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The IdeasTap and Magnum Photographic Award 2014 

May 14, 2014 
images courtesy of alumni winners Marco Kessler, Maria Gruzdeva, Roman Sakovich, Pierfrancesco Celada and Alice Myers.

The fourth annual IdeasTap Photographic Award is now open – and this year, for the first time, it is open to all photographers aged 16+ worldwide.

The IdeasTap and Magnum Photographic Award is aimed at identifying, showcasing and celebrating documentary photographers. Run in partnership with Magnum Photos, it’s the ultimate competition for emerging photographers – with prizes including £5,000 cash, £1,500 project funding, mentoring from Magnum photographers and the chance to work at Magnum’s offices in London or New York.

For more information or to apply visit: <a href="http://www.ideastap.com/photographicaward" target="_blank">http://www.ideastap.com/photographicaward</a>.
The deadline for entries is 17 July 2014.

Award categories and prizes

The Photographic Award has three overall winners (one from each category), but also offers opportunities to 18 shortlisted image-makers (six from each category). All 18 shortlisted applicants receive a mentoring session with a Magnum photographer and over six weeks, they are encouraged to enhance and develop their projects. Their photographs are framed and included in an exhibition in the autumn.

At the exhibition, nine finalists are selected by a panel of leading photographic experts; three from each category. The six finalists each receive £1,500 to shoot their dream project and receive a second mentoring session with an industry focus. Finally, a winner is picked from each category. The overall winners of the Award each receive £5,000 and paid internship placements with Magnum in London or New York.

Award history

IdeasTap has been working with Magnum Photos on this groundbreaking fund for the past four years, supporting talented emerging photographers to take their careers to the next level. The award has developed and expanded with each year, in response to feedback from the photographic community. We’ve introduced a 31+ age category and for the first time this year, an international category – opening the opportunity up to more photographers than ever before.

Our support for the winners doesn’t end with the final £5,000, however – we continue to invest in them for the next three years, exhibiting their work and offering them access to mentors from the professional world.
The result is a truly unique and long term photographic exchange.

Previous Winners

Pierfrancesco Celada won the award in 2010 for his work on Japanese global megacities, Japan, I wish I knew your name. The 2011 winners were Maria Gruzdeva (16-22 age category) and Roman Sakovich (23-30 category). Maria’s project looked at life in Russia’s border territories, while Roman focused on post-Soviet architecture in Lithuania.

Most recently, in 2012, Marco Kesseler and Alice Myers took the prizes in the younger and older categories respectively. Marco’s project explored the political situation in Belarus and Alice’s was a personal take on the status of asylum seekers in Calais.

The winners of the 2013 award will be announced on Thursday 22 May 2014.


Contact: Amy Douthett from IdeasTap on amy@ideastap.com or 020 7036 9096.

IdeasTap is an arts charity that helps creative people get to where they want to be. We work with leading arts organisations to create industry opportunities for our members as well as access to funding, competitions, arts jobs, training and advice. Since launching in December 2008, IdeasTap has awarded more than £1.5 million worth of direct funding and accompanying expert mentoring to emerging artists. Its membership currently stands at 140,000+ and its partners include BFI, Magnum Photos, Mother London, The National Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre and Sky Arts.

<a href="http://www.ideastap.com" target="_blank">IdeasTap</a>