Application Deadline: January 31, 2017, midnight Pacific Time
CatchLight Fellows Announced: April 3, 2017
The inaugural CatchLight Fellowship is $30,000 each to be awarded annually to three (3) creative leaders in the field of visual storytelling, who have demonstrated excellence in the novel use of photography to depict and bring awareness to challenging social issues. The grants will build on work by each of the Fellows with potential to achieve a next level of excellence in visual storytelling, innovation in distribution and measurable social impact.
CatchLight are seeking creative genius: a photographer who works at the highest caliber of artistry, approaches visual and social storytelling with clarity, integrity and purpose, and understands the inherent value of employing other creative disciplines – marketing, technology, communications, etc. – to enhance the impact of their stories.
Each of the three (3) CatchLight Fellowships will be awarded to one person who is recognized for remarkable creative leadership, as demonstrated by both current work and the potential for leveraging social awareness and engagement. We understand that every project will have multiple collaborators, and CatchLight will make every effort to include core collaborators into our celebratory event in the Fall of 2017.
Criteria
- The CatchLight Fellowship recognizes exceptional talent, as demonstrated in previous work, that can be directed towards critical social issues in ways that promote engagement, awareness and impact.
- There are no issues or methodology that CatchLight prioritizes over another; we are looking for new ways to reach audiences and engage them on issues both local and global that are important today.
- The fellows will have chosen their own themes and issues, and propose unique and compelling ways of creation and distribution.
Community
As a core program of CatchLight, the intention of the CatchLight Fellowship is to activate a vibrant community of creative thought leaders and storytellers, whose work will be progressively informed and enhanced by interaction with one another. Each year, a new cohort of Fellows will be chosen, and encouraged to attend our November celebration weekend as presenter, mentor and inspiration to each other and the community as a whole. A CatchLight Fellowship is awarded for life.
Rules and Guidelines
Applicants must submit one (1) application for themselves only
Applicants may submit photographs or other visual formats such as audio, motion or VR.
Requirements
• Applicants will submit 20-25 still images, or 15 minutes or less of audio/motion or VR from a previous piece of work. Images will be 72DPI, 1200 longest edge.
• One (1) proposal of no more than 750 words outlining:
The work to be pursued in the course of the 12-month Fellowship, how it builds on past work, and the relevance of this Fellowship in furthering the production and reach of the work. CatchLight may grant exceptions to the timeline where warranted.
Why this work exemplifies innovative distribution to engage audiences in new and different ways.
How this work demonstrates measurable social awareness and engagement.
• One (1) proposal of 500 words or less outlining suggested partnership collaboration and distribution plan.
• Three (3) professional references with contact information.
• Adherence to the ethical standards of participating partners.
• Personal contact information, portfolio links, CV.
If the applicant finds these conditions inappropriate for the nature of the work please contact CatchLight directly for advice on how to make a successful application.
Winners Announced
Winners will be contacted in mid-March 2017; the CatchLight Fellowship will be formally announced on April 3, 2017.
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