Myanmar Photo Archive

This open call represents opportunities for writers, visual artists, filmmakers, scholars, and anyone engaged with Myanmar’s history (THE CALL IS CLOSED)

The Goethe-Institut Myanmar and the Myanmar Photo Archive invite you to participate in our commissioned program for 2023. We are offering 45 grants to creatives to reinterpret the images from the Myanmar Photo Archive. The archive holds the largest collection of independent Myanmar’s vernacular photography from across the country. The Myanmar Photo Archive began its collection in 2013 and has consistently showcased its materials through local and international exhibitions and publications. Since 2018, the Goethe-Institut Myanmar has been a strong supporter and collaborator in these efforts, providing the opportunity to financially support these grants, including a publication program. It is through the generous support of the Goethe-Institut that this opportunity becomes possible.

Deadline to apply 30th of June, 2023
Announcement of recipients 14th of July, 2023
Deadline for art work/ writing to be submitted 14th of October, 2023

SUBMISSIONS

We welcome submissions from writers and visual artists of any form and kind. The interpretations of the images can include, for example, fictional writing, historical analyses, imagined photo series in response to the images, narrative films, print series, collage works, drawings, prints, etc. We encourage both factual and emotionally-based responses to the images in order to gain a broad reflection on these largely uninterpreted materials. The selected works will be published and/or exhibited online, in print, and on display. If created, the original works will become part of the Myanmar Photo Archives collection.

You can apply for multiple categories, or with multiple project ideas. Each project needs an individual submission.

We offer the following grants:

20 x Short written pieces for a series or single image. Minimum 250 words – 100 Euro
5 x Long written pieces for a series or single image. Minimum 2500 words – 500 Euro
5 x Films of any narrative kind based on a series of images. Minimum length 3 minutes – 500 Euro
5 x Photo series in response to a series in the archive. Minimum 10 images – 500 Euro
5 x Print/drawing series in response to a series in the archive. Minimum 5 images – 500 Euro
5 x Single painting grants in response to a series in the archive – 500 Euro

ARCHIVE MATERIAL

We provide you with a large array of image series and single images for you to work on and interpret at the bottom of this page. Please choose a category and indicated it in the application form.

PROCEDURE:

If you are interested in participating in this open call, please pick one of the proposed image series or single images. Indicate the number and category to which you want to propose an interpretation with a summary of your planned endeavour and a short cv of your past experiences in the field. The final material can be in Burmese or English.

Get in touch if you have any questions.

PRIVACY

Your information will only be processed by the Myanmar Photo Archive and Goethe Institute Team. You can submit anonymously or with a pseudonym. We will protect your data and work and will not publish anything under your name if you do not wish to do so.