Pitching and Funding Your Photography
Grants, Awards, and Expanding Global Conversations
JUNE 13-14, 2025
Dates: June 13-14, 2025
Location: Picto New York, Brooklyn, New York
Cost: $250
Immerse yourself in one of the most dynamic and creative cities in the world! Join us for a two-day funding workshop, brought to you by Picto New York, and taught by Holly Stuart Hughes and Amber Terranova in the vibrant heart of Brooklyn. Learn how to secure grants, craft compelling proposals, and strategically pitch your photography projects to funders, all while gaining hands-on insights to elevate your work and make a lasting impact.
Instructors: Holly Hughes and Amber Terranova
About the workshop
This interactive seminar will empower photographers to write, find and confidently pitch funders for their personal projects. While gaining an overview of the funding universe, participants will get hands-on experience preparing all the elements of a successful grant proposal.
While providing an overview of funding opportunities, this workshop will also dive into how to prepare a sample portfolio, and how grant-writing can help you position your work to reach new audiences. Through real-world case studies, we’ll follow the trajectory of photographers’ projects, highlighting how grants and awards can elevate your work’s visibility. By the end of the seminar, you’ll be equipped with actionable insights that will help you not only to fund your personal projects but to amplify their impact.
This workshop is limited to 20 students.
© Austin Bryant
© Ada Trillo
© Manjari Sharma
About your teacher
Holly Stuart Hughes is an independent editor, writer, and grant consultant. The former editor-in-
chief of PDN magazine, she has written on photography and media for Time.com, Next TV, Multichannel News, The Telegraph, Taschen Books, Carlton Publishing, Advertising Photographers of America, Magnum Photos and Blouin ArtInfo. As an editor and grant writer, she helps creative professionals communicate their ideas effectively in artists’ statements and project proposals that appeal to foundation and government funders. A member of the Advisory Council of CENTER in Santa Fe, she consulted on “The Democratic Lens: Photography and Civic Engagement,” CENTER’s public discussion series supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Amber Terranova is a photo director, educator and visual producer based between New York and New Mexico. She has worked as the Education Director for Magnum Photos and held faculty positions at The School of Visual Arts and the International Center of Photography.
She has extensive marketing, photo directing, commissioning and consultancy experience for major brands and publications. She has worked as a photo editor at New York, Outside, Photo District News, The New Yorker and People. In 2013 Amber was the interim Director at the Bilder Nordic School of Photography in Oslo, Norway.
Amber is committed to helping photographers realize their creative potential through the development and production of impactful storytelling projects.
She has taught photography workshops in the US, Europe, Asia and has been a guest lecturer at several institutions. In addition, she continues to judge a number of international photo competitions and serves as a nominator for many photography awards. Amber is an advisory council board member for CENTER, a non-profit that honors, supports, and provides opportunities to gifted and committed photographers.
SCHEDULE
This workshop will be split into two sessions, each with a maximum of 20 participants. The first session will focus on an in-depth overview of the grant funding landscape, proposal writing techniques, and exploring essential elements like crafting a compelling project statement and preparing a budget.The second session will
Pre-Workshop Assignment:
Prior to the workshop, participants will receive a project statement outline to fill out, using their own project as a model. This will help them assess whether they’re ready to apply for a grant and will provide a framework they can adapt to multiple grant it engage a broader audience beyond the typical art world channels.
March 22
10am - 6pm
The workshop will begin with covering the elements of a successful grant proposal, including project statement, budget and sample images. In addition to gaining an overview of the funding universe, participants will get hands-on experience outlining a grant proposal. We’ll review research on prospective funders, the do’s and don’ts of communicating with grants organizations and how to edit sample portfolios.
March 23
10am - 6pm
On the second day we will dive into how to successfully pitch your photography projects to industry professionals. You’ll learn practical tips for navigating the vast landscape of photo festivals and "call for entries" to make the most of your time and financial investment. Through case studies, we’ll follow the trajectory of photographers’ projects, highlighting how grants and awards can provide momentum and elevate your work’s visibility.
We’ll also discuss the importance of pursuing projects you’re deeply passionate about, and how a deep understanding of your subject matter can open doors to nontraditional outlets, helping your work reach a broader and more diverse audience.
Flexibility & Peer Input:
While time constraints won’t allow for individual feedback on every project, reviewing a select few in-depth will give everyone insight into the grant-writing process. The shared outlines will serve as a valuable tool, allowing participants to critique and suggest grants that others may not have considered, fostering a more dynamic exchange. For example, one participant may realize that their project, initially aimed at photojournalism grants, might also be eligible for community or municipal funding.
By the end of both sessions, participants will leave with a draft for their grant proposal and practical steps for positioning their projects. They will also have a deeper understanding of how to leverage grants, awards, and industry networks to further their careers and contribute to critical global issues.