Near. Prize 2024

The winner of the Near. Prize will have the opportunity to showcase their work at Verzasca Foto Festival as well as being awarded CHF 1,000 and a free one-year Near. membership.

Overview

With the idea of developing additional support for the association's photographers, Near. organises every year the Near. Prize, an annual award aimed at providing a financial incentive to encourage production and connecting photographers to photography professionals in Switzerland and beyond. All Near. members are invited and encouraged to participate.

Practical Info

One artist will be awarded the opportunity to showcase their work during Verzasca Foto Festival 2024, Switzerland, a CHF 1,000 fee to support their work, and one-year free Near. membership. Participation in the Near. Prize is reserved exclusively for photographers who are members of the association.

Applicants must send a series of 7-15 images, with no limitation regarding the theme, a description of the project in English, French or German (approx. 300 words), and the application form. The jury for the Near. Prize consists of two external experts, consisting of Alfio Tommasini, (Director and Curator of the Verzasca Foto Festival) and Annette Amberg (Director and Curator of Coalmine– Raum für Fotografie).

About Near.

Near. was founded in Lausanne in 2009 and its principal aim is to promote contemporary photography. The association organises activities set around four main objectives: to promote and disseminate the work of Swiss and Swiss-based photographers for established talent as well as young artists; to enable a continuous cultural exchange between regions and among professionals in the field of photography (artists, historians, critics, curators, journalists and editors); to actively contribute to critical thinking on the subject of contemporary photography; and finally, to advertise Swiss photography to a wider audience. Among other things Near. organises exhibitions, screenings, interviews, conferences and gatherings between professionals.