November's Photography Grants and Awards

The second Slideluck Editorial biennial global call, Sony World Photography Awards, and TheDocumentaryProjectFund are among the top opportunities open for entry this November. Learn all about them and how they can support the production and circulation of your work.

The second Slideluck Editorial biennial global call, Sony World Photography Awards, and TheDocumentaryProjectFund are among the top opportunities open for entry this November. Learn all about them and how they can support the production and circulation of your work.

Second Slideluck Editorial Biennial Global Call / Deadline: 11 November / Entry fee: €10

Online photography and multimedia platform, Slideluck Editorial is calling all photographers and storytellers to submit work to their second biennial global call which aims to promote the positive social impact visual stories can have. Members of an international jury will select 10 winners whose projects address the contemporary challenges, issues, and perspectives related to the theme, Love Me Tender. The emphasis will be placed on the inclusion and appreciation of diverse perspectives, different cultural and geographic contexts that can provide an overview of the current situation in the global social, political and cultural arena. The panel this year is comprised of Ângela Ferreira (Artist and Curator), Carol Körting (Photo editor, LFI), Maria Pia Bernardoni (Curator, African Artists’ Foundation), Maria Teresa Salvati (Founder, Slideluck Editorial), Sara Terry (Member of VII Photo Agency), and Verónica Sanchis Bencomo (Founder, Foto-Fèminas).

All 10 winners will be showcased in an international tour of multimedia screenings around festivals including DOCfield Barcelona (Spain), SOLAR Foto Festival (Brazil), and Lagos Photo Festival (Nigeria). Leica Fotografie International will further loan equipment in the form of cameras, lenses, and accessories to two of the selected photographers, and YET Magazine will feature the 10 projects in an online publication. The submission deadline is 11 November and the entry fee is €10 per project. Learn more at contests.picter.com/slideluck-editorial.

Sony World Photography Awards / Deadlines: 30 November - 11 January / No entry fee

© Fredrik Lerneryd, from the series Slum Ballet (2018 Professional Competition winner)

Free to enter and open to all photographers, the Sony World Photography Awards are an influential voice in the photographic industry, offering its winning, shortlisted, and commended photographers exposure to many of the leading names and institutions in the field. The awards are divided into four separate competitions, namely Professional (recognising outstanding bodies of work), Open (awarding single images), Youth (for photographers aged 12 to 19), and Student (aimed at photography students worldwide). At the pinnacle of the Professional contest is the title Photographer of the Year, one of the most distinguished and highly regarded awards in photography. A total prize fund of US$30,000 plus the latest Sony digital imaging equipment will be shared between the winners.

The jury this year features Erin Barnett (Director of Exhibitions and Collections, International Center of Photography), Brendan Embser (Managing Editor, Aperture), Emma Lewis (Assistant Curator, Tate), Isabella van Marle (Head of Exhibitor Relations, Unseen), Mike Trow (Editor and Producer), Rebecca McClelland (Head of Art Production for Saatchi & Saatchi), Jason Baron (Creative Director of Photography, BBC Creative), and Bruno Bayley (Managing Editor, Magnum Photos).

The respective deadlines are: Professional, 11 January; Open and Youth, 4 January; Student, 30 November. Further information about each prize can be found at worldphoto.org.

TheDocumentaryProjectFund / Deadline: 30 November / No entry fee

Founded in 2012, TheDocumentaryProjectFund was established to ensure that photographers who are committed to telling stories in their communities have the backing needed to do so. “We are here to encourage, through project support, photographers who have a community focus and a good story to tell” say the jury. “We believe that still photography, especially the documentary form, can be an incredibly powerful art. We can admire the beauty of each image, be challenged to think about the issues raised and come away with our biases tested” they add.

There are currently grants offered in two categories, specifically the Project Support Grant (US$5,000), open to all photographers in the planning stage of a project, and the Mountain West Regional (US$5,000), available only to photographers from selected regions in the United States. Applicants must provide a project description that details a timeline for completion, intended outcomes, and ways the work could have relevance outside of the documented community.

