Capture the Cache Exhibition is an annual exhibition designed to highlight the beauty, culture, and heritage of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area. Photographers of all levels are invited to submit their best images, capturing the essence of the Cache NHA. Share your vision of the heritage area for the opportunity to be a part of the exhibition. Selected works will be on display throughout June at Visit Fort Collins. Following its June showing, the exhibition will travel to Windsor for the month of July, where it will be on display at the Art & Heritage Center.

Eligibility 

Submission is open to any amateur or professional photographer. Photographers must be at least 16 years of age to participate. The exhibition is open to residents and visitors alike. Cache NHA employees, board members, judges, and their immediate families are not eligible to participate.

Exhibition Categories - The exhibition features three categories that change each year.

• Black & White — Show us the world through light, shadow, texture, and contrast. This category celebrates images that communicate mood and emotion without the use of color. Your photograph might capture the striking landscape, a quiet detail, or a dramatic play of light and shadow within the heritage area. Let your composition, perspective, and creativity tell the story.
• The River — Capture the character, movement, and beauty of the Poudre River. Your photograph might highlight wildlife, flowing water, reflections, people enjoying the river, or the ways the Poudre connects to the surrounding landscape. Celebrate the river as a place of discovery, inspiration, connection, and life. 
• Your Happy Place (in the NHA) — Share a photograph of a place that brings you joy, peace, or a sense of belonging. It could be a favorite outdoor spot, a meaningful gathering place, a quiet corner where you feel most at home. Help us see what makes the National Heritage Area special to you.

Photography Guidelines

• Photos must align with one of the above categories. 
• Photos must be taken within the 45-mile Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, and surrounding regions including Fort Collins, Timnath, Windsor and Greeley.
• If you’re unsure whether your location qualifies, contact Rylyn Todd at rtodd@poudreheritage.org. 
• Photographs must be submitted digitally.
• Images can be in color or black and white. 
• Images must be a minimum resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch) and no smaller than 3072 x 2304 pixels (or 10.24 x 7.68 inches). 
• Images must be submitted as JPG or PNG (at highest quality). 
• Photographers working with drones must follow applicable local ordinances and FFA guidelines. 
• If your photograph includes a recognizable person under 18, a signed model release by the subject’s parent or legal guardian is required with submission.

Submission Specifications 

• Submissions must be made digitally through the designated submission platform by the deadline.
• Each submission’s file name must be formatted as: FirstName_LastName_Category_SubmissionNumber
• o For Example: Jane_Smith_History_1
• Each submission must be accompanied by
• o Photographer’s name
• o Location of photograph
• o A title for the photograph
• Each photographer may submit up to three pieces per category for consideration. Maximum entry is nine submissions per photographer. All pieces must be submitted to one Entry Form. 

Submission Deadline: Monday, March 15 at 11:59 pm

Submission Fee: There is no submission fee. The exhibition is free to enter.

Exhibition Selection Process

Capture the Cache is a juried exhibition. Cache NHA will select photographs for inclusion in the exhibition at its discretion. Submission does not guarantee selection for the exhibition.

A panel of jurors will select first, second, and third place in each category, as well as an overall Best of Show. Awards will be presented in the form of a ribbon and/or certificate. All award decisions are final.

Selected photographs will be displayed in a month-long exhibition at Visit Fort Collins in Old Town and featured in an online gallery on the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area website.

Commission: Photographers will receive a $25 commission for each image selected for the exhibition.

Notification of Acceptance: Photographers whose work is selected will be notified by email after submissions close.

Terms

Each photographer will retain all rights to any image submitted – including ownership if applicable – other than those rights licensed in the next sentence. By entering the contest, each photographer hereby grants the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (i) a nonexclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free license to reproduce, sell productions, distribute, publicly display the images submitted to the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area’s Capture the Cache competition and (ii) the right to use the photographer’s name, city and state of residence in promotions and other publications. The winning images with appropriate credit will appear on the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area’s website, social media channels and upcoming printed materials. 

Photos containing recognizable people/faces of individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a release form (found under Photo Release) signed by the subject or parent or legal guardian. 

Submission to this call for entry constitutes acceptance of all the requirements and terms outlined above.

Participation Notice: Submission into this contest does not guarantee selection for the exhibition. The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area retains the right to reject or accept submissions.

Participation Notice: Submissions that do not follow these requirements may be rejected.

Community Projects- Our goal is to honor the history and culture of the Cache la Poudre River and its people. The Community Projects program supports the preservation, interpretation, and development of the heritage area resources. The community projects grant guidelines can be found here.
The project must:
 

•  preserve, interpret, or develop historical and/or cultural assets within/for the heritage area
•  be aligned with one or more interpretive themes identified below
•  secure at least equal contribution for the project from nonfederal sources
•  be for public benefit
•  be available for use and/or distribution by Cache NHA at the conclusion of the project (Interpretation & Development projects)

Original Themes:

1. Settlement in the Cache la Poudre river basin highlighted tensions over use of water

2. Water laws, institutions, and allocation methods influenced the development of the American West

3. Innovative irrigation techniques for diverting, delivering, and measuring water still endure

4. Debates over the appropriate use of the Poudre River's water continue today

New Interpretive Themes

1. Homelands: Northern Colorado is the ancestral homeland of the Ute and later the Arapaho people, as well as other historic tribes such as the Cheyene, Comanche, Apache, and Kiowa. Indigenous understanding of the environment and of native plants and animals offers a different way of knowing the Poudre. 

2. Ancient Voices: People have been drawn to the life-sustaining waters of the river for over 12,000 years. Before it was known as the Poudre, Paleoindians and Folsom people called this river basin home. The Kaplan-Hoover Bison Kill Site - one of the largest bison kill sites ever found - provides a compelling local story. 

3. New Roots: Germans, Russians, Hispanics, African Americans and others settled in the Poudre River basin to farm or work in the sugar beet factories and fields, establishing communities and bringing new cultural and religious traditions.

4. Following the Water: Fur trappers and traders, including diverse people of many cultures who traveled with them, hunted beaver and game animals along the Poudre’s banks, leaving behind their multicultural stories and legacy.

5. Rethinking Colorado Water Law: Early disagreements over the Poudre River led to the establishment of Western water law and the notion of “First in Time, First in Right.” As demand on the Poudre increases—combined with a hotter, drier climate—it is time to rethink this historical precedent.

6. Collaboration & Compromise: Water from the Poudre ends up in Northern Colorado’s taps, produce, beer, and more. Animals, plants, and competing interests share the river today. In addition to agricultural and industrial use, the Poudre offers a place of recreation, reflection, and observation. Collaboration and compromise ensure the Poudre’s health and a sustainable quality of life and future for Northern Colorado.

7: River of Life: Colorado’s rivers comprise less than 2% of the state’s ecosystems but the majority of Colorado’s birds, fish and wildlife depend on riparian habitat. The Poudre River watershed is key to the ecological health of Northern Colorado and is critical for biodiversity.

Letter of Intent
 All applicants are required to submit a Letter of Intent through the application portal prior to completing a full application so Cache NHA can learn more about your proposed projects.  Staff may request a meeting to learn more about your proposed project or provide additional guidance for the application. Projects are subject to decline at this step in the processes or may go on hold until additional funding can be secured. Proposed projects that move beyond the letter of intent stage will be sent the full application for completion.