Mardi 19 Avril 2016 12:07:14 par Annabelle Lafeuil dans Concours

More than $1 million awarded since inception, Memorial Fund presents $30,000 grants and $5,000 fellowships to photographers in the spirit of W. Eugene Smith’s humanistic approach to storytelling.

The W. Eugene Smith Fund announces it is now accepting applications for its 37th annual Grant in Humanistic Photography. Since presenting its first grant in 1980, the Fund has awarded more than one million dollars to photographers whose works, in the tradition of Eugene Smith, have been exemplary. Photographers interested in learning more about the $30,000 grant and in submitting an application should visit SmithFund.org. Applications will be accepted through May 31, 2016.

About The Smith Fund Grant
The grant is presented annually by The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund to photographers whose work is judged by a panel of experts to be in the best tradition of the compassionate dedication exhibited by W. Eugene Smith during his 45-year career in photojournalism. The grant, which honors the legendary photo-essayist, enables recipients to undertake and complete worthy photojournalistic and documentary projects.

“We continue to be amazed and inspired by the exceptional work that is submitted year after year from all over the world,” explains Lauren Wendle, president of the Fund’s Board of Trustees. “The 2015 recipient, Matt Black, is only the most recent example of the high level of excellence we are presented with each year.”

The recipient of the 2016 Smith Award will receive a $30,000 grant to complete a current or future documentary project. In addition, one or more Fellowships totaling $5,000 will be given to photographers.

Each year, the Board of Trustees appoints a three-member international jury that meets twice during the adjudication process. Finalists are selected on the merit of the substantive, photographic, and intellectual merits of their project. They are then asked to submit a comprehensive print or electronic portfolio, and write, if necessary, a more detailed and focused proposal or answer questions by the jury regarding their project. The Grant and Fellowship recipients are chosen on the basis on these submissions.

The 20th Annual Howard Chapnick Grant
The Smith Fund also announced it will begin accepting applications for the annual Howard Chapnick Grant as of June 1st through July 15th, 2016. The grant is presented to an individual for his or her leadership in any field ancillary to photojournalism, such as picture editing, research, education and management. It was established in 1996 to honor the memory of Howard Chapnick who led the Black Star photo agency, and to acknowledge his enormous contribution to photography. The annual $5,000 grant may be used by the recipient to finance a range of qualified undertakings, which might include a program of further education, special research, a long-term sabbatical project, or an internship to work with a noteworthy group or individual. This grant is not for the creation or production of photographs.

The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund is supported by generous contributions from The Incite Project, Canon USA and Swann Auction Galleries. Additional support is provided by Photo District News, International Center of Photography (ICP), School of Visual Arts (SVA) BFA Photography, MFA Photography, Video and Related Media departments, Media Storm, Synergy Communications, and Aperture.

“Awarding these grants each year is made possible through industry-wide support and by private donors,” Lauren Wendle explains. “As it is important that we continue the funding which allows these photographers to share their stories with the world, we invite any who are philanthropically minded and share our interest in this special form of photography, to contact us. The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund is a not-for-profit corporation qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Smith Fund are tax- deductible.”