CatchLight Global Fellowship for Visual Storytellers

The CatchLight Global Fellowship for Visual Storytellers allows innovative leaders in the visual storytelling field to receive financial support, unlock individual potential, grow and leverage partnerships. The Fellowship cultivates a vibrant community of creative thought leaders whose work will be enhanced by collaboration, personal development, and networking. They aim to bring resources and support to all types of visual storytelling leaders who will make a significant impact and care about the sustainability of the field. The application deadline is July 17, 2022.

About CatchLight

CatchLight is a hybrid nonprofit media organization combining the practices of art, journalism and social justice. We are a transformational force, urgently bringing resources and organizations together to nurture and grow a thriving visual ecosystem.

Benefits of CatchLight Global Fellowship

Below are the benefits the fellows stand to enjoy

• A $30,000 award will be distributed throughout the fellowship year to support the Fellows and their projects.
• The Fellows will have personal and professional development opportunities, impact strategy, and networking support from CatchLight staff and the organization’s extended network of partners. They will join a community of like-minded Fellows and industry professionals and have exposure to opportunities within the CatchLight network such as mentorship roles, education activities, and speaking engagements.
• Fellows will attend the annual CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit in San Francisco in spring 2023. Other events that require participation include:
  • an onboarding workshop,
  • a celebration and
  • speaking engagement designed to promote the Fellowship project, and a community engagement activity.

Throughout the Fellowship year, Fellows will attend regular virtual check-ins to stay in communication with CatchLight and the Fellows community. These check-ins will serve as an opportunity to share works in process and methodology and receive feedback from peers.

Requirements for CatchLight Global Fellowship

The fellowship is open to visual storytelling leaders around the world and these can be:

• Organizational leaders working to further the visual storytelling ecosystem and/or
• Storytellers using visuals to spark new conversations, engage communities and are poised to be significantly amplified by collaboration, mentorship and networking and/or
• Educators supporting the next generation of visual storytellers through innovative approaches.

Selection Process

Below is the application and selection process

• Applicants will submit 20-25 still images or visuals, or 15 minutes or less of audio/motion or VR from a previous or a related piece of work. Images will be 72DPI, 1200 longest edge.
• Project statement summarizing the project (100 words)
• Project proposal outlining:
  • The work to be pursued in the course of a 12-month Fellowship, how it builds on past work, and the relevance of this Fellowship in furthering the impact and reach of the work. CatchLight may grant exceptions to the timeline where warranted.
  • Why this work exemplifies innovative distribution to engage audiences in new and different ways or why this work exemplifies impact on the visual storytelling field.
  • How this work demonstrates measurable social awareness and engagement.
• Distribution and/or engagement plan (300 words)
• Answer to the question: What would you hope to learn from the CatchLight Fellowship and/or network? (100 words)
• Answer to the question: What would you contribute to the CatchLight network and visual storytelling field overall? (100 words)

Documents Required for Application

• Three (3) professional references with contact information (letters of recommendations not required).
• One (1) 60-90 second video describing your fellowship proposal and why it is important to you. They are not expecting great production values; webcam or mobile phone videos are encouraged.
• Personal contact information, portfolio links, CV.
• Adherence to the ethical standards as described.
• You must submit all applications in English. Indicate if you used a translation program for your proposal.

For more information on the fellowship, visit the CatchLight webiste.