Organizer Information
Rotterdam Photo is an annual photography festival and photo fair in Rotterdam, Netherlands, dedicated to presenting contemporary photography in an accessible public setting. The festival brings together photographers, collectors, gallerists, art professionals, and wider audiences, and is known for creating opportunities for photographers to exhibit work outside conventional gallery spaces. Its programme includes international and emerging photographic talent, exhibitions, talks, networking events, and open calls. For its 2027 edition, Rotterdam Photo is collaborating with Amarte Fonds to support emerging Dutch photographic talent through project grants, mentorship, and exhibition opportunities.
Title & Description
Rotterdam Photo x Amarte Project Grants 2027
Rotterdam Photo x Amarte: Dutch Talent Project Grants is an open call supporting emerging photographers who are developing new or expanded photographic projects. The initiative is part of the Rotterdam Photo 2027 Open Call programme and is built around the festival’s 2027 theme, “Vibrance – The Pulse of a Living World.”
The theme explores energy in its many forms, from intimate and personal experiences to collective and social dynamics, and from physical presence to digital intensity. Photographers are invited to interpret “Vibrance” freely—as a social condition, emotional state, visual rhythm, conceptual framework, or exploration of movement, tension, resistance, connection, and transformation.
Five selected artists will receive support to develop their projects into work-in-progress exhibitions presented during Rotterdam Photo 2027.
Categories
- Photography
- Contemporary Photography
- Visual Arts
- Documentary and Conceptual Photography
Eligibility
The opportunity is specifically intended for emerging photographers who are based in the Netherlands, currently studying there, or have completed their education in the Netherlands.
Eligible applicants include:
- Third- and fourth-year photography students at an art academy.
- Recent graduates, since 2022, of photography or related visual arts programmes.
- Self-taught photographers with a maximum of five years of professional experience.
Projects initially developed during an academic programme may be submitted, provided that the applicant intends to further develop or deepen the project outside the academic context.
Program Benefits & Awards
Five photographers will each receive a €3,000 production grant to develop their project toward a work-in-progress exhibition at Rotterdam Photo 2027.
Selected artists will also receive:
- A dedicated exhibition space during Rotterdam Photo 2027.
- Coaching, curatorial support, and artistic guidance.
- Participation in Rotterdam Photo Talks and networking events.
- Video profiles documenting their work and artistic process.
- Promotion through YouTube and social media.
- Publication and inclusion in the official Rotterdam Photo festival programme.
- Continued visibility and promotion through Rotterdam Photo’s website, social media, future festivals, and communications beyond the 2027 edition.
The exhibition will be curated in collaboration with a guest curator and presented during Rotterdam Art Week, March 17–21, 2027.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 4 October 2026
- Exhibition: March 17–21, 2027
- Venue/Event: Rotterdam Photo 2027 during Rotterdam Art Week
Location
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Additional Details
Selection is made by a professional committee appointed by Amarte and Rotterdam Photo. The jury will consider artistic quality, conceptual clarity, resonance, and thematic relevance. In particular, projects should demonstrate strong visual execution, clear conceptual communication, meaningful connections to personal or broader societal themes, and a compelling interpretation of the 2027 theme.
Artists may apply to multiple Rotterdam Photo open-call categories, with each submission reviewed separately by the selection committee.