© Cody Cobb
Calls for Entry FAQs & Guidelines
EARLY DISCOUNT DEADLINE • Jan 28, 2024 – 11:59 PM MT
FINAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE • Feb 25, 2024 – 11:59 PM MT
2024 APPLICATIONS CLOSED • Project Launch Grant, Project Development Grant, Me&Eve Award, Excellence in Multimedia Award, The CENTER Awards, Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship, and the Review Santa Fe Photo Symposium
2024 NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED • Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award
Eligibility
CENTER accepts submissions from photographers and lens-based artists around the world. 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. Applicants may submit multiple projects within the same category as well as the same project to multiple categories.
Work derived from all photographic processes is accepted, and mixed media that is photo-based. Only the Multimedia Award, Review Santa Fe, and Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship applications accept video, multimedia files, and/or still images for submission.
NOT ELIGIBLE • If a photographer is represented by a major international photographic agency – applies only to the Project Development Grant and Project Launch Grant only.
GRANT FUNDS • Granted funds may be used for most expenses related to the project. Please be aware that no additional funds are available for exhibition or travel expenses to Santa Fe should that be requested during the Review Santa Fe event. However, you may use the allotted funds for those expenses. The cash award is the total amount dispersed.
If you have any questions, please email us at programs@visitcenter.org before submitting your application.
Criteria and 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, grant, and Review Santa Fe recipients 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/or support is received.
Q: DO YOU “PRE-SCREEN”?
A: No, all work submitted is seen by the designated category jurors only.
Q: WHAT ARE JURORS LOOKING FOR?
A: The jurors are looking for cohesive, compelling bodies of work, or singular images, that are ready for international recognition and support.
Q: DOES THE DEVELOPMENT GRANT JUROR SEE THE LAUNCH GRANT SUBMISSIONS?
A: No, the jurors only review the work submitted within their designated category. Submissions do not transfer over to other award, grant, or review categories.
Q: WILL I RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE WORK?
A: Due to the number of submissions, the committee cannot provide specific feedback at this time.
Q: IS THERE A TIME LIMIT WITHIN WHICH THE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN?
A: No, you may submit work regardless of the date it was created.
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.
Q: DOES CENTER’S TEAM REVIEW OR JURY ANY OF THE AWARDS, GRANTS, OR REVIEW SANTA FE?
A: No, CENTER’s Team does not participate in the selection process aside from vetting the applicant's work for the final decision, which is made by the category’s juror. Each Call for Entry category has its own juror or selection committee, so jurors do not review submissions made to other categories.
File Requirements
Q: WHEN IS THE FINAL DAY I CAN SUBMIT MY WORK?
A: All submissions are due by the final deadline, February 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.
Q: WHAT ARE THE FILE & SIZING REQUIREMENTS?
A: All images and files must be uploaded through our online submission system. We accept JPG, PDF, & PNG files for all application categories. JPGs and PNGs should be sized at 1400 pixels maximum on the longest side with a 150 maximum dpi. Keep any PNG 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 can be hosted on Vimeo, YouTube, or a similar service, or can be uploaded directly in the submission form. If they are on a site that is password-protected, be sure to include credentials for the jury. Please note, the larger the files are, the longer it takes for them to upload for the jurors.
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 lowercase alphabetical letter, underscore, and the image title in the filename [ex: a_Title.jpg, b_Title.jpg].
Q: WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE LEFT OUT OF MY SUBMISSION?
A: To ensure a blind jury process, please do not list any artist names in the project statement, project PDFs, or within images as credits.
Q: CAN I ADD MY PROJECT WEBSITE TO THE STATEMENT FOR SUBMISSION?
A: Yes, our submission form includes a “Website and Social Link” field. You can also include it within the project statement or within a PDF shared in the “Additional File Upload” field in the application.
Q: CAN I EDIT MY SUBMISSION?
A: Only once you have submitted your application can you submit a request to edit through the submission portal in your drafted submission OR you can email us and request we re-open your submission for editing. Located in the ‘My Submission’ tab under the application, you can access the editing field under the ‘Form’ tab. Changes are allowed until the final submission deadline.
Q: DO YOU ACCEPT OR REQUIRE A RÉSUMÉ OR CV FOR APPLICATION?
A: No, we do not accept or review any résumés or artist CVs that are submitted, mailed, or emailed to us to ensure a blind jury process. Résumés are requested from the Blue Earth Sponsorship applicants only.
