How Leica's New LOBA Women Grant Supports Female Photographers

Leica Camera AG announced a significant expansion of its flagship Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA) this year, introducing the LOBA Women Grant, a new initiative to fund and elevate the work of female photographers worldwide. It is part of the company’s broader focus on amplifying important voices in photography.

The new LOBA grant was first revealed during Leica’s centenary celebrations under the banner “100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century” and represents the first structural addition to the award beyond its longstanding Main and Newcomer categories.

Unlike traditional LOBA prizes, which recognize completed bodies of work, the LOBA Women Grant is designed to support a project from proposal through to exhibition. The selected photographer will receive €10,000 (approx. $11,530), a Leica Q camera, and ongoing professional support, with the resulting series set to debut at the following year’s LOBA exhibition before entering the award’s shortlist. Submissions for the inaugural 2026 grant ran from February 11 to March 15 and have now closed but the LOBA Women Grant will be a fundamental part of the annual Leica Oskar Barnack Awards moving forward.

“Building on the experience of the Leica Women Photo Award, which was launched by Leica Camera USA in 2019, the new LOBA Women Grant is adopting an even more global perspective. Women photographers around the world are encouraged to bring their projects to the attention of the general public. Acknowledging the continuing gender imbalance within photography, the LOBA Women Grant aims to provide international recognition and visibility for women photographers,” Leica says.

According to Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International, the initiative reflects years of internal discussion about strengthening diversity within the LOBA framework. While Leica previously established the Leica Women Foto Project Award in 2019, she explains that integrating a dedicated program directly into LOBA offers greater global visibility and institutional support.

“Over the past years, we have had internal conversations about how to further strengthen diversity within the Leica Oskar Barnack Award. While the Leica Women Foto Project Award created an important platform, we felt it was time to integrate this commitment into the LOBA framework to provide global attention for the grant as well as for the winner and its project,” Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International, tells PetaPixel.

“Establishing the LOBA Women Grant allows us to embed the support of female photographers directly within our most important photography award while giving it a dedicated space to grow,” she says.

A key distinction of the new grant is its proactive approach. By funding projects at the concept stage, Leica aims to play a more active role in shaping new photographic narratives.

“LOBA has always celebrated completed photographic work, which remains essential. At the same time, we wanted to take a more proactive role in enabling new stories to emerge. By supporting an unfinished project as well as a project from the proposal stage through production and exhibition, the grant allows us to accompany an idea as it develops and to give photographers the time and resources needed to realize more ambitious and in-depth narratives,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

“At the same time, a central objective of the LOBA Women Grant is the dedicated support of female photographers and the strengthening of their visibility and opportunities within the international photography community,” she says.

At the same time, the initiative is explicitly focused on addressing ongoing gender imbalances in the field by increasing visibility and opportunity for women photographers internationally.

The structure of the grant also departs from LOBA’s nomination-based system. For the first time, applicants were able to submit directly, a move intended to broaden access and reach photographers beyond established networks.

“Opening the grant to direct applications was a very conscious decision. The nomination process works very well for the two categories. For the LOBA Woman Grant an open call allows us to reach photographers who might not yet be visible within existing networks,” continues Rehn-Kaufmann.

“It signals that we want to broaden access and discover new voices and perspectives from around the world.”

As with the broader LOBA framework, submitted projects must explore the relationship between people and the environment, a theme that has defined the award since its inception. Rehn-Kaufmann suggests that female photographers bring perspectives shaped by varied cultural and personal experiences, which can expand and enrich this dialogue.

“The relationship between people and their environment has always been central to the history of the LOBA. Female photographers often bring perspectives shaped by their individual experiences and cultural contexts. These viewpoints can open new ways of seeing and interpreting the world, enriching the dialogue and expanding the range of stories and visual approaches through which this relationship is explored,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

She also highlights the importance of balancing critical engagement with constructive storytelling in today’s image landscape.

“For me, ‘positive change’ does not mean ignoring complexity or difficulty. Photography has always been a powerful tool for revealing problems and injustices. At the same time, I believe it is equally important to show possibilities, stories of resilience, solidarity, and transformation. These perspectives can inspire engagement, show solutions and help us imagine constructive paths forward,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

Beyond financial support, Leica will provide ongoing curatorial and editorial guidance throughout the production process, culminating in exhibition and publication.

“The institutional support goes beyond financial assistance. It includes curatorial guidance, editorial exchange during the production phase, and professional support in preparing the final exhibition and publication. Our aim is to accompany the photographer throughout the process and provide the resources and expertise that help bring the project to its full potential,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

The winning project will premiere in Wetzlar in October 2027 before touring Leica’s global network of galleries and partner institutions, extending its reach across diverse audiences and cultural contexts.

“Presenting the project first in Wetzlar, Germany, some other Museums and Leica Galleries worldwide ensure that the work reaches diverse audiences internationally. Our gallery network allows the story to travel and to enter into dialogue with different cultural contexts, which is an important part of amplifying the voices of women photographers on a global level,” she says.

The launch of the LOBA Women Grant also reflects a broader moment of reflection for Leica as it marks 100 years since the debut of the Leica I in 1925.

“The centenary is an opportunity to reflect on the many perspectives that have shaped the culture of photography over the past hundred years. The LOBA Women Grant acknowledges that there are still stories and viewpoints that deserve greater visibility. By supporting and concentrating on woman voices, we continue Leica’s tradition of photography as a witness to the times,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

For the inaugural cycle, the jury is evaluating proposals that combine strong narrative intent with a distinctive visual language and a clear engagement with LOBA’s core theme.

“In addition to a critical approach to our societal, ecological or political challenges, we want to encourage women photographers to submit projects that, in particular, present hopeful perspectives, document inspiring approaches to solutions, or reveal ways to bring about change. Series that encourage and illuminate positive changes, are also an important part of the discourse and are very welcome,” says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.

The LOBA Women Grant will be endowed with €10,000 (approx. $11,530). In addition, the selected applicant will receive a Leica Q camera and will be supported throughout the implementation and production phases, ensuring both financial backing and professional guidance as the project develops from concept to exhibition.

The new LOBA Women Grant stands as a clear signal of intent from Leica Camera AG. Rather than simply recognizing work after the fact, the initiative shifts focus toward enabling it from the very beginning. In doing so, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award continues to evolve, not only reflecting the world as it is, but actively shaping the stories that will define its future.

Image credits: Leica