HIPA is an internationally renowned photography award. It was launched in 2011 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. The award is a major contributor to Dubai’s drive of artistic and cultural excellence and aspirations to transform it into a regional hub for photography. With an overall prize pool of $389,000 the grand prize of US$ 120,000 has seen an increase of US $20,000 from last season. This season’s award is set to boast the largest prize money of any photography competition anywhere in the world. On a local level, the award hopes to develop and increase awareness of the art of photography amongst young Emiratis.