Review Santa Fe Photo Festival Enters Its 20th Year

A $5,000 project grant and a $5,000 Me&EVE Award for female-identifying photographers are among the many opportunities offered by the world famous portfolio review event currently open for submissions.

A $5,000 project grant and a $5,000 Me&EVE Award for female-identifying photographers are among the many opportunities offered by the world famous portfolio review event currently open for submissions.

One of the oldest portfolio review events in the U.S., the Review Santa Fe Photo Festival enters its 20th year, October 15-18, 2020. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the initiative organised by CENTER has been known to launch many now-famous photographers' careers including Alec Soth (2003), Julie Blackmon (2006), Tamas Dezso (2011), Cristina de Middel (2012) and many others. The portfolio review is conceived indeed to help photo-based storytellers bring their work to completion and have it seen by Industry leaders, editors, curators, and publishers who are portals to broad international audiences. These Santa Fe meetings have expanded the impact of dozens of projects, often growing audiences of a few hundred to thousands, and sometimes millions of viewers.

The program stands out amongst portfolio reviews because it is carefully vetted by renowned jurors, ensuring the quality of the work. Each year a new independent selection committee ranks all of the submissions, with the highest-ranking submissions receiving invitation. Along with the vetted photographers, the annual awards and grants recipients to participate in Review Santa Fe. It is a blind judging process and all different types of lens-based projects are invited to attend including documentary, fine art, black and white, reportage, and interdisciplinary projects.

Along with the carefully selected 100 photographers, the nearly 50 reviewers are also hand-picked due to their ability to offer opportunities. The majority are gallery or museum curators, book publishers, and editors eager to source new clients for their prospective exhibitions and publications. Reviewers from NPR, HuffPost, and Wired magazine have selected photographers from Review Santa Fe and shared their work through their respective platforms. As a result of the connections made at Review Santa Fe, the photo project gains new exposure in the form of book contracts, exhibitions, print purchases, and other career advancement opportunities. In addition to the editors, top curators from the J.Paul Getty Museum, the Smithsonian Museum, and others also attend to meet with the photographers.

CENTER continues New Mexico’s legacy of photographic excellence that began with photography’s quintessential historic figures, including the historically significant images of Timothy O’Sullivan, to one of the most purchased photographs of all time, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico by Ansel Adams. Continuing through to the vital force in the development of modern art in America, Georgia O’Keeffe who resided in New Mexico to notable photographers of our time including Patrick Nagatani and Joel-Peter Witkin. Time and again, New Mexico has proved to be an important place for photography and still remains a top destination for artists and photo lovers alike. Many artists make their homes here and exhibit exciting developments in contemporary practice through shows, publications, events, and open studios. Art enthusiasts’ journey from around the world inspired by New Mexico’s artistic legacy, the sublime quality of light, and the rich authenticity of the state’s culture.

This sense of place is a profound backdrop to the Review Santa Fe Photo Festival. Set against the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe is a UNESCO Creative City that has been named a top art tourist destination by Forbes magazine, Conde Nast Traveler and Eater.com People are coming to the Santa Fe area in record numbers for experiential tourism, as Santa Fe area offers a wealth of culture and international flavor, all within one visit. The Santa Fe experience is immersive and sometimes life-changing, providing visitors the opportunity to learn about the Indigenous American culture, Spanish culture, Chicano culture, and explore ancient pathways to some of the most compelling histories of American roots. Visitors can discover National Monuments, National Historical Parks, famous landmarks, museums, and trading posts. Additionally, active travelers will find a vast array of outdoor adventures including hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, backpacking, fishing, golfing, and off-roading amongst other local experiences. Still thriving today, Santa Fe is a unique destination where many pioneers of photography practice and take residence.

CENTER invites you to join us for Review Santa Fe to explore the vast culture and enhance your photographic practice. To get involved with CENTER, submit to the annual calls for entry, join the membership program, or attend our public events. Applications are accepted from all over the world for the calls for submission to the Review Santa Fe Portfolio Review and Photo Festival, the $5,000 Project Grants, Awards and Exhibitions.

There are six categories currently open. Photographers can apply to one or any combination:

• $5,000 Project Development Grant

• $5,000 Project Launch Grant

• $5,000 Me&EVE Award [welcome to female-identified submissions only]

• Excellence in Multimedia Award

• The Choice Awards

• Review Santa Fe Photo Festival

Discounted Entry Fee Deadline: Jan 30, 2020

Final Submission Deadline: Feb 25, 2020

For more info go to visitcenter.org/call-for-entries/

CENTER is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization with a mission to honor, support and provide opportunities to gifted and committed photographers. For more information visit us online at, VisitCenter.org. For questions please contact us at programs@visitcenter.org

Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico © Ansel Adams, Ansel Adams Gallery
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Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico © Ansel Adams, Ansel Adams Gallery

Review Santa Fe Photo Festival © Matt Suhre
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Review Santa Fe Photo Festival © Matt Suhre

Review Santa Fe Photo Festival © Chris Mortenson
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Review Santa Fe Photo Festival © Chris Mortenson

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