Terms & Conditions

1.1. This Offer Agreement (hereinafter — the "Offer") is the official proposal of Depo Place OÜ, registered in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Estonia (reg. number: 17357640), hereinafter — the "Organizer", to conclude a contract with any natural or legal person who submits an application to participate in the international Depo Awards competition (hereinafter — the "Competition" or "Participation"), under the terms defined in this Offer.

1.2. Acceptance of this Offer is effected by the Participant by completing the following actions:

1. completion and submission of an online application for participation in the Competition through the official form on the website https://depo.place/awards (hereinafter — the "Website");

2. uploading the competition work in accordance with the technical requirements;

3. payment of the organizational fee established for the relevant participation category, in non-cash form through integrated payment systems (bank card, PayPal or other methods specified on the Website).

The moment of conclusion of this Public Offer Agreement is considered to be the date of successful payment of participation, after which the Participant receives an electronic confirmation (receipt / confirmation email).

1.3. This Offer is public, i.e., addressed to an indefinite circle of persons, and governs the relationship between the Organizer and the Participant in the process of participating in the Competition, submitting works, their publication, exhibition, and further use within the Depo Awards project.

1.4. Territory of effect — international. The terms of this Offer apply to all Participants regardless of their place of residence or citizenship.

1.5. Applicable law — the law of the Republic of Estonia.

1.6. Jurisdiction of disputes: all disputes, differences, or claims arising in connection with the performance or interpretation of this Offer shall be resolved in the courts of the city of Tallinn (Estonia), unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

1.7. The language of this document is English.

For the purposes of this Offer, the terms below have the following meanings:

1. "Organizer" — Depo Place OÜ, a legal entity registered in Estonia, which is the right holder of the Depo Awards brand and the responsible party for the organization, conduct, and publication of the Competition results.

2. "Participant" — any natural or legal person who has completed an application, submitted a work through the official Depo Awards form, and accepted the terms of this Offer.

3. "Competition (Depo Awards)" — an international initiative of Depo Place OÜ aimed at promoting contemporary photography, visual art, and the creative industries.

4. "Work" or "Material" — a photograph, a series of photographs, or another visual work submitted by the Participant for participation in the Competition.

5. "Website" — the official web resource of the Competition https://depo.place/awards, owned by the Organizer.

6. "Jury / Curatorial Team" — specially appointed persons who carry out the selection, evaluation, and publication of works.

7. "Acceptance of the Offer" — full and unconditional acceptance of the terms of this Offer by the Participant by submitting an application and/or making payment.

8. "License" — a non-exclusive, royalty-free, territorially unrestricted license that the Participant grants to the Organizer to use the Work within the Competition, exhibitions, publications, and promotional activities.

9. "Exhibition" — an offline or online event organized within Depo Awards, including in the city of Prague (Czech Republic).

10. "Ethical Standards" — the principles set out in the "Rules & Ethics" section, which define the moral, social, and professional criteria for the admissibility of images presented in the Competition.

11. "Force Majeure" — extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the parties (war, strike, epidemic, technical accident, natural disaster, prohibition of public events, etc.).

3.1. Submitting an application to participate in the Depo Awards Competition, uploading files, or paying the organizational fee constitutes full, unconditional, and final acceptance by the Participant (acceptance) of the terms of this Offer, the License Agreement, the Ethical Code, and the Privacy Policy (GDPR).

3.2. Acceptance of this Offer creates between the Participant and the Organizer civil-law relations that have the force of a public offer agreement in accordance with the law of the Republic of Estonia.

3.3. The Participant confirms that they:

1. have read all the provisions of this Offer;

2. have the necessary civil capacity to conclude such a contract;

3. submit their own original work or have documentary proof of the right to submit it.

3.4. If the Participant does not agree with any provision of this Offer, they are obliged to refrain from participating in the Competition and not to send their works.

3.5. Participation in the Competition does not require signing a contract. Electronic confirmation of consent (checkbox "I agree with Terms & Conditions") during application is sufficient.

3.6. The Organizer has the right to make changes or additions to this Offer. The current version is always available on the official website https://depo.place/awards. Any changes shall take effect from the moment of publication and shall apply prospectively, unless otherwise required by law.

4.1. The subject of this Offer is the provision by the Organizer to the Participant of the opportunity to:

1. submit their creative work for participation in the international Depo Awards competition;

2. undergo the selection procedure;

3. in case of winning — take part in the exhibition, publications, promotional materials, and the Depo Awards catalogue.

