Duckling - Duckling Seed Grant Open Call 2026

• Duckling

• Deadline: May 31st, 2026

• Category: Documentary Photography

• Prize: €1,300 + Publication

• Entry Fees: Yes

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

---

Duckling is a new media platform dedicated to the art of documentary photography and the power of visual storytelling. It was created as a space where photographers, journalists, and storytellers can come together to share ideas, develop projects, and engage with a global community driven by curiosity and human connection. Through masterclasses, collaborative opportunities, the Seed Grant, and future initiatives, Duckling seeks to support the next generation of documentary storytellers while fostering meaningful conversations around image-making and narrative practice.

At its core, Duckling believes that photography is more than documentation — it is a way of preserving memory, revealing unseen realities, and building connections across borders and experiences. By becoming a member, photographers do more than support an independent platform; they become part of a growing international network committed to creating an evolving archive of the world’s stories. Each contribution strengthens a collective space shaped by diverse voices, perspectives, and lived experiences.

To further support emerging and independent storytellers, Duckling launched the Duckling Seed Grant, a monthly production grant intended for projects that have not yet been created. The initiative is rooted in a simple but important belief: many powerful stories never come into existence because the first step is financially inaccessible. The Seed Grant aims to make that beginning possible by providing up to €1,300 in unrestricted support, allowing photographers the freedom to use the funding in whatever way their process requires.

Whether the grant supports travel, research, equipment, access, production costs, or simply the time needed to focus on the work, the goal remains the same — to help bring meaningful stories into the world. Duckling does not impose rigid requirements or dictate how projects should be realized. Instead, the platform places trust in the photographer’s vision and creative process. In return, recipients share their completed work on Duckling alongside reflections on their experience, offering insight into the realities of documentary practice and contributing knowledge back to the wider storytelling community.