The Open Society Institute Documentary Photography Project (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography) and Arts and Culture Network Program (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/arts) have announced a new grant opportunity for documentary photographers from Central Asia, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Pakistan. 

Approximately 20 grants in the amount of $3,500 each will be awarded to photographers to produce a discrete body of work on a current human rights or social justice issue in the region.   The competition is open to photographers from the following countries:  Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Preference will be given to applicants who currently reside in their home country.  Exceptions will be made for applicants from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan living outside their home country.   Applicants from other countries may also be eligible if they can demonstrate a long-term commitment to one of the designated countries (for example, by having lived and worked in one of the countries for many years).

Grantees will be assigned an internationally recognized photographer as a mentor throughout the grant period.  Mentors and grantees will participate in two workshops.  The first workshop, at the beginning of the grant term, will consist of portfolio review, shooting and editing, discussion of proposed projects, and technical requirements/issues.  The second workshop, at the end of the grant period, will consist of preparing a final edit of the projects and examining options for the continuation of the project and the distribution of the work.  Workshops will last for five days each and will be held in Central Asia and the Caucasus.  Translation will be provided if necessary.  All workshop expenses, including travel and accommodations, will be paid by the Open Society Institute.

The deadline for proposals is March 20, 2009 and more information on the grant can be found at:  http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/focus_areas/production/guidelines