4.2. The Organizer undertakes to:

1. ensure the technical possibility of submitting the work via the online form on the Website;

2. accept and register the Participant's application after receipt of payment confirmation;

3. forward the submitted works for consideration by the curatorial board / jury;

4. if selected — include the work in the exhibition or publication program;

5. maintain author attribution in all forms of publications;

6. inform the Participant about the selection results, changes in the timing or format of the Competition.

4.3. The Participant undertakes to:

1. independently familiarize themselves with all participation rules, technical requirements, ethical norms, and payment terms posted on the Website;

2. submit only original works that do not infringe the rights of third parties;

3. pay the organizational fee in full before completing the application;

4. provide accurate contact details and guarantee that they have the right to submit and use the images provided;

5. if necessary — provide written permissions from persons depicted in the photos or from owners of objects, brands, copyrights;

6. refrain from submitting works that may violate the law, ethical norms, or the rights of other persons.

4.4. The Organizer has the right to:

1. reject an application without refund of the fee if the work does not comply with technical, ethical, or copyright requirements;

2. change the dates, format, or place of the exhibition due to force majeure;

3. use the Participants' works in accordance with the terms of the license.

4.5. Participation in the Competition is paid (except for certain social categories determined by the Organizer). The fact of payment of the organizational fee is confirmation of the conclusion of the contract and acceptance of this Offer. All amounts are indicated excluding taxes. If, according to the applicable law, VAT or other taxes apply to the participation amount, the Participant undertakes to pay such taxes additionally. The Organizer issues an invoice/fiscal receipt at the request of the Participant.

4.6. The Organizer is not responsible for:

1. technical failures, communication interruptions, or data loss during application;

2. the Participant's inability to participate due to third-party technical or financial reasons (including blocking of payment systems, bank errors);

3. the inaccuracy of information provided by the Participant;

4. the consequences of copyright infringement if the Participant submitted someone else's work.

4.7. The Participant confirms that they understand:

1. the Competition is creative and curatorial, therefore participation or victory is not guaranteed;

2. payment of the fee is not a payment for promotion, publication, or commercial representation, but is an organizational fee for reviewing the application.

4.8. The Participant agrees that after payment and submission of the work they have no right to demand:

1. changes to the submitted application;

2. a refund of the fee (except in cases provided for in the "Payment and Refunds" section);

3. compensation in case of rejection of the work or cancellation of participation for ethical reasons.

5.1. Rights of the Organizer

The Organizer has the right to:

5.1.1. Receive, review, and evaluate submitted works in accordance with the rules of the Competition.

5.1.2. Reject applications or works that:

1. do not meet the technical requirements or the theme of the Competition;

2. infringe copyrights or the rights of third parties;

3. contain content that contradicts ethical, social, or legal norms;

4. are offensive, discriminatory, or violate public order.

5.1.3. Make changes to the procedure for conducting the Competition, deadlines for accepting works, the exhibition format, or publication conditions, if necessary for organizational or technical needs, or due to force majeure.

5.1.4. Use submitted works in accordance with the terms of the license provided by this agreement, with mandatory attribution.

5.1.5. Perform technical processing of images (cropping, adaptation to the Website format, resolution optimization, color correction), without changing the essence of the work.

5.1.6. Delete, suspend, or restrict access to works submitted in violation of the Competition terms, without compensation or refund.

5.1.7. Refuse to register an application in case of non-payment of the organizational fee or incorrect payment confirmation.

5.1.8. Require from the Participant documents confirming identity, age, or copyrights.

5.1.9. Carry out public communication on behalf of Depo Awards (including social networks, press releases, exhibitions, publications), using the author's name and their work within the relevant scope.

5.2. Obligations of the Organizer

The Organizer is obliged to:

5.2.1. Ensure the functioning of the Website for receiving applications within the announced submission period.

5.2.2. Register and review works properly and timely submitted.

5.2.3. Adhere to the principles of good faith, impartiality, and transparency when selecting works.

5.2.4. Notify Participants about changes in organizational conditions, timing, or results of the Competition via email or the official website.

5.2.5. Preserve author attribution in any use of the work.

5.2.6. Not use works for commercial sale without the author's written consent.

5.3. Rights of the Participant

The Participant has the right to:

5.3.1. Submit their work to participate in the Competition after paying the organizational fee.

5.3.2. Receive confirmation of acceptance of the application and information about the results of the competition.

5.3.3. Require indication of their authorship upon publication or exhibition of the work.

5.3.4. Withdraw the submitted work before its publication (in writing to the Organizer's email address), understanding that the paid fee is non-refundable.

5.3.5. Require compliance with the terms of this Offer and the Organizer's responsibility within the limits defined by law.

