7 Reasons to Apply to the PHmuseum 2019 Photography Grant

Every year we reflect upon the most meaningful ways to support photographers and ensure our annual Grant is worth the entry fee. These are seven of them.

Every year we reflect upon the most meaningful ways to support photographers and ensure our annual Grant is worth the entry fee. These are seven of them.

The PHmuseum Photography Grant is an annual initiative that recognises the importance of photography and visual storytelling. Over the years it has grown into a leading photography prize. These are some of the most relevant reasons for which you should consider applying this year.

I. RELIABILITY / There are many awards and opportunities out there, yet how many are serious and meaningful for your career? Now in its 7th edition, our annual Grant has built a strong reputation year after year, thanks to several key factors: the judges with whom we have collaborated, including Kathy Ryan, Martin Parr, Sarah Leen, and Roger Ballen; the organisations and festivals we have partnered with, among which are World Press Photo, Cortona On The Move, and Vogue Italia; the photographers who applied and were winners in the previous editions such as Diana Markosian, Max Pinckers, Poulomi Basu, Tomas van Houtryve, and Jacob Aue Sobol; and the curatorship that characterises our platform. It's an overall track record that showcases the quality and reliability of our initiative.

II. MEANINGFUL PRIZES / Four winners will share a cash prize pool totalling £15,000. There is the opportunity to have a solo show at PhEST - a fast growing international festival by the sea. There are four free sessions and a 4-hour consultancy from the PHmuseum Education program. There is the chance to attend a workshop at leading festival, Cortona On The Move. All the finalists (up to 35 photographers) will be showcased at festivals in Italy, Malaysia, and India - with others possibly to be announced in the coming months. Three photographers will also be featured on World Press Photo's Witness and on their Instagram page that boasts 1 million followers. Long story short, a wide and complete range of initiatives to support your work and formation, with more than 40 applicants who will benefit from them.

III. WORK ON YOUR WORK / Our Grant is a great occasion to showcase your projects before a jury comprising leading professionals in our industry. Moreover, the curatorial teams of two international photography festivals - PhEST and Cortona On The Move - will browse all the submissions to assign their respective prizes. Take this opportunity to see where your work stands, give life to a strong edit meant for the prize (up to 20 photos, with at least four taken after January 2016), write a good essay, get feedback from friends and colleagues. It's that period of the year where it is good to invest time to keep working on the way you present your work and reflect on possible developments. If you need a hand, you can book a live session with our mentors.

IV. ENTER OUR NETWORK / PHmuseum is an international hub where many photo editors, curators, and gallerists land every week to discover new projects and talents. At the moment of writing new articles, featuring new work, and sharing it, we always have in mind the latest call's entries. This grant is indeed a great vehicle for us to discover new projects and recommend them to those colleagues who might, for example, be searching for photographers with certain characteristics for an assignment; or for works on certain subjects to be published in magazines or showcased at a festival. Over the years we have seen many photographers benefiting from these "collateral" opportunities.

V. VALIDATION / This year's jury comprises MaryAnne Golon, the Director of Photography of the Washington Post; Louise Fedotov-Clements, Artistic Director of QUAD and Director of FORMAT International Photography Festival; Max Pinckers, one of the most recognised photographers of his generation and winner of the 2014 edition; and Thyago Nogueira, Head of the Contemporary Photography Department at Instituto Moreira Salles - one of the most important institutions in Brazil - and editor of ZUM magazine. Being awarded a prize by such a panel, who have many years of experience combined, will represent a strong recognition of your work. Many colleagues will give it the proper attention, and it will also be great motivation to move forward with your personal photographic vision.

VI. INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE / Even if the main prizes are assigned by our international jury, we review all the applications to select the work we feature on our channels. Every year more than 400 photographers are indeed featured on our Instagram and Facebook accounts. Even in these days, we are posting selected submissions from the current call. At the same time, we review or publish the work of 120 photographers a year in our News section, and invite more than 60 visual storytellers to present their projects in our online exhibitions. With 300,000 visitors annually and around 110,000 people who follow us on social media, we constantly give exposure to the photographers who are part of PHmuseum and support them in sharing their work with our international audience.

VII. SUPPORT PHMUSEUM / We are an independent organisation that has been growing organically year after year, mostly thanks to those photographers who have trusted our grants and education programs. We indeed reinvest around 70% of the entry fees in developing our team and platform. When you apply, you participate in the improvement of our free services, while granting us the opportunity to self-finance ourselves without turning to sponsors or investors. Something very important to preserve the integrity and independence of our voice.

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The PHmuseum Photography Grant is an annual initiative that recognises the importance of photography and visual storytelling. To participate, you are invited to submit one or more projects centered around a specific theme, narrative or concept. All approaches are welcomed, from classic narratives to innovative and experimental projects. Learn more and present your work at phmuseum.com/grant

© Antone Dolezal from Part of Fortune and Part Of Sprit, Shortlisted Project, PHmuseum 2018 Photography Grant
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© Antone Dolezal from Part of Fortune and Part Of Sprit, Shortlisted Project, PHmuseum 2018 Photography Grant

© Matjaz Krivic from Lithium The Driving Force Of The 21st Century, Shortlisted Project, PHmuseum 2018 Photography Grant
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© Matjaz Krivic from Lithium The Driving Force Of The 21st Century, Shortlisted Project, PHmuseum 2018 Photography Grant

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