about democraSEE award
democraSEE is an award and mentorship platform to develop and show important contemporary photography stories and content from the Southern African region that deal with social and political issues and imaginaries. It wants to create a space to acknowledge photographers and photography’s role and position in relation to the world. Furthermore, it aims to support the growth of visual languages in photography. Photographers from Southern Africa, including Angola, DRC, Tanzania and Madagascar can enter the awards.
The recipient of the award will receive:
A R40,000 (South African Rand) grant towards the development of an existing or making of a new body of work
Mentoring support from an appointed mentor/curator (appointed in consultation with the photographer)
Critique sessions with appointed subject and practice experts
Ongoing support and mentorship from Photo:
Online publication of the completed work on the democraSEE.photography website
The selection panel is appointed per award. It consists of a group of leading regional and international experts – curators, photographers, gallerists, journalists, critics or social scientists – who will consider applications.
The urgent shifts in our understanding of our worlds, democracies and identities are reflected and shaped by the multiplicities of photography and how these photographies function within our contexts. Built on the premise that photography projects often entail collaborative processes, the award offers emerging/mid-career photographers an opportunity to develop a new or existing, but yet not resolved, photography and multi-media work with the support of a mentor-curator, critique sessions, writer as well as the support from Photo:.
democraSEE is a project of Photo:, supported by the Department of Arts and Culture in South Africa as well as the National Arts Council in South Africa and the Photography Education Trust.
criteria for application/nomination
The calls for the award will be published on the democraSEE.photography website. The number of calls/awards will be ad hoc, up to three annual awards.
Any photographer/visual practioner may enter the award by application. Photographer/visual practioners can also be nominated by the selection panel. Each call/award has a different selection panel. Nominees will be notified by Photo:.
photographers must be citizens of southern africa. citizens from the following countries may apply:
Angola
Botswana
Burundi
Comoros
DRC
Lesotho
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Rwanda
Seychelles
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
photographers must have resided in any of the above countries for at least six months in the last year.
There is no preference to any specific photography or multi-media practice. For democraSEE, photography is positioned as a wide field of image-making processes. The work and proposal must be relevant and outstanding. Application materials/data must not be older than 5 years. Applicants may apply with up to three different proposals. Each application must be treated separately with a distinctive proposal. Applicants may re-apply for a new call. Note that the criteria and process of each call is different. In limited cases Photo: will encourage unsuccessful applicants to re-apply by notifying them by email.
The shortlisted candidates will be announced to the media via Photo: media channels. Further information might be requested from and interviews (in person or online) will be conducted with shortlisted candidates. Candidates must be available to complete their projects within eight months.
how to apply
The deadline for submission is published on the Submit page.
In preparation, applicants must submit:
• An electronic registration form
• CV or Resume (accepted formats .pdf, .doc, .txt, .rtf), not more than 3 pages
• Copy of an ID doc (accepted formats .jpg, .png, .pdf)
• An accomplished photography work, composed of a maximum of 20 images, in .jpg format, 300 dpi (length of longer side max 20 cm), relevant to the description of the award. Each image must contain the last name of the participant and progressive number (001, 002, 003 etc. Example: LASTNAME_001.jpg).
• For Multi-media work please provide a link (URL) to an online work (for instance a link to a website or to an online cloud). Photo: will contact multi-media applicants to prepare their work for the adjudication by the selection panel.
• An abstract of the accomplished photography work; the text should not exceed 300 words.
• If necessary, a file with the captions of the photographs (accepted formats: .pdf, .doc, .txt, .rtf).
• A clear description of the project the photographer intends to pursue through the Award. It must indicate the purpose of the project, the work method, potential working relationships. The text should not exceed 300 words.
• No names, information, watermarks or frames must be imprinted on images.All application documents must be in English.
Applications will be confirmed by Photo: by email.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to give further details and motivations of their proposals. Candidates will be requested to submit these additional details and motivations within 10 days of request.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend an interview or online-interview with the selection panel or their designated representatives, 10 days ahead of such interview.
the selection panel
The Selection Panel is appointed by Photo: and will be announced for every award. It consists of a group of leading regional and international experts – curators, photographers, gallerists, journalists, critics, social scientists – who will consider applications.
The Selection Panel will be asked to monitor selections to ensure equal opportunities.
The Selection Panel’s decisions are final. Unfortunately, individual feedback on submissions are not possible.
mentor/curator, critique sessions, writer
Photo: will, in consultation with the successful candidate, appoint a mentor/curator who will support the photographer through the duration of their project. Photo: will pay a modest honorarium to such mentor/curator. It is up to the photographer to determine the kind of relationship with the mentor/curator. Further, Photo: will continue to work with the photographer as an ongoing support.
At least one critique session will be organised where the photographer will present their work in progress to a larger panel of experts at Photo: in Johannesburg. This critique session creates an opportunity to get critique and feedback on the conceptual premise, approach and manifestation of the body of the work.
Photo: will also, in consultation with the successful candidate, appoint a writer who will work on a text to augment the body of work. The photographer may decide how this text can interact with the work and it can take form in any way, for instance as a critical text, a collaborative text, creative writing or the photographer might decide to do the text themselves.
the completed body of work
The completed body of work and the writer’s text will be published on the democraSEE.photography website in full, in consultation with the photographer. Photo: will further include information about the process of the development of the work.
rules of the award/mentorship
The applicant confirms that they are the sole author and copyright holder of the data/material (photographs, text, video etc.) that they use for their application. Joint-authors, collaborative-authors and collectives must make it clear in their applications.
The applicant confirms that the submission of the material does not breach any law and further, that no other party can hold any claim or objection regarding the rights granted to Photo:. Should such a claim arise the applicant agrees to remain solely accountable, indemnifying Photo: from any such claim and informing Photo: immediately of such claim.
Application materials/data must not be older than 5 years.
On application, the applicant grants Photo: the right to securely hold the application data and to present this data to the selection panel.
The applicant grants Photo: the right to use the application data for all media, publicity and marketing of the democraSEE award and educational and research activities for up to 5 years without remuneration.
The shortlisted and successful candidates will be informed by Photo: via email and the results will be announced through media platforms.
The successful candidate will sign a contract with Photo: to deliver a project within the set timeframe.
It is expected that the successful candidate will complete the project within eight months or sooner from the date of contract.
The successful candidate must attend at least one critique session in Johannesburg at their own cost/from their grant.
The successful candidate will donate 3 prints (from a limited edition) of their final work to Photo: that will be for sale as a way to fundraise for future editions of the democraSEE award.
The successful candidate agrees to participate in related publicity on reasonable requests.
Photo: employees may not enter the competition. As Photo: operates in many different spheres in photography and thus is linked to many photographers and their work, it is possible that the successful candidate might be a collaborator of Photo:. At no stage will Photo: unduly influence the selection.
The Selection Panel’s decisions are final. Unfortunately, individual feedback on submissions is not possible.
The applicant fully indemnifies Photo: of any claim should the private and secured hold of the applicant’s data be breach by criminal activity or technical failure while in possession of Photo:.
Phototool trades as Photo: and any legal process will be in accordance to South African law.
Applicants must be 18 years or older.
For more information about the award, contact info@phototool.co.za.