5.4. Obligations of the Participant

The Participant is obliged to:

5.4.1. Provide truthful, complete, and up-to-date data when completing the online application.

5.4.2. Submit their own original work that does not infringe copyrights, trademarks, or the rights of third parties.

5.4.3. Independently obtain all necessary permissions from persons depicted in the photo, as well as from owners of objects, brands, or copyrighted elements featured in the work.

5.4.4. Not submit materials that may be considered as:

1. discriminatory, offensive, violent;

2. violating dignity, privacy, or moral norms;

3. created using artificial intelligence without authorial intervention (if not permitted by the rules of a separate category).

5.4.5. Pay the organizational fee before submitting the application.

5.4.6. Bear sole responsibility for any third-party claims arising in connection with the submitted work.

5.4.7. Familiarize themselves with all the terms of this Offer, the License Agreement, the Ethical Code, and the Participation Rules before acceptance.

5.5. Liability of the Parties

5.5.1. The Participant bears full responsibility for the legality of the content of the submitted work, the accuracy of data, and the legitimacy of its publication.

5.5.2. The Organizer is not responsible for:

1. technical failures or data loss during upload;

2. any actions of payment systems, banks, or processing services;

3. copyright infringement if the Participant submitted someone else's work;

4. decisions of the jury or curators regarding the results of the Competition.

5.5.3. In case the Participant provides false information or infringes copyrights, the Organizer has the right to remove the work without compensation and to block participation in future projects.

6.1. Participation in the Competition is paid, with the exception of special social or charitable categories determined by the Organizer.

6.2. The amount of the organizational fee is established by the Organizer and published on the official website https://depo.place/awards.

6.3. Payment is made in euros (EUR) or another currency equivalent to the specified amount using integrated payment services (bank card, PayPal, Stripe, or other systems supported by the Website).

6.4. All commissions of payment systems, banks, or intermediaries are paid by the Participant.

6.5. The fact of successful payment is considered the moment of conclusion of the contract between the Organizer and the Participant.

6.6. Payment is final and non-refundable, except in the following cases:

1. official cancellation of the competition by the Organizer;

2. a technical error of the payment system that resulted in double charging of funds;

3. where otherwise required by applicable mandatory law.

6.7. In the event of cancellation of the Competition, the Organizer undertakes to refund the paid funds within 30 (thirty) calendar days from the date of notifying the Participant by email. The refund is made to the same payment instrument from which the payment was made, in EUR or in the equivalent in local currency at the exchange rate on the refund date, minus actually withheld bank fees. The refund period is 30 calendar days from the date of the official cancellation announcement.

6.8. The Organizer is not responsible for delays or the impossibility of making a payment caused by:

1. actions of third parties (banks, processing companies, hacking attacks);

2. blocking of payment systems or the Participant's accounts;

3. restrictions in participating countries (sanctions or currency policy).

6.9. The Organizer does not store or process Participants' payment details (card numbers, CVV codes, banking data). All transactions are carried out through secure external platforms that comply with PCI DSS requirements.

6.10. The Participant confirms that the paid fee is an organizational charge for participation and review of the work, and not a payment for the outcome, publication, or exhibition.

6.11. In case of rejection of a work for any reason (curatorial, ethical, technical), the paid fee is not refunded, since the Organizer has already fulfilled its obligations to accept, register, and review the application.

6.12. The Organizer has the right to temporarily change the amount of the fee during promotional or special periods, which is not a violation of this Offer.

6.13. The Participant undertakes to compensate the Organizer for all losses, expenses, fines, and legal costs arising from third-party claims regarding infringement of copyrights, image rights, or other rights related to the submitted work. The indemnification obligation arises from the moment the Organizer receives a written demand/notice of claim.

7.1. Photographers, artists, visual artists, designers, stylists, make-up artists, models, curators, and other representatives of the creative industries, regardless of citizenship or place of residence, are allowed to participate in the international Depo Awards competition.

7.2. The minimum age of participants is 18 years.

7.3. Participation in the Competition is individual, unless otherwise specified in a special category. Works of collective authorship are accepted only with the written consent of all co-authors.

7.4. Submission of an application is carried out exclusively through the official online form on the website https://depo.place/awards after filling in the required data, uploading the competition work, and paying the organizational fee.

7.5. The Participant guarantees that they:

1. are the author or have all legal rights to submit and publish the work;

2. have obtained all necessary permissions for the use of images of persons, objects, or brands;

3. have provided accurate personal data;

4. have read the terms of this Agreement, the License Agreement, and the Depo Awards Ethical Code.

7.6. Selection, evaluation, and publication of works are carried out by the curatorial board and/or the jury appointed by the Organizer. The curators' decision is final and not subject to review.

