The Magnum Foundation Core Programs

Public Service Historically, photographers associated with Magnum Photos Inc. have collaborated with many non-profit organizations, including UNICEF, Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières and Human Rights Watch, in their efforts to raise public awareness of social, political and humanitarian issues. TMF continues this tradition by granting access to the Magnum image library as part of its BE SEEN program, whose mission is to partner in the creation of visual resources for effective public campaigns. To watch the BE SEEN 2008 collaboration with Amnesty International entitled "The Price of Silence" click here.

New Documentary Production The Magnum Foundation (TMF) will work to generate, produce and distribute in-depth investigative reporting of major global, national and local issues. Focus will be placed on groups as well as individual projects that are no longer funded through mainstream media ? reportages that go beyond the single image and record the history and culture of our times without artifice or sensationalism. As part of this effort in the Spring of 2010, the MF launched its Emergency Fund.  

Awards and Grants TMF funds exceptional photographers internationally, who help raise awareness and inspire change through their work. There are currently three awards given annually: The Inge Morath award , which provides $5,000 to a young female photographer under the age of 30 for the completion of a long term project, The Emerging Photographer Award, a $15,000 prize, designed to support the continuation of a photographer's personal project, and The Caucasus Award, with a $5,000 first prize, to recognize outstanding documentary photography by a young photographer under the age of 33 living in the Caucasus region.

Archival Preservation TMF works to preserve and enhance the archives of independent photographers, so that these materials can be made accessible for educational, scholarly and research purposes to historians, scholars and the general public.

For an in depth overview of TMF's programs please see our brochure.