INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Photography Award

INFOCUS, the photography support organization of Phoenix Art Museum, is calling for entries for the INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Photography Award. The award will be granted biennially to an emerging or early career photographer who demonstrates artistic promise. The competition is open to photographers who are residents of the United States, working in all photographic media and styles.

The meaning of "emerging or early career" is intentionally left undefined. This award will not be restricted by whether or not applicants have had a book, shows, or gallery representation. Each applicant has the chance to state why they feel they should be considered as an emerging or early-career artist. The goal is to provide award money to an artist who, early in their career, will benefit from it.

The artist selected for the INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Award will receive an unrestricted cash award of $5,000. Artworks by the winning photographer as well as those by artists receiving Honorable Mention will be displayed for up to two months at Phoenix Art Museum. The award winner will be honored at a reception at the Museum on May 20, 2015, and will be reimbursed up to $1,500 for travel expenses to attend. Selected artist(s) will be featured in INFOCUS event announcements and social media promotion, and will have their websites (if available) linked from the INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Award web page.

Applicants must submit up to five images and a brief artist's statement which includes the URL for the applicant's website. Entry fee is $25. Entries must be submitted digitally via the CaFÉ website. Although the entry must be a digital representation, the artwork itself may exist in another medium, such as a print on paper or one or more physical objects. INFOCUS will mat and frame up to five works by the winning artist; artists recognized for Honorable Mention will be responsible for matting and framing their own work for display. Applicants may only enter the competition once.

Entry period: January 7, 2015 - March 15, 2015. Judging: March 16 - April 15, 2015. Award Ceremony: May 20, 2015. Exhibition: up to 2 months at Phoenix Art Museum between May 20, 2015 and January 15, 2016. The competition will be judged by three curators: Rebecca Senf (Norton Family Curator at Phoenix Art Museum), Joshua Chuang (Chief Curator at the Center for Creative Photography), and April M. Watson (Curator of Photography at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art).