Conceived and organized by Eyes Wide Open (the cultural production arm of The Eyes label) with the support of the French Ministry of Culture and SAIF, the Eyes Wide Open 1st Photo Book Bursary program is aimed at photographers who wish to propose a first book project with the support of an independent French publisher.
The Eyes Wide Open 1st Photo Book Grants program offers to support 3 book projects by a photographer and his/her publisher, each with €5,000.
It is divided into 3 categories, each meeting a specific need :
– SAIF grant for a French photographer or a photographer living in France
– Grant for a woman photographer of any nationality
– Grant for a photographer from a southern territory (Africa, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Middle East)
These grants are supported by the French Ministry of Culture and the SAIF.
Call for entries: from November 16, 2023 to February 29, 2024
Selection of projects: March 2024
Announcement of the 3 winners: November 2024
Publication of the book: no later than October 31, 2025
Q: How can I get involved?
R : The 1st book grants are open to photographers who have never published a monograph with a publisher. To participate, the photographer must provide a LETTER OF COMMITMENT from a French publisher (non-exhaustive list available on our website).
Q: Who are the 1st Photo Book Grants for?
A: The Eyes Wide Open 1st Photo Book Grants are open to all photographers, regardless of age, who wish to propose a 1st book project with the support of an independent French publisher.
The program is divided into 3 categories, each responding to a specific need:
– SAIF grant dedicated to a French photographer or a photographer living in France
– Grant dedicated to a woman photographer of any nationality
– Grant dedicated to a photographer from a territory in the Global South (Africa, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Middle East).
Q: How much are the grants?
A: The Eyes Wide Open 1st Photo Book Bursaries provide €5,000 each to support 3 book projects by a photographer and his/her publisher .
Q: How many winners will be selected?
R : 3 scholarships will be awarded to 3 winners in November 2024 as part of the Henri Cartier Bresson gala.
Q : I don’t have a publisher. Can I still participate?
R : The 1st photo book grants will be awarded to a photographer accompanied by a French publisher. To participate, the photographer must provide a LETTER OF COMMITMENT from a French publisher. If you don’t know any French publishers, an indicative list is available on our website and on the France Photo Book website.
The support of a French publisher is preferred, but not obligatory, only for the grant dedicated to a photographer from a Southern Global territory.
Q : I’ve already self-published a book, can I still take part?
A: If you have self-published one or more books, you can still take part in the 1st Photo Book Grants program.