahimi. A renowned underwater visual storyteller and marine scientist, Shireen shared her journey into photography—offering invaluable insights drawn from her work with National Geographic, PBS, and film festivals worldwide.
Dr. Shireen Rahimi
UNIDAYS: SPOTY
The night closed with a live performance by local student band West 22nd. Captured on branded disposable cameras, the moment doubled as both an experience and an opportunity for students to network with the creative industry.
By placing emerging photographers at the heart of SXSW, we helped UNiDAYS spark global interest in the competition and give young creatives a platform to be seen from.
“I’ve never seen an activation at SXSW before that brings together the creative industry with local students. It’s amazing to see SPOTY inspire young people to understand the variety of career opportunities available for young people and inspire them to tap into their creativity.”
Lex Pham, student at UT Austin
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