Kota Sepi Kota Sunyi Open Call: Learn More

KOTA SEPI KOTA SUNYI
T&C

Thank you to everyone who submitted their photos. Stay tuned for future announcements. 

Image credit: Api Husien

Terms and Conditions

Tiga Mata is a photography platform and biannual publication by Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd), based in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

By submitting work to Kota Sepi Kota Sunyi — Tiga Mata Open Call — Special Project, developed in conjunction with Sementara: Ahmad Zakii Anwar from the Steve Wong Art Collection, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to the following Terms and Conditions.

These Terms constitute an agreement between you (the entrant) and Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd). The usage licence described below also extends to R Plus Projects Sdn Bhd and GDP Architects Sdn Bhd.

Eligibility and Submission

  1. This Open Call is open to amateur and professional photographers and photo-related artists who are nationals of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste or Vietnam.
  2. Each submission may include up to five (5) photographs, accompanied by a statement of approximately 100–200 words and all other required supporting materials.
  3. Submitted works must be authored by the entrant. Collaborative submissions are welcome, provided each collaborator’s role and the authorship of the work are clearly stated.
  4. Existing work and photographs created specifically for this Open Call are accepted. All entries must be submitted digitally through the official submission form.
  5. Submissions open on 16 October 2026 and must be received by 8 November 2026, 23:59 MYT (UTC+8).
  6. Submissions that are incomplete, incorrectly prepared or fail to meet the stated requirements may not be reviewed.
  7. Submission does not guarantee selection or exhibition.

Submissions by Minors

  1. Entrants under the age of sixteen (16) must provide written consent from a parent or legal guardian.
  2. Submissions without the required consent may be excluded from consideration.

Submission Fee

  1. The submission fee is RM 30.
  2. The fee supports the administration, curation and production of the project and exhibition.
  3. Payment of the submission fee does not guarantee selection.

Responsibility and Content Standards

  1. Entrants are responsible for the authorship, accuracy and lawful use of their submitted works and accompanying information.
  2. Works that are exploitative or unlawful, or that infringe another person’s rights, may be excluded from consideration.
  3. Entrants should approach the people and communities represented in their photographs with care and respect.
  4. Where children or minors appear in submitted images, entrants are responsible for obtaining any legally required permissions and should seek the child’s assent and parent or legal guardian’s consent wherever reasonably possible.

Copyright

  1. Copyright in all submitted works remains with the respective photographer, artist or rights holder.
  2. Submission does not transfer copyright to Tiga Mata, Zontiga, R Plus Projects or GDP Architects.

Rights and Usage

By submitting work, entrants grant Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd), R Plus Projects Sdn Bhd and GDP Architects Sdn Bhd a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce and use selected works for purposes directly related to Kota Sepi Kota Sunyi, Tiga Mata and Sementara, including:

  • Exhibition and display
  • Print and digital publication
  • Promotion, press and communications
  • Educational and editorial use
  • Exhibition documentation
  • Archival purposes

Photographers will be credited wherever reasonably possible, using their supplied name, artist name or pseudonym.

This licence does not authorise unrelated uses of the works.

Duration of Usage Rights

  1. Promotional and marketing use of selected works is limited to thirty-six (36) months from the close of the Open Call.
  2. Archival, editorial and documentation use, including institutional records, historical reference and non-commercial archives, may continue without time limitation.
  3. These usage rights do not constitute a transfer of copyright.

Permissions and Releases

  1. Entrants confirm that they hold the necessary rights to submit their works and grant the licence described in these Terms.
  2. Entrants are responsible for obtaining any permissions, releases or consents required for the intended exhibition, reproduction and other authorised uses.
  3. Collaborative submissions must be made with the agreement of the relevant collaborators and rights holders.
  4. Entrants must accurately identify authorship and credit any third-party material included in their work.

Editorial Discretion

  1. Zontiga is responsible for the selection, sequencing, scale and presentation of works in the exhibition.
  2. Selection will consider the strength of individual photographs and how the works collectively respond to Kota Sepi Kota Sunyi.
  3. Zontiga may select individual photographs from a submitted series. Selection of a submission does not mean that every photograph will be exhibited.
  4. Selected photographs may be presented individually or alongside other works within the exhibition’s curatorial context.
  5. Curatorial decisions will take account of the integrity and intention of individual works. All selection decisions are final.

Selection and Exhibition Production

  1. Selected photographers are scheduled to be announced on 19 November 2026 and will be contacted using the email address supplied in their submission.
  2. Selected entrants may be asked to provide original high-resolution image files, captions, biographical information and other materials required for exhibition production.
  3. Entrants are responsible for providing accurate contact details and responding to production requests within the deadlines communicated to them.
  4. Zontiga will cover printing and production costs for works selected for the exhibition. No additional exhibition or production fee is payable by selected photographers.
  5. The exhibition is scheduled for 19 December 2026 to 1 February 2027 at Level 1, Testing Ground, GDP Campus.

No Compensation

Participation in this Open Call is voluntary. No monetary compensation is provided for the exhibition, reproduction or other authorised uses of selected works described in these Terms.

Zontiga’s coverage of exhibition printing and production costs does not constitute an artist fee or payment for copyright.

Non-Selection and Curatorial Decisions

Entrants acknowledge that submission and payment of the submission fee do not guarantee selection.

Non-selection does not create an entitlement to exhibition, publication or compensation. Nothing in these Terms excludes any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Acceptance of Terms

  1. Submission constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
  2. Entrants confirm that the information supplied is accurate and that they are authorised to submit the works.
  3. Any necessary updates to these Terms will be communicated through official channels. Material changes affecting existing submissions will be communicated to the relevant entrants, with further agreement sought where required.

    For enquiries, please contact:
    tigamata@zontiga.com

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