Open Call: Spring 2025 New York City Fellowship

Cinthya Santos-Briones

We're accepting applications for the Spring 2025 session of the New York City Fellowship, a program offering a project production grant, mentorship, and arts administration experience to NYC-based early-career photographers and photojournalists. Recognizing the challenges of making a living as a working photographer, this fellowship serves a unique dual purpose: supporting the development of the fellows’ photographic projects, while also providing them with paid work experience in Magnum Foundation’s office.

This fellowship is designed for early-career photographers looking for an opportunity to deepen, expand, and complete a New York City based project. We encourage applications from people who have at least one completed long-term project, including recent graduates and self-taught photographers. This program is open to photographers of all ages.

During the fellowship, fellows produce an in-depth photography project in New York City that speaks to social issues and engages with NYC-based communities. Fellows are encouraged to build relationships with their subjects, build partnerships with relevant organizations, and experiment with narrative forms and storytelling techniques. Fellows receive mentorship and project development support from Magnum Foundation staff and our extended network throughout the duration of the fellowship. Fellows meet with the MF team bi-weekly to share progress and get feedback on their documentary photography project.

In addition to producing a project, fellows gain arts administration by spending two days a week working in the Magnum Foundation office. Fellows are considered an integral part of Magnum Foundation’s team and are expected to make significant contributions to the day-to-day work we do at Magnum Foundation, and to use this time to learn more about the running of an arts nonprofit. The fellows work on a range of projects in the New York office including research on social issues, exploration of emerging technologies and platforms, multimedia production, and event production. Candidates should have expertise in at least one of the following areas: arts administration, research, writing, video production, or graphic design. Candidates will be paired with Magnum Foundation projects according to their expertise and interests. In addition, fellows’ responsibilities include working and photographing periodic evening events.

Duration

The fellowship runs for 12 weeks from late March - early June. Exact start dates and finish dates will be agreed upon with the selected fellow.

Fellows will be expected to produce and complete a documentary photography project in NYC during the fellowship. Fellows are required to spend Wednesdays and Thursdays (16 hours per week) working with the MF team in Magnum Foundation’s NYC office. There may be occasional requirements to attend evening events at the MF office.

COMPENSATION

$5,000 production grant provided at the beginning of the fellowship to cover costs associated with the production, completion and distribution of your NYC-based project.

An additional $25/hr for the 16 hrs/week spent in-office on arts administration work, paid bi-weekly .

The fellowship is designed for New York City based photographers and does not provide room and board or transportation.

Apply

Applications are due February 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET.

Fellows are chosen by an internal selection committee. You will need to submit your resume, a cover letter, a project proposal, and an edit of past work. Any questions can be addressed to tif@magnumfoundation.org.