The health crisis has particularly affected the profession of photojournalist, which has been undergoing profound changes for several years, resulting both from the media crisis and the digital revolution, which has changed the business model of photography professionals.
In order to support the profession, the Minister of Culture has decided to carry out a large photographic commission, with a total budget of nearly 5.5 million euros. In keeping with the State’s major commissions in the field of photography, this project recognizes and encourages the vitality of contemporary creation in the field of photojournalism and press photography.
The winners will be invited to work on the theme of a France at the dawn of the 2020s, during and after the health crisis », in order to paint a portrait of our country in the face of the many economic, health, societal and artistic challenges it is currently facing.
The National Library of France is in charge of this large photographic commission.
This national photographic commission will last for two years (2021/2022 and 2022/2023), at the rate of one order per year for 100 photographers, graduates since 2018 or who can justify a collaboration with a press publication in the last four years. A first call for nominations will be launched in fall 2021 and a second in Q1 2022.
Each photographer selected will benefit from a total budget of €22,000, which will allow for the solicitation of approximately 200 photographers over two years.
At the end of this commission, the BnF, which will integrate the works in its collections, will be responsible for valuing and disseminating the works through a retrospective exhibition in its walls, an edition and several valorisation operations throughout the territory.
This system is part of the “press” business plan requested by the President of the Republic.