The CENTER Awards recognize outstanding images, singular or part of a series, in three categories: Personal, Social, and Environmental. All submissions will become part of the CENTER archive serving as an ongoing mission-driven fine art and documentary imagery resource.
A broad and inclusive interpretation of the themes is encouraged:
• The Personal Awards recognize work engaging in the exploration, expression, the power of self-representation and/or underrepresented experiences.
• The Social Awards recognize work engaged in social issues. All projects exploring social topics or themes are eligible.
• The Environmental Awards recognize work focusing on the state of the ecological environment. Topics may include but are not limited to, conservation, biodiversity, ecology, climate change, or other issues concerning the natural world. All projects exploring ecological relationships, topics, or themes are eligible.
PACKAGES
– The Personal, Social, and Environmental Awards support one artist each.
• Professional Development Seminars
• Review Santa Fe Admission
• Project Presentation
• Publication in LENSCRATCH
• Inclusion in the CENTER Winners Gallery & Archive
PERSONAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Elizabeth Z. Pineda • Maíz
FROM THE PROJECT STATEMENT: What does someone’s culture, heritage, and identity say about a person? This work began after a recent experience when my personal documents were deemed invalid because they held my married name and not my given name when I was first applying for a passport. I would need a picture ID of me as a child to prove my name and my identity. I was deeply hurt, in shock, and angered. It felt like erasure.
JUROR: Amanda Hajjar • Director of Exhibitions, Fotografiska New York
Amanda Hajjar is the Founding Director of Exhibitions of Fotografiska New York. Hajjar collaborates with world-renowned artists to bring their exhibitions from initial concept to final reality. She has juried numerous awards, most recently the British Journal of Photography’s International Photography Award (2022), the PHMuseum 2022 Women Photographers Grant, and the Leica Women Foto Project Award (2022). Prior to Fotografiska, Hajjar was an Artist Liaison at Gagosian Gallery New York 
where she organized more than 50 exhibitions with artists and their estates. Hajjar graduated with a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and an M.A. from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
SOCIAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Rocky McCorkle • Blazer
FROM THE PROJECT STATEMENT: 800 still frames belong fully to the genre of fiction, with one frame being inspired by a true event. The plot is inspired by the true story of an amateur photographer who was shot dead as he took a picture of his family in 2011 that freeze-framed his killer and killer’s accomplice in the act, synchronously creating a once-in-a-lifetime photo (No 715). The film recontextualizes events that led to and proceeded his unbelievable photograph.
JUROR: Nakyung Han • Deputy Photo Editor, Features, The New York Times
Nakyung is a Deputy Photo Editor for Features and Business with The New York Times.
She started at The New York Times in 2005 where she had picture editing tours of duty on the Business, Culture, Metro, and Science desks.
Previously, she was a photo editor for a variety of magazines, including Fortune, New York Magazine, and Budget Travel, though her roots can be traced to The Village Voice newspaper.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Margeaux Walter • Dont’ Be a Square
FROM THE PROJECT STATEMENT: I am exploring ways to depict a disconnection with the landscape in reference to climate change denial through staged site-specific photography. Thinking about the notion of invisibility in the age of heightened surveillance I have been conceptualizing works centered around how invisibility and denial feed into representations of climate change.
JUROR: Quentin Nardi • Chief Photo Editor, Smithsonian magazine
Quentin Nardi, Chief Photo Editor for the Smithsonian magazine, is a photo editor/director professional with 20 years of national magazine and photo editing experience in both print and digital platforms.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
General Application Guidelines
SUBMIT
• Up to 6 images* from a project, series or can be singular; *additional images are $5 each
• Project statement limited to 325 words
DISCOUNT DEADLINE: February 15, 2023
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15, 2023
FINAL DEADLINE: March 19, 2023
EARLY DISCOUNT APPLICATION FEES: $35 CENTER Member // $45 Non-Members
GENERAL FEES: $45 CENTER Member // $55 Non-Members
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
ELIGIBILITY
All of CENTER’s Calls for Entry opportunities accept submissions from national and international photographers and lens-based artists. Work can have been made at any time and work that has been previously submitted may be re-submitted as we invite new jurors each year.
• APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Submission of more than 6 files requires $5 for each additional file up to 20, applies to the Multimedia, Personal, Social, and Environmental Awards only. Jurors will only review paid-for images and files.
• AWARD REQUIREMENTS: Submit to an individual category or all three CENTER Awards – Personal, Social, and Environmental. One recipient is awarded in each category.
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 support received.
Q: DO YOU “PRE-SCREEN”?
A: No, all work submitted is seen by the jurors only.
Q: WHAT ARE JURORS LOOKING FOR?
A: The jurors are looking for cohesive, compelling bodies of work that are ready for international recognition.
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 but we will let you know if the work advances to the higher rounds of judging.
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 be 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 statement note that this is a collaboration. To ensure a blind jury process, please do not list the group of artists’ names in the project statement. 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 the discounted entry fees and March 19, 2023, for the final 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.
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: MAY I SUBMIT TWO OR MORE BODIES OF WORK?
A: Yes, you can submit more than one portfolio to the same category, however you must pay for an additional entry. This applies to all categories open for submission.
Q: MAY I COMBINE BLACK & WHITE AND COLOR IMAGES INTO ONE BODY OF WORK?
A: Yes, all types of image processes are allowed within each submission.
PROJECT STATEMENTS:
The first sentence of your project statement should include a short synopsis of the project. Statements are limited to 325 words. As our jurying process is blind, please do not include your name, any website links, or emails in your statement.
Q: WHERE DO I UPLOAD MY STATEMENT?
A: You will upload your artist statement within our online application form along with your images.
Q: TO WHICH DIMENSIONS ARE YOU REFERRING TO?
A: The dimensions of the final product that are ready for exhibition. For instance, if you print 20″ x 24″ Cibachrome and are submitting 8″ x 10″ digital prints please indicate the final version of the work.
Q: WHERE CAN I INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS AND MEDIUM OF MY WORK?
A: Please indicate the process and the medium used for your project, series, singular images, or multimedia project in the dedicated section below the project statement. This field is not required to complete, however, it can provide important information about your series that may progress it into the final selection process.
Visit our application FAQ’s & guidelines page for more information. Have additional questions? Contact us directly.
WINNER’S GALLERY
Supporters