Q: MAY I MAIL OR EMAIL WEBSITES, PRINTS, BOOKS, POSTERS, EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENTS, ETC. FOR SUBMISSION?
A: CENTER does not accept submissions by email or physical mail. Any website links, prints, books, posters, announcements, and other materials sent to us by email or mail 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: WHAT TYPE OF PROCESSES ARE ACCEPTED FOR SUBMISSION?
A: Work derived from all photographic processes is accepted, including mixed media that is photo-based – applies to all categories.
Application FAQs
Q: WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?
A: January 26, 2024, for the early discounted entry fees, and February 25, 2024, for the final payment and submission deadline.
Q: DO YOU EXTEND DEADLINES?
A: No, CENTER does not extend application deadlines. Please refer to the Calls for Entry overview page for the latest deadline updates.
Q: WHERE DO I APPLY/UPLOAD MY FILES?
A: CENTER uses a separate website for its submission portal. You will upload and submit your work within our online submission system that is sent to you via email once your payment has been processed.
Q: I JUST PAID, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
A: CENTER will send you an email with the link to submit your application(s).
Q: WHERE IS MY CONFIRMATION EMAIL?
A: Please check your spam/junk folder for an email labeled ‘Awards, Grants, or Review Santa Fe Payment Confirmation’. If you don’t receive it after 30 minutes, please email us to troubleshoot. Add programs@visitcenter.org to your contacts to ensure our communications do not end up in your spam folder.
Q: WHY DO I HAVE TO REGISTER WITH SUBMITTABLE TO APPLY?
A: CENTER has a custom Submittable account. You must create or have a CENTER Submittable account in order to submit your application as a standard Submittable account will not work here.
Q: I JUST SIGNED UP AS A MEMBER, WHERE IS MY SUBMISSION LOGIN INFORMATION?
A: Becoming a CENTER Member does not count as payment to the Calls for Entry. You must fill out the application form and pay for your desired categories to receive access to the online submission form and instructions.
Q: WHY CAN I NOT ACCESS SUBMITTABLE?
A: You most likely do not have a CENTER Submittable account. A normal Submittable login will not work on our secondary site. Please note, submitting payment in the CENTER entry form does not create a CENTER Submittable account. The information requested at the time of payment and submitting your work is separate.
Q: MAY I SUBMIT TWO OR MORE BODIES OF WORK TO THE SAME CATEGORY?
A: Yes, you can submit more than one portfolio to the same category, however, you must pay for any additional entries – this applies to all submission categories.
Q: CAN I SUBMIT MORE THAN 6 IMAGES TO THE AWARDS?
A: Yes, you are welcome to go ahead and submit your images, and we can send over an invoice for the additional images/files. After you have submitted, please email us with the number of images, and provide an email for us to send an invoice through PayPal.
Q: WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE ME&EVE AWARD?
A: The Me&Eve Award accepts submissions from women, and/or LGBTQIA+ identifying photographers, who are 40 years of age and over. This includes female-identified, non-binary, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender non-conforming, questioning, asexual, intersex, and two-spirited identifying individuals.
Q: CAN I UPLOAD THE SAME PORTFOLIO TO MULTIPLE CATEGORIES?
A: Absolutely, you can submit the same portfolio to any number of categories.
Q: WHEN ARE THE ANNOUNCEMENTS?
A: The selected winners are contacted via the email used to submit their work by CENTER staff prior to public announcements. The Award, Grant, and Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship recipient announcements are scheduled to go out around May. Review Santa Fe invitations are sent out after the public winner announcements.
Review Santa Fe Symposium FAQs
Q: WHEN AND WHERE DOES REVIEW SANTA FE TAKE PLACE?
A: The Review Santa Fe Photo Symposium and portfolio reviews take place in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The 2024 conference takes place November 1 - 3 at the La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel.
Q: HOW MANY REVIEWS WILL I RECEIVE?
A: Tuition includes up to nine 20-minute formal reviews over two days.
Q: HOW LONG ARE THE PORTFOLIO REVIEWS
A: Portfolio review meetings are twenty minutes each. Each session per day is about 4 hours for the reviewers; you will have approximately three meetings on Saturday and six meetings on Sunday.
Q: WILL I HAVE A CHOICE OF REVIEWERS?
A: Yes, you will be asked to put all reviewers in order of your preference into an electronic lottery system. Over 80% of the participants receive reviewers in their top 15 reviewer choices.
Q: WHEN DO I CHOOSE MY REVIEWERS?
A: After you have been invited, you will have the opportunity to enter in your reviewer preferences approximately two weeks prior to the event.