Selected artists will have one year to complete the project. The application deadline is 30 November. Visit thedocumentaryprojectfund.org to find out more.

British Journal of Photography IPA / Deadline: 20 December / Entry fees: £30 - £45

Running for over a decade, the British Journal of Photography International Photography Award has long established itself as an important entry-point into the photographic community. The contest has been instrumental in launching the careers of some of the world’s most respected contemporary photographers, with winners and shortlistees gaining international industry exposure and the opportunity to be celebrated and acknowledged by key leaders in the field.

The judging panel this year will be looking to award and promote a substantial body of work featuring compelling images that together form a distinct and conceptually unique narrative. The series may be shot in any format or camera model, on film or digital, and contain a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 photographs. The grand prize winner will be awarded a solo show in the renowned contemporary art gallery TJ Boulting, a £5,000 production endowment, a four-page supplement in the British Journal of Photography magazine, and an in person one-to-one portfolio review with a BJP editor.

The closing date for entries is 20 December. Entry fees: one series, £30; two series, £45. To learn more and apply, visit bjpipa.com.

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DEADLINES APPROACHING:

Reuters Photojournalism Grants / Deadline: 15 November / No entry fee

Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news provider, has opened the second edition of its photojournalism grant program that looks to recruit and develop a diverse new generation of visual storytellers. Eight US$5,000 grants will be awarded to passionate photojournalists or students of photojournalism, the aim of which is to support assignments and projects that will advance the recipients’ experience, skills, and ability to tell compelling news stories.

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Wellcome Photography Prize 2019 / Deadline: 17 December / No entry fee

This newly relaunched competition looks to celebrate pictures that show the importance of health in society and the impact health issues have upon people and communities worldwide. Open to documentary and clinical photographers, research scientists, artists, and photojournalists, this award is designed to inspire people to think differently about health and ultimately open conversations about the pressing medical challenges facing humanity today. Recipients of the first prize in each category will be granted a monetary award of £1,250 and one overall winner will take home £15,000.

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Portraits - Hellerau Photography Award / Deadline: 25 November / €50

Moving into its fourth edition, The Hellerau Photography Award this year is calling for photographic works related to the theme, Uncovered. From the classic nude to the outer boundaries of portrait photography, the jury is looking for images dealing with revelations, bare skin, and the unveiled body. The prizes include €8,000 in monetary grants, a six-week residency program at the Hellerau Center for the Arts, and invitations to participate in solo exhibitions in Dresden, Germany.

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Malta International Photo Award / Deadline: 30 November / Entry fee: €10 - €30

The Malta International Photo Award strives to connect the world through visual stories, promoting and financing photographers who are employing different approaches to image-making. Applicants are invited to submit work in five separate categories, namely Cities, Nature, People, Abstract, and Storytelling, and the monetary prizes this year total €45,000.

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Grand Prix Fotofestiwal / Deadline: 2 December / €15

Fotofestiwal, Poland, one of the leading photography events in central Europe, is calling all photographers to submit their projects for exhibitions at its 18th edition next year. The jury is comprised of experts from key photography media and institutions and they are looking to award artists of exceptional personality and bodies of work that showcase innovative ideas.

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Every month we curate a list of what is coming up in the world of photography awards. Aimed at early, mid-career, and professional photographers, this list offers details of the most exciting opportunities. To stay up to date, subscribe to our newsletter by registering your email address in the space at the bottom of this page.

© Griselda San Martin, from the series The Wall (2016 winner)
i

© Griselda San Martin, from the series The Wall (2016 winner)

© Fredrik Lerneryd, from the series Slum Ballet (2018 Professional Competition winner)
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© Fredrik Lerneryd, from the series Slum Ballet (2018 Professional Competition winner)

© Scott Brennan (Project Support Awardee 2018)
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© Scott Brennan (Project Support Awardee 2018)

© Daniel Castro Garcia (2017 winners)
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© Daniel Castro Garcia (2017 winners)

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