7.7. The Organizer has the right to:

1. verify the accuracy of participants' data;

2. reject or not publish works that do not meet technical, ethical, or content requirements;

3. adapt submitted materials for publications or exhibitions without changing the essence of the work.

7.8. The paid organizational fee is not refundable, except in cases of official cancellation of the competition or a technical error on the part of the Organizer.

7.9. All selected works may be published or exhibited within Depo Awards, including exhibitions, online galleries, printed materials, or media publications. Authorship is always retained by the Participant and indicated in all forms of presentation.

7.10. All detailed information on participation rules, submission format, technical requirements, evaluation criteria, judging, and ethical standards is provided in the document "Competition Participation Rules," which is posted in the relevant tab on the official Depo Awards website. Submission of an application automatically means familiarity with this document and full agreement with its provisions.

8.1. The Participant confirms that they are the sole author of the submitted work or have all necessary rights to submit and use it within the Depo Awards Competition.

8.2. Submission of a work to the Competition means that the Participant grants the Organizer a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use the submitted materials exclusively for the purpose of:

1. publication in printed and online issues of Depo Magazine;

2. exhibition of works at Depo Awards exhibitions, including offline events in Prague (Czech Republic) and other locations;

3. placement of works on the official website, in social networks, press releases, videos, and PR campaigns of the project;

4. creation of the Depo Awards archive, compilations, and catalogues that document the results of the competition.

8.3. The Participant retains all copyrights (economic and moral) to their works. The Organizer does not obtain ownership rights to the images, but only the right to use them within the scope of the specified license.

8.4. Use of works for commercial purposes (sale, incorporation into merchandise, advertising of third parties) is possible only with the author's written consent.

8.5. All works published or exhibited by the Organizer must be accompanied by author attribution (name, surname, or pseudonym provided by the Participant).

8.6. The Participant agrees that the Organizer may:

1. perform technical or visual adaptation of files (cropping, resizing, conversion into web formats) without distorting the essence of the work;

2. include works in Depo Awards digital galleries, catalogues, and presentation materials;

3. translate accompanying texts or descriptions of works into English or other languages for international publications.

8.7. The Organizer is not responsible for unauthorized copying, downloading, or distribution of images by third parties if such actions occur outside the official resources of Depo Awards.

8.8. The Participant guarantees that:

1. the submitted materials do not infringe the rights of third parties (copyright, related rights, rights to the image, trademarks, etc.);

2. all depicted persons have consented to photography and publication;

3. the works do not contain content that may be regarded as discriminatory, degrading, or unlawful.

8.9. In case of submission of another's work or false information about authorship, the Participant bears full material and legal responsibility for all possible third-party claims. The Organizer has the right to remove the work without compensation and to notify the relevant institutions about the violation.

8.10. The license granted by the Participant is irrevocable but non-exclusive. The Participant may freely use their own works for other purposes, exhibitions, or publications.

9.1. All submitted works undergo curatorial selection by the Depo Awards team, which includes editors, invited curators, and experts in visual art.

9.2. Selection of works is carried out according to the following criteria:

1. artistic value and technical quality;

2. originality of the concept;

3. compliance with the theme of the competition;

4. ethicality and cultural sensitivity of the image;

5. substantive depth and social context.

9.3. The decision of the curatorial team or jury is final and not subject to appeal, review, or challenge.

9.4. The Organizer has curatorial discretion to:

1. refuse publication or exhibition of a work without explanation of reasons;

2. change the sequence or format of placing works in exhibition spaces or publications;

3. adapt submitted images for print or digital formats without changing their content.

9.5. All works that have passed the selection may be:

1. published in the printed or digital version of Depo Magazine;

2. presented in the online gallery or on the official Depo Awards social media pages;

3. exhibited at Depo Awards exhibitions, including offline events in Prague (Czech Republic);

4. included in the catalogue, archive, or future thematic compilations of the project.

9.6. Authorship is always indicated alongside the work. The Organizer has the right to shorten or translate the biographical data provided by the Participant in order to standardize the publication format.

9.7. The Organizer is not obliged to publish all submitted works, even if they were accepted for participation. Publication is the result of curatorial selection and not an automatic consequence of payment.

9.8. In the event of cancellation or postponement of the exhibition (as a result of force majeure), the Organizer informs Participants by email and has the right to postpone the display to another date or include the works in a future exhibition without additional payment.

9.9. During exhibitions, presentations, or events of Depo Awards, the following is permitted:

1. photo and video recording of events;

2. use of images from the exhibition in media materials, reports, advertising, and PR campaigns of the project.

