Tender Visions
Apply to a commissioning program for photographers and writers.
Tender Photos is pleased to announce a call for applications to Tender Visions, a new cross-disciplinary commissioning program for photographers and writers based on the African continent, supported by funding from the Open Society Foundations. Eight photographers will be selected through this open call and commissioned to produce new work within their communities, guided by predefined themes. Sixteen writers will also be selected from this call to write original creative or critical responses to the photographic projects.
This program will provide photographers with the opportunity to develop new, theme-based projects rooted in their local communities, while fostering collaborative engagements with writers who will produce creative and critical texts that contextualize the visual work. Our aim is to create space for deepened engagement with visual storytelling in Africa, and to bring new narratives to local and international audiences in insightful and thought-provoking ways.
Overview
Photographers based anywhere on the African continent are invited to apply for funding to create a new body of work.
Only photographers based on the African continent are eligible to apply, as the work created will be location-specific.
If their applications are successful, photographers will be required to deliver a portfolio of 40 to 50 images out of which 20 or 30 will be selected.
Each photographer will be paid a total sum of £1000 or its equivalent in local currency.
Writers based anywhere on the African continent are invited to apply for participation in the project.
Preference will be given to writers residing in Africa due to their historically limited opportunities, though applications from the African diaspora are also welcome.
If their applications are successful, writers will be paired with a photographer to create either a critical or creative response of between 3000 to 4000 words in response to that photographer’s new series of images.
Each writer will be paid a total fee of £750 or its equivalent in local currency.
While travel expenses are included in the photographer’s fee, successful writers may apply for a travel stipend—assessed on a case-by-case basis—to help cover any costs incurred in producing their commissioned piece. This stipend is paid in addition to the writer’s fee and only if travel expenses are actually incurred.
We welcome submissions by photographers and writers working anywhere in Africa, provided the application material is submitted in English.
Timelines
Consider the following dates when applying:
June 15, 2025 to July 15, 2025, 11.59pm GMT: application window.
June 28: Virtual information session. Follow @tender.photo on Instagram for more details.
August 20: applicants informed of decisions.
August–October 2025: delivery of photographs and texts.
November 2025 onwards: phased publication of projects on the Tender Photos’ web platform.
Learn more about how to apply here.
About Tender Photos
Tender Photos is a digital platform for African photography and visual storytelling, co-founded by Emmanuel Iduma and Ayòbámi Adébáyò. Our aim is to contribute to nuanced and layered perceptions of the continent by publishing narratives about the people, places, and events pictured in photographs, and promoting the work of visual storytellers and photographers. The flagship project of the platform, Tender Photo, was launched as a weekly newsletter authored by Emmanuel in February 2022. Since then we have featured the work of over 170 photographers, championing their ideas about photography and ensuring they are discoverable by a global photography community. The newsletter is circulated to over 4,000 subscribers weekly.
Amazing initiative.
Great program, you've set up here Emmanuel. Cheers