The Chico Review - Photobook Retreat and Publishing Prize 2026

Organized by Charcoal Book Club, The Chico Review is a Photobook Retreat that takes place over six nights at Chico Hot Springs Resort, near Livingston Montana, USA.

Overview

Eighty applicants will be selected by their jury and invited to spend the week with over twenty-five of the most influential and creative photographers, book makers, gallerists, museum curators, and photobook publishers in the industry. One full tuition scholarship, two half tuition scholarships, and five partial tuition scholarships will be awarded. Student discounts and need-based scholarships will be available to those selected who qualify.

Attending artists receive ten formal reviews by speakers and reviewers and take part in artist lectures, panel discussions, peer reviews, Q&A sessions, and additional evening programming over the seven day event.

At the end of the event, one grand prize recipient will be awarded the Charcoal Publishing Prize. The winning project will be published and distributed worldwide by Charcoal Book Club, the first book-of-the-month club dedicated exclusively to photobooks.

Practical Info

The Charcoal Publishing Prize will be awarded to one attending photographer. The selected project will be published and distributed worldwide by Charcoal Book Club. One full tuition scholarship ($5,450), two half tuition scholarships ($2,675), and three partial tuition scholarships ($1,500) to the Chico Review will be awarded to nine accepted attendees. Scholarships are awarded based on the quality of submitted projects. Plus, eighty total photographers will be invited to travel to take part in this juried photobook retreat. These attendees are chosen by our jury based on the merit of their submitted project.

Speakers include Matt Black, Janet Delaney, Jonathan Levitt, Carolyn Drake, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Claudine Doury, Larry Towell, and Pia Paulina Guilmoth. Among the reviewers are Daniel Arnold, Mike Brodie, Tim Carpenter, Joshua Chuang, Gianluca and Gianmarco Gamberini, Matthew Genitempo, Misha Kominek, Grzegorz Kosmala, Shana Lopes, Christopher McCall, Paul Moakley, Ahndraya Parlato, Christian Patterson, Bryan Schutmaat, Stuart Smith, Clint Woodside, Brad Zellar, and Ray Meeks.

The jury is composed of Tony Cederteg, Alejandro Cartagena, João Linneu, Reginald Moore, Aron Morel, Myrto Steirou, and Miwa Susuda.

About Charcoal Book Club

Charcoal Book Club is a photobook subscription service based in the United States.