9.10. The Organizer is not responsible for:

1. damage to printed copies of works as a result of transportation if they were not under the direct control of Depo Awards;

2. unauthorized filming or copying of works by exhibition visitors;

3. any losses or delays related to the logistics of exhibition materials.

9.11. Participation in exhibition events means the Participant's consent to:

1. reproduction of their works in the exhibition space;

2. use of images from the event for further documentation, publications, or reporting by Depo Awards.

9.12. All costs related to shipment, framing, or delivery of printed works (if provided by separate participation conditions) are borne by the Participant, unless otherwise specified by the Organizer.

10.1. The Organizer acts as the data controller in relation to the personal data of Participants.

10.2. The Organizer collects and processes the following data:

1. name;

2. email address;

3. social media links;

4. submitted works and related descriptions.

10.3. Personal data is processed for the following purposes:

1. administration and operation of the Competition;

2. communication with Participants;

3. publication of results and selected works;

4. promotion and archival purposes related to Depo Awards.

10.4. Legal basis for processing:

1. performance of a contract (participation in the Competition);

2. legitimate interest of the Organizer (promotion and documentation of the Competition);

3. consent of the Participant (where required).

10.5. Personal data is stored within the European Union and retained for no longer than necessary, but not exceeding 5 years, unless otherwise required by law.

10.6. The Organizer does not sell or transfer personal data to third parties, except to service providers, curators, or partners involved in the Competition, under appropriate confidentiality obligations.

10.7. Participants have the right to:

1. access their personal data;

2. request correction or deletion;

3. restrict or object to processing;

4. withdraw consent at any time;

5. request data portability;

6. lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

10.8. To exercise their rights, Participants may contact: hello@depo.place

11.1. The Organizer Depo Place OÜ (Depo Awards) ensures the proper operation of the platform and acceptance of applications; however, it is not responsible for:

1. technical failures, errors, delays, or interruptions in the operation of the website, email, or payment systems;

2. loss, damage, or distortion of files that occurred as a result of actions or inactions of third parties or technical circumstances beyond the Organizer's control;

3. actions or inactions of partner platforms through which the application is submitted;

4. any consequences caused by inaccurate or incomplete data submitted by the Participant.

11.2. The Organizer does not guarantee uninterrupted access to the website https://depo.place/awards, and is not responsible for possible temporary limitations or failures that may occur during updates or technical maintenance of the service.

11.3. The Participant bears full responsibility for the content of the submitted works, compliance with copyright and related rights, as well as for having all necessary permissions to use images of persons, objects, or brands. In the event of claims or disputes from third parties, all demands, losses, or expenses are borne by the Participant.

11.4. The Organizer is not responsible for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including loss of profit, reputational losses, or moral harm, which may arise in connection with participation in the competition.

11.5. In the event of force majeure circumstances (military actions, state of emergency, pandemic, strikes, natural disasters, interruptions in the operation of the internet or payment systems, decisions of authorities, etc.) that objectively make performance impossible, the parties are released from liability for the period of such circumstances.

11.6. In the event of official cancellation of the competition due to force majeure or technical impossibility of its conduct, the Organizer undertakes to notify Participants by email and, if possible, to refund the paid fees or transfer participation to another event.

12.1. This Public Offer Agreement enters into force from the moment of its acceptance by the Participant — that is, from the date of payment of the organizational fee — and is valid until the completion of all stages of the Depo Awards competition, including publication of results and exhibition activities.

12.2. The validity of the agreement terminates automatically after the completion of the competition, except for provisions relating to:

1. copyright and the license (which remain in force for the entire period of use of Depo Awards materials);

2. the Participant's liability for infringement of third-party rights.

12.3. The Participant has the right to withdraw their work from the competition only before the end of the application submission stage. In such a case, the organizational fee is not refundable.

12.4. All disputes, differences, or claims that may arise between the Participant and the Organizer in connection with the performance or interpretation of this Agreement shall be resolved through negotiations. If no agreement is reached — in court in accordance with the current legislation of Estonia.

12.5. Applicable law: this Agreement is governed by the law of the Republic of Estonia, taking into account the requirements of Czech jurisdiction for events held in the territory of the Czech Republic (in particular, in the city of Prague).

12.6. The competent court for dispute resolution is the Tallinn district court (Harju Maakohus), unless otherwise determined by special conditions of Depo Awards or the requirements of international law.

12.7. All official notices and communications between the parties are carried out exclusively in electronic form through the contacts specified by the Participant or the official email address of the Organizer indicated on the website https://depo.place/awards

Depo Place OÜ

Reg. code: 17357640

Sepapaja tn 6, Lasnamäe district, Tallinn, Harju County, 15551, Estonia

+37253683341

hello@depo.place