*** Applications are now closed for 2022 ***
Following the success of our 2021 Graduate Mentoring Scheme we are very pleased to announce that the scheme is now available to anyone graduating from or leaving a Photography BA, MA or similar course in 2022.
This year we are very pleased that the mentoring is delivered in collaboration with The Association of Photographers, the leading trade association for photographers.
Also this year for the first time we are delighted to have the support of The Photography Show & The Video Show which allows us to mentor many more graduates through our scheme. This year's show will welcome anyone passionate about photography, filmmaking and content creation to the NEC, Birmingham from 17-20 September. All mentees on the programme will receive a free ticket to the show.
"I couldn’t be happier or more thankful to Redeye and my mentor. This mentorship programme, in all honesty, has truly helped me to achieve much of what I have in the past year and I couldn’t recommend this scheme enough." - Holly Houlton, 2020 graduate
Mentoring - regular advice sessions with an experienced specialist - is a valuable way to support photographers entering the industry at a difficult time and without the traditional opportunities for networking and exhibiting work. 2022 graduates have now seen their final two years of study disrupted, so it's important to keep the scheme going.
There's a simple application process; details below. We will be offering four one hour mentoring sessions to successful applicants, free of charge and delivered remotely over Zoom from summer 2022 to summer 2023. Redeye covers the cost of this scheme as part of our remit to support new and diverse talent.
We welcome applications from anyone graduating from a Photography BA, MA, or similar course in 2022. We will share your applications with the mentors who will all choose the photographer that they think they will be able to offer the most support to.
To hear from 2020 graduates about their experiences of the mentoring see here...
We want to thank all of our partners for their generosity in sharing their time and expertise. Our mentors for 2022/23 are...
The Association of Photographers – providing several mentors
Sebah Chaudhry - Creative Producer and Co-founder Reframed Network
Anne Nwakalor - Photo Editor and founding editor of No! Wahala magazine
Niamh Treacy - Co-Ordinator at FORMAT International Photography Festival
Tamsin Silvey - Cultural Programme Curator at Historic England
Jean-Christophe Godet - Founder & Artistic Director at Guernsey Photo Festival and Artistic Director and Co-founder of GLAZ Rencontres Photographiques Rennes 2023 (France)
Julia Bunnemann - Curator at Photoworks
Clare Grafik - Head of Exhibtions at The Photographers Gallery
Liz Wewiora - Freelance Creative Producer and Head of Social Practice at Open Eye Gallery
Zoe Whishaw - Commercial Photography Consultant and Mentor
Katy Barron - Gallery Director, Photography Curator and Chair of Photofusion
Deirdre Robb - Chief Executive Officer at Belfast Exposed
Ben Harman - Director at Stills: Centre for Photography
Cheryl Connell - Programme Manager at Stills: Centre for Photography
Joanne Coates - Director at Lens Think
Jill Cole - Documentary Photographer and Lecturer at The Northern School of Art
Tim Clark - Editor at 1000 Words, Curator of Photo London Discovery, and Artistic Director of Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy and Lecturer at Falmouth University
Sean Patrick Campbell - Working Artist and Communications Manager at Stills: Centre for Photography
David Drake - Independent Curator and Director of the European Prospects Platform
Geoff Belknap - Keeper of Science and Technology at National Museums Scotland
Hilary Roberts - Senior Curator of Photography at Imperial War Museum
Gordon MacDonald - Curator, Writer and Editor at Hapax Magazine
Harry Rose - Founder and Head of Agency Darwin Studio
Gwen Riley Jones - Socially Engaged Photographer in Residence at University of Salford Art Collection and Imaging Manager at The John Rylands Library
Laura Noble - Artist, curator, writer, Director of L A Noble Gallery in London & founder of FIX Photo Festival
How to Apply!!
Please send us a PDF including the following:
- Your name, date of graduation, name of course and university
- Up to 5 images of your work
- One or more links to your website and/ or social media account
- No more than 200 words on your work, how you would benefit from the mentoring, and your career aspirations for the next year
- Your PDF should be no larger than 10MB. Please make sure that it is web resolution.
Please send your PDF to submissions@redeye.org.uk by 11:59pm on Monday 18th July 2022. Please include 'Graduate Mentoring Application' in the subject line of your email.
We will be scoring the applications based on your professionalism, the quality of the work and how much you would benefit from the mentoring, so please take that into consideration when preparing your application.
If you have any questions at all you are very welcome to email Rebecca, Redeye's events coordinator at rebecca@redeye.org.uk.
We would like to use this mentoring opportunity to support those who are currently underrepresented in the industry. We therefore welcome applications from anyone facing additional barriers, espeically photographers who are Black, Asian, or global majority poeple, LGBTQIA+, from lower socio-economic backgrounds, or who self-identify as disabled or neurodivergent.
If you would like any assistance with your application or would like to apply in a format that you are more comfortable with, please email Rebecca.
FAQs
Q How will you match me to a mentor?
We will present each mentor with a shortlist of who we think they will best be able to support. This will be based on their specialisms in photography and your career aspirations. They will then make a choice based on your application.
Q Do I need to know my availability for the next year?
No you don't, you would be matched with your selected mentor at the end of August 2022 and you will then arrange the four mentoring sessions at times convenient for you both. We have a suggested schedule of one-hour mentoring sessions in September, November, February and May.
Q I've sent in my application, what to do if I haven’t had a confirmation email?
You should receive an automatic confirmation within an hour or less. Please check your junk or spam folders. If you can’t see it please email rebecca@redeye.org.uk.
Q When will I find out if I've been selected and how many people will you choose?
We aim to tell everyone by the end of August 2022. We would like to offer mentoring to as many graduates as we can. Last year we were able to support nearly half of those who applied so there is a reasonable chance of success.
Q I'm an MA student, can I apply?
Yes, you can apply as an MA student. However, please be aware that we are prioritising BA or equivalent students who are starting out on their careers and may be in need of more support.
Q What if I am not successful?
We will continue with our programme of events providing support to photographers, including our regular Critique Surgeries which provide similar specialist support. Redeye members get four free Critique Surgeries a year and you can continue as a student member for £2.50 a month up to two years after graduating.
Q How are you making this free? Are there any other costs?
The four mentoring sessions will be offered free of charge to the selected 2022 graduates. The cost of this will be covered by Redeye, with funding from Arts Council England, The Photography Show and by the partnering mentors, some of whom have agreed to give up their time voluntarily. There are no other costs for this particular scheme.
Q What should I expect from a mentoring session?
If you are successful we will send you further details about what happens next. In a typical session a mentor should be able to give you a wide range of advice and suggestions on improving your work and building your career. We expect these to be conducted by video link such as Skype or Zoom. Typically they might take between 40 minutes to an hour.
Q How should I prepare for a mentoring session?
Make sure your work is up to date and send any links to new work, or supporting material such as documents, PDFs or media files, in advance. It is very helpful to mentors if you present them with questions, or any particular topics you would like to discuss. Do prepare any specific questions you have in advance. Also have a notebook to hand.
Q I am a mentor not on the list; can I be involved?
Yes, please contact us before 18th July 2022. Mentors need to have a current track record of work in photography, and have mentoring or support experience.
Q I run a university photography course; how can we be more involved?
We have a growing list of supporting universities and colleges, who are helping us promote the scheme, and in return we guarantee that at least one student from that course will receive mentoring. If you would like to be one of those universities, please contact us before 18th July 2022.
Watch some videos from previous mentors and mentees here!