CENTER sponsors documentary projects that educate the public about critical environmental and social issues and is primarily interested in work that is educational in nature. We will consider proposals of any geographic scope involving the photographic and motion picture mediums.
As a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status, CENTER is eligible to receive grants and tax-deductible contributions from private foundations, individuals, or other entities. This Fiscal Sponsorship does not include direct project funding or grants.
General Application Guidelines
SUBMIT
• Project Proposal PDF – 2 pages or less
• Your Resume – including physical address, phone number, and email.
• Proposed Project Schedule
• Proposed Budget – can include a line item for your pay
• Sources – a list of funders you plan to approach
• References – (3) with email address and phone number
• Up to 20 images and/or videos from a recent body of work
DISCOUNT DEADLINE: February 15, 2023
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 15, 2023
FINAL DEADLINE: March 19, 2023
EARLY BIRD APPLICATION FEE: $60 CENTER Members // $70 Non-Member
GENERAL FEE: $70 CENTER Members // $80 Non-Member
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
ELIGIBILITY
All of CENTER’s Calls for Entry opportunities accept submissions from national and international photographers and lens-based artists. Work submitted to the Blue Earth: Sponsorship needs to be a current project, and work that has been previously submitted may be re-submitted each year.
• APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Submissions that do not include all requested documents and content, or include your contact information in the resume will not be considered.
• RECIPIENT REQUIREMENTS: CENTER requires all sponsored artists, to within 30-days, secure general liability insurance. Please note, CENTER will help facilitate this.
CRITERIA & THE JURY PROCESS
Q: WHAT ARE THE SELECTION CRITERIA?
A: 1) Projects, as well as all submitted text, should be examples of excellence within the discipline, both visually and conceptually.
2) The award winners should be at a place in their work and career where they can benefit from the exposure, networks, and opportunities that CENTER offers.
3) The photographer must be committed and able to ensure the advancement of the project with the grant funds and support received.
Q: DO YOU “PRE-SCREEN”?
A: No, all work submitted is seen by the jurors only.
Q: WHAT IS THE SELECTION COMMITTEE LOOKING FOR?
A: The Selection Committee is looking for cohesive, compelling bodies of work that are ready for international recognition.
Projects should: Meet the CENTER mission; explain the educational component of the project; show very high-quality writing and production values; propose an achievable project in scope and cost; include a thorough budget.
Projects should not: Seek direct funding from CENTER; Primarily be a means to acquire new photographic equipment; Have connections with a more appropriate 501(c)3 organizations; Be pseudo-scientific in nature.
Q: WILL I RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE WORK?
A: Due to the number of submissions the committee is unable to provide specific feedback at this time.
Q: MAY I SEND MY BOOK, POSTER, EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT, ETC.?
A: Websites, prints, books, posters, announcements, and other physical/emailed materials sent to us will are not reviewed for submission. You must submit your work within the online submission portal for your work to be reviewed by the categories juror.
Q: CAN WE APPLY AS A DUO OR GROUP?
A: Yes, please use one artist’s name and information on the application, and in your project summary note that this is a collaboration and include all names. Please note that winners will receive one slot at Review Santa Fe, so the group would sit together in front of each reviewer.
APPLICATION FAQs
Q: WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?
A: February 15, 2023 for discounted entry fees and March 19, 2023 for the final submission deadline.
Q: WHERE DO I APPLY?
A: You will apply within our online submission system that is sent to you via email once your payment has been processed.
Q: WHAT ARE THE FILE REQUIREMENTS?
A: All images and files must be uploaded through our online submission system. We accept JPG, PDF, TIFF & PNG files for all application categories. JPGs must be sized at 1400 pixels on the longest side with a 125 maximum dpi. Keep any TIFF or PDF documents under 5MB. Additional accepted file types for only the Multimedia Award, Review Santa Fe, and Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship include MP3, Mp4, and MOV. Video and Audio files should be under 3 minutes and limited to 200 MB each. Video files should be hosted on Vimeo, Youtube, or a similar service. If they are password protected, be sure to include credentials for the jury.
Q: HOW SHOULD I LABEL MY FILES?
A: To successfully order files during upload, we suggest you rename files before uploading them as they are uploaded and organized in alpha order. Begin the filename with a lower-case alphabetical letter and include the title in the filename after the letter and underscore [ex: a_Title.jpg, b_Title.jpg].
Q: WHERE DO I ADD THE IMAGE OR VIDEO FILE CAPTION?
A: Once you have uploaded each file, a text box will appear under each uploaded file. Please use this box to enter any caption, copyright, quote, or location information, instead of using the project statement field. The caption field does not have a limit.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE APPLYING
• Before sending in your proposal, please make sure you understand that the CENTER 501(c)3 Fiscal Sponsorship is a tax status that can be used to approach U.S. companies, foundations and private individuals for tax-deductible donations. Ordinarily, this tax status will NOT be useful in seeking funding from sources outside the United States.
• Photographers, lens-based artists, and filmmakers are primarily responsible for developing funding requests for the project. Receiving the Fiscal Sponsorship does not eliminate the substantial amount of work required on your part to secure grants and donations to fund the project.
• All requests for funds under the organization’s name are subject to CENTER approval and are made on behalf of CENTER, which will administer the funds and, after deducting a 10% administration fee, distribute those funds to the project as it progresses. This information will be covered in detail once the project is accepted.
• Accepted project photographers, lens-based artists, and filmmakers are required to sign a Fiscal Sponsorship contract and report to CENTER on a regular basis.
• CENTER seeks a diverse project portfolio and, as a result, not all worthy projects can be accepted. CENTER may not be able to provide an applicant feedback from the selection panel about their project proposal seeking sponsorship. The Blue Earth Council Members and project portfolio varies somewhat each review round and applicants are encouraged to apply when eligible. If your project falls within the CENTER mission statement, we can review your project again in a subsequent submission round.
QUESTIONS?
Visit our application FAQ’s & guidelines page for more information. Have additional questions? Contact us directly.
