Getty Images launches new COVID-19 inspired grant program

Global visual communications giant Getty Images has just announced the launch of its annual Reportage Grant series, which has been restructured to include a focus on the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19.

As part of their annual grant series, Getty Images has said that they will be awarding eight separate $5,000 grants to photojournalists who are working safely at home or in their local regions to capture the stories of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

This new subset of grants is aimed at encouraging and supporting photographers, who are facing new obstacles in their ability to carry out their line of work, especially when travel and client interaction form a large part of many photographers’ working lifestyle.     

Ken Mainardis, Senior Vice President for Content, Getty Images, commented on the way the pandemic has inspired the creation of this new monetary encouragement for photographic storytelling, “In the midst of global uncertainties presenting unprecedented challenges, storytelling becomes more important than ever, as visual content is uniquely able to demonstrate how this particular virus is affecting daily lives around the world.” 

Mainardis continued, “While the COVID-19 pandemic looks different depending on the locality, it’s clear that the effects of this virus will outlast the immediate public health emergency, creating significant need for stories detailing socioeconomic, social and wellness implications, as well as innovation in terms of science and technology.”

Recipients of the grants will be chosen from a global pool of entrants and judged by a professional panel of photographers, journalists and creatives. Submissions for the grants will close on Friday, 15 May at midnight EST. 

Health and safety remain a paramount concern at this time and so Getty Images requests that all applicants follow their local and national laws that govern how journalists travel and work during this time.

Entries close May 16. You can find out more about the grants on the Getty website.