The New Orleans Photo Alliance’s

Michael P. Smith Fund For Documentary Photography

2012 Grant Guidelines

The Michael P. Smith Fund for Documentary Photography (MPS Fund) was created by the New Orleans Photo Alliance (NOPA) to honor the life and work of Michael P. Smith, one of New Orleans’ most legendary and beloved documentary photographers. The MPS Fund awards one $5000 grant annually to a Gulf Coast photographer whose work combines artistic excellence and a sustained commitment to a longterm cultural documentary project.

Eligibility

Both emerging and established photographers residing in the Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are eligible to apply for the MPS Fund’s annual $5000 grant. The subject matter for the proposed project is not limited to the Gulf Coast region.

Deadline

The New Orleans Photo Alliance must receive all required materials between February 1, 2012 and midnight (CST) of March 30, 2012.

Application Fee

Application fee is $25.
Application fee + NOPA membership: $60.

Judging Criteria

The main criteria for selection will be the strength of the applicant’s portfolio and a written project proposal (maximum of 500 words). The portfolio and proposal should demonstrate the applicant’s commitment to a cultural documentary project.

Selection and notification

NOPA is very proud to announce the 2012 jurors for the MPS Fund’s grant. A three-member panel will select ten finalists. They are Ellen Fluerov, Director of the Silver Eye Center for Photography in Pittsburgh PA, Paul Moakley, Deputy Photo Editor at TIME magazine, and Glenn Ruga, Director of the Photographic Resource Center in Boston, MA and the Founder and Director of SocialDocumentary.net. Brett Abbott, the Curator of Photography at the High Musuem in Atlanta, GA will select the 2012 grant recipient from the ten finalists.

NOPA will announce the 2011 MPS Fund grant recipient by June 1, 2012.

Application requirements

1. A portfolio of 20 to 25 images. These images can originate in any format, but you must submit them digitally via the online application process (opens February 1, 2012).

2. Each image file must be in jpeg format at 72 dpi and 720 pixels wide (10 in). Save your images at the highest setting available (usually 10 or 12). Name your files with your last name, then first name and a title. Use an underscore to separate the names and title. At the end of the file name, add a sequence number starting with 01. Example: Doe_Jane_The Farm_01.jpg, Doe_Jane_The Farm_02.jpg, Doe_Jane_The Farm_03.jpg. You must add caption information and the year that you created the image. Enter and upload each image file and its accompanying information one at a time. After you have uploaded all of the files, you will be able to review and rearrange the sequence of your portfolio.

3. A concise description of your work (2-4 sentences), limited to 260 characters maximum, which the jurors will see alongside your portfolio. The short description will be asked for near the end of your entry process. It is not the project proposal.

4. A written proposal of not more than 500 words, explaining your project's scope and significance. Please include your plans on how you would use the grant. A Word document should be copied and pasted into the 'Statement' box at the beginning of the application form.

5. A biography or resume/CV of not more than 500 words, describing awards, publications and other career highlights. A Word document file should be copied and pasted into the 'Resume' box at the beginning of the application form.

6. A $25 application fee will be directed through Paypal immediately after you have uploaded your application.

Rules

By applying for a grant from the Michael P. Smith Fund for Documentary Photography, you agree to
accept the following rules:

The New Orleans Photo Alliance (NOPA) reserves the right to reject incomplete or improperly submitted applications.

Staff or Board Members of NOPA are not eligible to submit applications.

You acknowledge that you are the sole owner and author of the photographs submitted with your
application.

You allow NOPA to feature your work without charge in print and on the web, in conjunction with
promotion of the MPS Fund and its grant program. NOPA recognizes your copyright for each of the images that you submitted with your application and agrees to provide proper copyright notice on the NOPA website and in all NOPA press releases and related print materials. Upon request, the grant recipient agrees to supply a high-resolution image suitable for publication by the media.
You permit NOPA to add your email and physical mailing addresses to the NOPA mailing list, which is
private and will not be shared with any individuals or organizations.

The winner is asked to donate 3 prints to NOPA, selecting from work submitted for the award and/or work created after having received the award. NOPA will archive these prints in its permanent collection and may exhibit them in the future.

The 2012 MPS Fund grant recipient agrees to submit a final written report by August 1, 2013, detailing the work completed during the grant period.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Lori Waselchuk, the MPS Fund Grants Coordinator, at 225-907-6695 or MPSFund@neworleansphotoalliance.org

You can download a PDF of these guidelines here