Q: CAN I SHOW MORE THAN ONE PORTFOLIO DURING MY REVIEW SESSIONS?
A: Yes, you can showcase more than one series, however, as the reviewers are expecting to see work that was pre-juried into Review Santa Fe, we ask that you first showcase the juried portfolio, and if you have extra time, you may showcase the other portfolio(s).
Blue Earth Fiscal Sponsorship FAQs
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE APPLYING –
• Before sending in your proposal, please make sure you understand that the CENTER 501(c)3 Fiscal Sponsorship is a U.S. tax status that may be used to approach companies, foundations, and private individuals for tax-deductible donations.
• This Fiscal Sponsorship does not include direct project funding or grants. Photographers, lens-based artists, and filmmakers are solely responsible for fundraising for the project. Receiving the Fiscal Sponsorship does not eliminate the 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 quarterly 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.
Teaching Award FAQs
• Educators must be nominated by their student(s) or colleague(s) to be considered.
• Educators must possess the following - a genuine passion for teaching, an ability to excite students to learn, a respect for students as individuals, and an enduring artistic curiosity.
Submission Fees
CENTER is a not-for-profit organization and we aim for accessibility in each of our programs. If you are not able to afford the entry fees and would like to apply, please apply for a fee waiver.
FEE WAIVERS • Submission Fee Waivers are available on a case-by-case basis for those who cannot afford the entry fees for whatever reason. To apply, you must fill out the Submission Fee Waiver Request Form before the deadline of 11:59 PM MT on February 18, 2024. Please note, there are no deadline extensions.
QUESTIONS? • Please contact us at 505.933.9146 or email us at programs@visitcenter.org
How-To Enter
Want an inside view of the application process? Join Programs Manager Whitney Wernick in the ‘How-To ENTER CENTER‘ webinar that will walk you through the application and submission process and cover some frequently asked questions.
Access the How-To Video →
Usage & Copyright
Application fees for all categories are non-refundable after the deadline. Any applications submitted after the final deadline will not be reviewed.
WHO CAN ENTER • The Awards, Grants, and Review Santa Fe are open to submissions from all photographers, national and international. CENTER employees, board members, advisory council members, contest sponsors, and family members of the aforementioned may not apply to the Awards or Grants. Previous CENTER cash award/grant winners may enter but are ineligible to win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, or Honorable Mention again for up to 3 years. Award winners and Honorable Mention finalists may enter and are eligible to win in the upcoming year.
LIABILITY • Submissions from national and international lens-based artists are welcome to all categories. All winners are responsible for the duties of any prizes awarded and the shipping, packing, and delivery of work for exhibitions, Review Santa Fe, or our Summer programs. Please note - CENTER is not liable for any damage as a result of shipping, packaging, or delivery of work.
USAGE & COPYRIGHT • The photographer and lens-based artists always retain the rights to their submitted images, files, and videos. By completing the application, the photographer grants CENTER permission, upon receiving an Award, Grant, or invitation to Review Santa Fe, to reproduce works from their submitted materials in connection with the administration, judging, and promotion of CENTER, the Awards, Grants, portfolio review events, and other programs. Permissible uses of the images submitted shall include their reproduction, distribution, and display in CENTER exhibitions, multimedia presentations, and printed materials related to the promotion of CENTER and the Awards, Grants, Review Santa Fe, and other events. CENTER shall have the right to grant permissions to the press and publicity agents in connection with the promotion of the CENTER Awards, Grants, Review Santa Fe, and any exhibitions and related events. All promotional pieces (print, social platforms, e-newsletters, and online features) include credit to the photographer and lens-based artists.
CENTER maintains a CENTER Image Library & Archive, which began with the 20-year Review Santa Fe Alumni Listings indices that include the invited Review Santa Fe participants and recipients of the CENTER Project Grants and Awards. To provide a more comprehensive resource, CENTER is expanding the listings to include an index of photographers who are contributing to the contemporary practice. We will include all applicant submissions to the Project Grants, Awards, and Review Santa Fe. Access to these submissions is available upon request, via a back-end login where we invite our sponsors, reviewers, and subscribers to use the CENTER Image Library & Archive as an ongoing resource for photographic talent. Please contact us directly via email if you are a previous applicant and wish to be removed from the archive.
Submission entry to any and all of CENTER’s Awards, Grants, Review Santa Fe portfolio review, Fiscal Sponsorship, or Summer exhibitions signifies acceptance of all the above conditions stated.
Supporters
