A Photography Fellowship to safeguard democracy.

photo by Kris Graves

Our inaugural Amplifier Fellows class will focus on threats to democratic institutions in the United States as democracy and voter rights are under attack in the run-up to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. The first class of Fellows includes three photographers and photo-based artists, each awarded $20,000. We will add to this core group as fundraising progresses in 2024 to launch rapid response grants and assignments throughout the year.

L to R: Dorthea Lange, Barbara Kruger, Alex Kent

Why Photography?

Photography and democracy share a dynamic relationship, converging in transformative ways, shaping societal attitudes, challenging injustices, and informing political action. This fellowship embodies our commitment to this enduring connection and its future development. 

We recall the iconic works of photojournalists who used their lenses to unveil the raw, unfiltered truths of our world. From Dorothea Lange's haunting images of the Japanese internment camps during World War II, to Spider Martin’s iconic coverage of the struggle for voting rights in the American South, to the unsettling scenes of The Insurrection in our present era, photography has challenged and exposed threats to democratic principles, fueling movements for accountability and reform. These potent images do more than document history; they shape it.

Parallel to this, conceptual photo-based artists made significant contributions, boldly critiquing societal norms, power structures, and injustices. Barbara Kruger’s striking works dissect the intersections of power, control, and gender. Hank Willis Thomas's explorations of racial identity  address the continuous battle for equality and offer a critique of systemic barriers.  Artists like Shepard Fairey weave photography into their works. Their political and societal commentaries echo the necessity for vigilance and active participation to uphold the integrity of our democratic processes. 

Now, we seek more photographers, photo archivists, and photo-based artists who will stand on the shoulders of these giants, using their creative tools to shed light on the current challenges faced by our democracy.

The Fellows

  • Each fellow will receive a $20,000 grant, and will have access to quarterly symposiums and talks related to the fellowship's annual theme. Fellows will work with mentors and fellowship staff to devise dissemination strategies for their completed projects, leveraging Amplifier's connections to existing mainstream print and digital media and its track record of successful "distribution hacks" that move vital messages into new spaces.

  • On November 8th, 2023, a link will appear on this page that will allow you to upload your submission. Applications will close December 31st, 2023. Your application must include the items listed below. There is no entry fee.

    Our Advisors and Partners listed on the website will select the 3 fellows in the first weeks of January.

  • WRITTEN ELEMENTS:

    1. SYNOPSIS / SUMMARY

    A paragraph (3-5 sentences) that summarizes your project or gives a general overview of the work you are proposing to do. Reading this should give someone a complete understanding of and context for images they’ll be seeing in your submission. Think of this as your elevator pitch for the project.

    2. PROPOSAL

    A longer project description of up to 500 words about your entry or proposal. We suggest starting your proposal by clearly stating what the project is about, then explaining why that is important, if you've already started it, if there are already any partner orgs involved or supporting and what real world outcomes you want to see result from the work.

    3. WEBSITE LINK

    This should show past bodies of work, bio, etc.

    VISUAL PROPOSAL ELEMENTS:

    4: UP TO 10 PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS

    Submit a body of work consisting of up to 10 photographs and/or concept drawings. If you submit photos that are not related to your proposal, please explain their relevance to your proposed project. If you have only concept drawings or mockups we will be basing acceptance on past bodies of work, which should show the level of execution expected.

    IMAGE PREPARATION

    Image files MUST be named Lastname_FirstName_file number.jpg or we will not be able to sort them. Example of 3 files from Aaron Huey:

    Huey_Aaron_001.jpg

    Huey_Aaron_002.jpg

    Huey_Aaron_003.jpg

    Digital photo files must be formatted as JPEG images at a min of 2000 pixels for the longest dimension. Each image should have a caption in the file’s metadata caption field. VIdeo files should be under 100MB or a link.

    Applicants will submit a folder labeled Lastname_Firstname in the application form.

  • If your proposed body of work is reportage meant to reflect reality, then it must follow the ethical standards set forth by news organizations and press photographer organizations around the world: Images may not be altered to change the structural integrity of photographed scenes unless they are clearly illustrative in nature. Toning of images — saturation, contrast, vignetting, dynamic range, etc. — must be within reasonable limits, as determined by the judges. We reserve the right to request raw files or untoned .jpg files of submitted images from entrants selected as finalists, if any images are in doubt. If you cannot provide raw or untoned files, you might be ineligible to receive a Fellowship.

    For photo-based artists and photo illustrators: while this kind of work is not traditionally held to the standards of photojournalism, we do expect projects to reflect reality, and to promote truth.

  • From January 2024 to January 2025 we will host online meetups for the fellows quarterly so that we can hear from leaders and partner organizations working on these issues to gain insights into the problems and solutions for attacks on democracy. During these online sessions we will have time to talk with each other about our ideas and share progress, creating space for possible collaborations. This will not be a series of one-way lectures.

    Fellows are required to submit high-resolution images documenting their project's progress on a quarterly basis. These updates need not showcase finished works; they're designed to facilitate discussion around the core issues. We'll also collaborate with Fellows to engage writers, record conversations, and share visuals that emerge from these check-ins.

    SUMMARY:

    -Participate in quarterly check-ins. Each fellow will share progress on their body of work and meet with mentors.

    -Quarterly publication. Fellows will publicly share progress on their body of work. Formats can include blog posts, video interviews, IG lives, etc.

    -One complete body of work submitted by February 2025 with short written analysis of project and process (to be published).