New York – October 19, 2022: Getty Images (NYSE: GETY), a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, in collaboration with GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has announced its latest global creative grant of US$25,000 focused on the Chosen Family. The grant seeks diverse perspectives, photographers and videographers to help increase visibility of the LGBTQ+ community while also challenging harmful, cliched visual stereotypes.

This grant will provide financial support and mentorship to content creators who are authentically showcasing and exploring celebrations, events and actions across a broad range of people and groups that are part of ‘chosen families’, outside of stereotypical Pride celebration imagery. This includes celebrations, new family norms and cultural traditions as they relate to LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

“Our VisualGPS global research shows that less than 1% of visuals in media and advertising show members of the LGBTQ+ community and those mainly focus on Pride celebrations as a defining event across the community,” said Dr. Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Insights at Getty Images. “This grant aims to portray connections across the LGBTQ+ community, visualising people coming together to embrace, nurture, love, and support each other, irrespective of traditional familial ties.”

Recognizing the challenges faced by photographers worldwide as they look to break into the commercial industry, the Getty Images’ creative grant consistently seeks to discover and nurture creative talent while also alleviating some of the financial hurdles they face to capture authentic content.

“Authentic and diverse media images of our community not only make LGBTQ people feel safe and seen, but educate the general public on the truth about our lives and the common ground we all share,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “This grant will create more content that depicts the multi‑dimensional and diverse nature of LGBTQ people, along with our immediate families and friends.”

Open to photographers and videographers globally, Chosen Family is a one‑time grant, awarding one first‑place recipient US$10,000, one second‑place recipient US$7,000 and one third‑place recipient US$3,000 each, as determined by an esteemed panel of creative industry judges and LGBTQ+ activists.

A special US$5,000 grant will also be awarded by the Getty Images’ employee resource group LGBTQIA+ Alliance.

Shortlisted projects will be judged by a panel that will include:

• Monica Trasandes ‑ Director of Spanish Language and Latinx Media & Representation at GLAAD; has created and overseen international campaigns and research projects around the world and authored her novel, “Broken Like This”.
• Myles Loftin – Artist, storyteller, and creative collaborator working to increase visibility for underrepresented and misrepresented groups; Forbes 30 Under 30 in Art and Style.
• Alex Schmider ‑ Emmy®, Peabody, and Critics Choice Award nominated film producer and the Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD.
• Landyn Pan – Trans non‑binary photographer and video producer with a mission to amplify the voices of queer and trans people of color through creating empowering and uplifting media.
• LaQuann Dawson – Photographer, filmmaker, writer and visual director. His work explores themes of healing, isolation, desire, joy and disappointment while centering the visibility, wellness and liberation of Black and queer people.
• Joon Park – Cultural strategist and founding member of GLAAD’s Campus Ambassador program. Is a recipient of GLAAD’s first Rising Stars Grant, which annually honors LGBTQ+ changemakers across the United States.
• Abdool Corlette – GLAAD creative team lead; award‑winning creative director & filmmaker with a focus on shifting culture through diverse, high‑impact storytelling.
• Thaddeus Coates – Artist creating bright and thought‑provoking illustrations centered around amplifying Black voices alongside diverse representation, black queer joy and other topics.

Content creators are encouraged to apply before November 18, 2022, at which point the application period will close. Recipients of the Creative Grant will be announced during the week of December 12th.

To apply, photographers and videographers must submit the following:

• Links to existing portfolio of work online
• The submission must include: a 200‑500‑word summary of the project proposal and an inspirational mood board
• A short essay that outlines the approach
• Proposals must be in English
• Submissions must be digital

Grant recipients are invited to license their award‑winning content through GettyImages.com, at a 100% royalty rate for imagery created within their proposed project. Entrants will also receive guidance and mentorship from one of Getty Images’ award‑winning Art Directors, as well as a feature on Getty Images’ Creative Insights website, in addition to promotion across relevant social channels. Please note, this additional support is not a requirement of the creative grant and is at the discretion of each recipient.

The Getty Images Creative Grants are a core piece of the wider grants program, collectively aimed at supporting the world’s photographic and photojournalism community. Since the inception of the program in 2004, the company has awarded in excess of US$2.4 million, furthering our commitment to the craft of photography and bringing attention to important stories that without funding, may otherwise remain unseen. Further details on the Getty Images grants program available here: https://grants.gettyimages.com/.

To apply: https://grants.gettyimages.com/en/grants/chosen‑family

Image Credit: Kelvin Murray