Images of Aging Photo Contest held by Landon Center on Aging celebrates its 25th anniversary
Contest seeks to dispel stereotypes and celebrate older adults during Older Americans Month in May.
For the last 25 years, the Landon Center on Aging at the University of Kansas Medical Center has sponsored an annual photo contest to bring attention to the vitality of older adults and their lives in Kansas. The contest is held in conjunction with Older Americans Month, established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy to recognize the contributions of older adults and destigmatize aging. The contest also brings awareness to the Landon Center on Aging’s mission to care about the health and well-being of older adults and those who care for them.
The Images of Aging Photo Contest began in conjunction with the opening of the Landon Center on Aging’s building at 36th Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard in Kansas City.
Submissions for this year’s contest are open now through May 31, 2025. Open to both professional and amateur photographers, the contest is free to enter, and prizes will be awarded. Photos must include at least one person aged 65 or older. Up to three submissions are allowed from photographers throughout Kansas as well as Jackson, Platte, Cass and Clay counties in Missouri. “This is a time to recognize the contributions of our older population and dispel misconceptions and stereotypes about aging,” said Deborah Barton, information resource specialist at the Landon Center on Aging.
The theme of this year’s contest is “the many dimensions of older adults: showcasing their vitality, resilience and variety of interests, highlighting the many ways they contribute and care.” Entries will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, representation of the theme and artistic merit. The contest has evolved over the years. “For the first 15 years, entrants had to make an 8 x 10 print of their picture, mount it on foam board and mail it in,” Barton said. “Now that nearly everyone has a camera in their pocket, we have moved to an all-digital contest.”
The Landon Center uses these photos in its community outreach and education programs to showcase older adults in a wide variety of settings and activities. The public may vote on the Community Pick category in June on their Facebook page.