Why Enroll In The PhMuseum Online Masterclasses Program

Running from October 2026 to May 2027, our five Masterclasses foster meaningful exchange within a global community of students.

Established in 2020, the PhMuseum five Online Masterclasses aim to help participants develop and conclude a body of work and establish a sustainable, long-lasting creative practice. Each course caters to a specific field of contemporary image-making: while MEDIAE with Salvatore Vitale focuses on transmedia storytelling, CRITICAE with Aaron Schuman delves in documentary photography, and FOLIO with Vasantha Yogananthan and Cécile Poimbœuf-Koizumi explores photobook-making. CURAE with Erik Kessels is aimed at artistic development, while IDEA with Charlie Engman is centered on conceptual thinking.

To support emerging talent, the program offers one full scholarship per course, providing five participants with the opportunity to attend for free.

With applications for the 2026/27 cycle open until 28 May – and the deadline for fully funded scholarships approaching tonight, 30 April, at 11:59 pm GMT – we’ve highlighted a few reasons why you should consider applying to the program.

1. Access to expertise

Participants have the opportunity to learn directly from renowned practitioners. Aaron Schuman, Charlie Engman, Erik Kessels, Salvatore Vitale, Vasantha Yogananthan and Cécile Poimbœuf-Koizumi are established professionals whose work innovates and challenges contemporary visual narratives.

To grant you industry insight and foster cross-disciplinary exchange, we have also invited expert practitioners to host 10 online studio visits. You will meet artists, curators, designers, editors and art directors and develop a deeper understanding of their production, methodology, and professional roles. Lectures are always followed by an open Q&A, providing space for direct conversation. Studio visits are shared across PhMuseum’s five masterclasses, bringing participants from different programs to meet each other and engage in a broader range of topics.

2. Develop a solid methodology in different fields

Photography is vast and multifaceted, encompassing various genres, media, and approaches. Our Masterclasses Program caters to this diversity by offering a range of courses covering different areas and practices, from research and critical thinking to photobook-making and exhibition design. While CRITICAE explores the relationship between personal and critical methods within documentary photography, CURAE encourages you to take care of your personal identity as a starting point to develop your career trajectory. Through FOLIO, you will get the chance to conclude a body of work and have it ready for publishing in the form of a photobook dummy, while IDEA will guide you in developing new projects that are both conceptually rigorous and visually innovative. Lastly, MEDIAE leads you to work on a transmedia project spanning diverse techniques and languages such as sound, archival images, video, social media platforms, and text.

Taking part in the Masterclasses Program is an investment in the interrogation of your own practice. Over eight months, your work will undergo various cycles. Presenting to the class throughout them will push you to ask new questions and challenge your ideas – a continuous exchange bringing new strength to your critical thinking. Staying consistent during this process will help you navigate phases of uncertainty, structuring a methodology that works for you. This is something you will carry into future bodies of work, and keep developing as your practice grows.

3. Join a growing community

Peer support is a key aspect of artistic development, particularly when working on a new project. Yet, finding a solid network outside of traditional education paths can be difficult, especially if living in locations that aren’t central to the art system. Our masterclasses are meant to fill this gap and provide connection. Every year, participants build relationships that last after the masterclass ends. They have often been organizing meetings outside of the masterclasses' schedule, establishing long-lasting networks of support. This is not only an opportunity to build a safe and inspiring space for creation, but also opens doors to future opportunities. Thanks to the international nature of the program – which has so far welcomed practitioners from all continents – these bonds are also enriched by diverse cultural and aesthetic perspectives.

Participants further keep in touch with the PhMuseum team, accessing our professional network and dissemination opportunities. Events such as the International Photography Festival PhMuseum Days and Publishing Fair Photobook Mania, held annually in Bologna, Italy, are opportunities to meet and consolidate connections in real life.

4. Enjoy a flexible remote program

Designed to accommodate a worldwide audience, the program is built on flexibility. The online format enables practitioners from around the world to participate without the constraints of travel or residency requirements, thereby broadening access to photography education.

