Short Description
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is pleased to announce the establishment of the VMFA Aaron Siskind Award for excellence in contemporary photography.
This award celebrates Aaron Siskind’s artistic legacy, supports the practice of photography as a vital means of creative expression, and honors the role that the Aaron Siskind Foundation played in supporting photographers through the Individual Photographer’s Fellowship.
This award is intended to support early- to mid-career artists as well as established photographers who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to their practice but may not yet have received significant critical recognition
Eligibility
The VMFA Aaron Siskind Award for Photography is open to United States citizens and permanent residents who are at least 18 years of age and for whom photography is a primary vocation.
We invite entries from artists working with still photo-based media.
Submission Requirements
- Basic profile information including name, contact info, etc.
- A CV covering the applicant’s professional background including training, exhibitions, awards, and publications
- An artist statement (up to 750 words) describing the project, series, or body of work the award will support
- A portfolio of 10 to 15 images
- Images must be at least 3,000 pixels on the longest side and saved as JPG files. Other file types such as TIFF, PNG, and PSD are not permissible.
- A book maquette (PDF file only) may be submitted as one of the images.
- All images must have been created in the past seven (7) years (2018–present).
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
Two artists will each receive an unrestricted prize of $25,000.
This material support is meant to enable photographers to complete a meaningful body of work—whether the continuation or finalization of a photographic series; the development of an exhibition, monograph, or book project; or another major creative endeavor.
Entry Fee
None
Location
United States
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 September 2025
Website Link: https://vmfa.museum/programs/adults/professional-opportunities/vmfa-aaron-siskind-award-photography/
