WEALTH November 5, 2026 0 Comments

AIB’s Bold Move to Power Press Photographer of the Year Awards—What This Means for the Future of Visual Storytelling and Brand Authority

Ever wonder how one snapshot can freeze the pulse of a nation’s heartbeat? Well, AIB’s doubling down on that magic by continuing its sponsorship of the Press Photographer of the Year Awards in 2027. If capturing the raw essence of Ireland’s news, culture, and everyday stories is your game, November 30 marks the moment your lens might just make history. These awards aren’t just about flashy images; they stand as a bulwark of integrity in a world drowning in social media noise and AI gimmicks. Led by the sharp eye of Kate Horgan, the competition honors the storytellers behind the camera who give us more than pictures—they offer us truth, memory, and trust. So, what story will your next frame tell? LEARN MORE

AIB will continue its sponsorship of the Press Photographer of the Year Awards in 2027, with entries for the annual competition set to open later this month.

Press Photographers Ireland CLG confirmed the continuation of the partnership ahead of the awards, which will take place at O’Reilly Hall, UCD, on January 29, 2027.

Entries will open on November 30, with photographers invited to submit images documenting the news stories, sporting moments, cultural events and everyday lives that shaped Ireland throughout 2026.

The competition will recognise excellence across nine categories, including News, People & Daily Life, Sports Action, Sports Features, Portrait, Arts & Entertainment, Reportage, Public Relations Photography and Multimedia.

The judging panel will also present discretionary awards for Rural Life and Best Use of Technology, while the AIB Sustainability Award will return to recognise work reflecting sustainability in everyday life.

Generative artificial intelligence remains excluded from the competition under its existing rules.

The judging panel will be chaired by Kate Horgan, who has experience in photojournalism, editing, design, curation and archiving.

Horgan said the awards played an important role in maintaining professional standards at a time when media organisations face challenges around truth and credibility.

“On a daily basis, media professionals in Ireland and around the world face challenges relating to truth and credibility against a backdrop of social media hype and AI-generated content. Luckily, the PPI is a standard bearer for integrity in newsgathering,” she said.

She added that she was honoured to act as interim chairperson and looked forward to seeing another collection of exceptional images.

Press Photographers Ireland president Dan Linehan said the awards recognised the contribution photographers make to documenting Irish society.

“Our members’ images do far more than record events; they preserve our collective memory, capture the human stories behind the headlines and help future generations understand the times in which we lived,” he said.

AIB chief executive Colin Hunt said press photography provided an important record of history and helped sustain public trust.

Dan Linehan, President of Press Photographers Ireland CLG, Colin Hunt, AIB Chief Executive, Mark Condren, Press Photographer of the Year 2026 and Kate Horgan, Chairperson of the Judging Panel. Picture by Shane O’Neill, Coalesce.

“In an age when it can be increasingly difficult to distinguish what is real from what is not, the work of Press Photographers Ireland plays an important role in informing the public and sustaining trust,” he said.

AIB will also share winning entries with customers and the public in communities throughout the country.

Photo: Dan Linehan, President of Press Photographers Ireland CLG, Mark Condren, Press Photographer of the Year 2026 and Colin Hunt, AIB Chief Executive