Short Description
Are you a photographer or artist working on a relevant social issue in the Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia), and do you have a great idea for a visual story/project that needs funding? Then you may be eligible for the VID Grant.
The VID Grant supports emerging photographers and artists from the Balkans to create or complete a compelling, non-stereotypical and unconventional visual story or project on social issues relevant to the Balkan region. The winners of the VID Grant are selected by an independent, international jury of professionals within the photography industry. Scroll below to see this year’s jury composition.
With the VID Grant we look to support work at the intersection of photography and social justice – related to issues such as: social taboos, human rights, the environment, the rise of extremism, ethnic minorities as well as other under-represented themes across the region.
Eligibility
- the work must be the applicant’s own intellectual property;
- photographers working with cross-media and immersive practices are encouraged to apply as long as photography is at the basis of the work;
- you can apply with work as a collective, as long as you make that clear in the Application Form;
- the applicant is an emerging photographer or emerging artist based in one of these countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia;
- citizens of these countries temporarily resident elsewhere in the world are eligible to apply, but their story should be related and relevant to the Balkan region;
- applicants must be 18 years of age or older;
- practitioners working in a range of photography fields such as portraiture, landscape, documentary, contemporary art and architecture are welcome to apply – provided the work is relevant and fits the mission of the VID Foundation for Photography;
How to Apply
Download Application Form and send it to application@vidfoundation.com
Program Benefits & Awards
Cash Prize of 1.000 Euro
A cash prize to boost support for the winner to further develop, produce and complete a visual project or body of work.
Mentorship Prizes
The VID Foundation for Photography selects world-renowned professionals from the industry to be the mentor over the course of 6 months, based on the profile of the winner(s) of the VID Grant. This 6-months bespoke mentorship takes place through multiple interactive online sessions and enables regular feedback and critique on your work. The mentors guide you in all aspects of the creative process: from concept development, practical advice on photographing, to editing and sequencing, to the process of discovering and making a long-term project that you’re passionate about.
This Prize is made to suit the needs of the VID Grant winner(s), whether that be publishing or editing a project with a view to making it into a book or developing your personal or editorial projects. This mentorship helps you to identify next steps in the production process of a long-term or personal project. The mentors are announced once the selection for the VID Grant has been made each year. The mentorship serves to help emerging artists to build a solid regional and international network.
Curated Online Presence
An online showcase of the finalists on the VID Foundation for Photography website and other social media platforms of partner organisations. The winning projects, is featured and promoted on the VID Foundation’s website in order to connect these stories form the Balkans to a regional and international network.
Exhibition (to be confirmed)
The VID Foundation supports you to set up and connect to the right people/insititutions in the Netherlands as well as in the Balkans with the purpose of setting up your own exhibition.
Entry Fee
None
Location
Vienna, Austria
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 4 September 2025
Website Link: https://vidfoundation.com/vid-grant/
