Photography News

The Open Society Institute invites photographers and artists to submit a proposal and completed body of work for consideration in the Moving Walls 18 group exhibition.

Moving Walls is an exhibition series that features in-depth and nuanced explorations of human rights and social issues. Thematically linked to OSI's mission, Moving Walls is exhibited at OSI’s offices in New York and Washington, DC and includes seven discrete bodies of work.

Since its inception in 1998, Moving Walls has featured over 100 photographers whose work addresses a variety of social justice and human rights issues that coincide with OSI's mission.

Deadline: Friday, June 11, 2010, 5pm EST (Eastern Standard Time)

Eligibility:

Any emerging or veteran photographer who has completed a body of work on a human rights or social justice issue may apply for Moving Walls. Any genre of photography that is documentary in nature and is not staged or manipulated is accepted. Priority will be given to work that addresses issues and geographic regions of concern to OSI. OSI does not discriminate based on any characteristics that may be protected by applicable law.

Areas of interest:

Please note that photographers are welcome to submit their work for Moving Walls even if their subject area is not included on this list. All work submitted will be considered for exhibition.

• Migration-related issues
• International LGBTQI issues
• Muslim communities in Europe
• Women in post-conflict countries
• Pre-trial detention (international)
• Public health issues in Africa, including access to essential medicines, access to health care, palliative care
• Climate change
• Economic downturn in the United States, including the foreclosure crisis
• Images that reframe mainstream media representations of African American men and boys
• Transgender individuals in the United States
• Detention of immigrants in the United States
• Youth movements, especially political participation

Emerging Photographer Travel Grant:

To support the professional advancement of photographers who have not received much exposure, an additional travel grant will be provided to select Moving Walls photographers to attend the opening in New York and meet with local photo editors and relevant NGO staff.

Recipients must apply for the travel grant after being chosen for inclusion in the Moving Walls exhibition. The grant is subject to the applicant obtaining the necessary visa to the travel to the U.S.

Recipients will be determined based on, among other things, prior international travel experience, prior attendance at workshops and seminars outside their home communities, publication and exhibition history, awards, and potential impact on their professional development.

Payment:

Upon selection, photographers must submit a budget application for printing, drymounting, and other production costs. Once the budget is approved, participants will be responsible for working within this budget and must use OSI-approved labs. OSI will then pay for standard framing and window matting or back-mounting. In addition, selected photographers will receive a $2,000 royalty payment. When the exhibition tour is completed, photographers will receive the framed and matted work. OSI will cover the costs of returning work up to $750 for photographers based in the United States and $1250 internationally. Any shipping costs that exceed these amounts will be the responsibility of the photographer.

OSI will offer travel grants to emerging Moving Walls photographers to attend the opening in New York and meet with local photo editors and NGOs. Applying for this grant is optional. Recipients will be determined at OSI’s discretion.

For more information, please see the Moving Walls guidelines.