Sessions are generally held from 3pm to 6:30pm CET (Rome), which makes them accessible across time zones from different continents. With all meetings recorded and a user-friendly booking system for individual slots, the program is suited for those balancing their practice with professional or travel commitments.

5. Start creating your audience

As you develop your practice, we will guide you in sharing your progress with peers, experts, and the general public.

At the end of the program, you will present your work live on YouTube, reaching to a wide, global audience. Upon the program's conclusion, one or more participants across all five Masterclasses will be selected for a solo or duo exhibition at PhMuseum Lab in Bologna, Italy, scheduled for November 2027. Other than providing a professional stage to present your project locally, the exhibition is an opportunity to work with our curatorial team, and test new dissemination avenues for your project.

A project from all five Masterclasses will be selected for an extensive feature in the upcoming issue of PhMuseum Annual magazine, our new printed publication. Furthermore, all participants’ works will be mentioned in an archival section of the magazine. Being part of the Annual ensures your work reaches the bookshelves of collectors, curators, and photography enthusiasts worldwide, while belonging to a tangible physical record that will last in time.

Additionally, since 2020, many participants have exhibited their work in venues including Photo Elysée, Fotografia Europea, Galerie Fotografic, Photoforum Pasquart, and Circulation(s); published with renowned imprints like Artphilein Editions, Kult Books, Art Paper Editions, Witty Books, Disko Bay, and Setanta Books; and received prestigious awards ranging from Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards to Foam Talent. Every year we reconnect with former participants to see how their work has evolved through exhibitions, publications, performances, and more: you can read about their outcomes and progress in our recent article.

To celebrate the conclusion of this cycle and offer a preview of the projects developed, we invite you to join our Year-End Presentations. Starting today, 30 April, we will host weekly live-streamed sessions on our YouTube channel. Tune in to follow FOLIO on 30 April, MEDIAE on 7 May, IDEA on 14 May, CURAE on 21 May, and CRITICAE on 28 May.

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Discover each program

CRITICAE - Online Masterclass on Documentary Photography with Aaron Schuman
CURAE - Online Masterclass on Artistic Development with Erik Kessels
FOLIO - Online Masterclass on Photobook-Making with Vasantha Yogananthan feat. Cécile Poimbœuf-Koizumi
IDEA - Online Masterclass on Conceptual Thinking with Charlie Engman
MEDIAE - Online Masterclass on Transmedia Storytelling with Salvatore Vitale

Where: Online
When: October 2025 to May 2026
Dedication: 8 Months
Language: English

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How to apply

Now → 28 May: Apply for free

Log in to PhMuseum to submit your personal data, portfolio, and motivational letter. To be considered for a scholarship, ensure you apply by 30 April, and include a paragraph explaining how you’d benefit from it. This deadline also secures the €1,850 Early Bird rate, while applications submitted through 28 May will be charged the regular €2,200 fee.

29 May → 15 July: Wait for notification

Our education team will review each application and start inviting participants on a rolling basis. Please be patient, and keep the status of your application monitored in the dedicated section of your personal profile.

15 June → 31 July: Secure your spot

If selected, you will be notified regarding the specific deadline to pay your deposit. Completing this payment is required to formally secure your spot in the masterclass. Remember to check your spam folder regularly to ensure you don't miss our update.

September: Get ready

Once your participation is confirmed, all that’s left is to prepare for the program. We will share the detailed schedule and further information with you.

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Scholarships and participation fee

Before 30 April – If you apply by this date, you are eligible for the full scholarship. In your motivational letter, explain why you’d be a strong candidate, and how you would benefit from this support.

Before 30 April – If you apply by this date, you can save €350. All applications will be automatically eligible for the Early Bird Fee of €1,850.

Before 28 May – If you apply by this date, you can join the program by paying the Regular Fee of €2,200. Since applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis, early submissions receive priority for seat allocation.

If you are offered a place, PhMuseum is happy to write you a supporting letter when you try to secure any external funding opportunities. In previous editions of our masterclasses program, the candidates' fees were covered thanks to the generous contribution of the IWMF Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists, Mondriaan Fonds, Arts Council Malta, and other programs. Read our guide to 2026 Education Funding for Visual Artists to discover opportunities.