Working Assumptions Project Grants 2026

• Working Assumptions

• Deadline: June 1st, 2026

• Category: Visual Storytelling

• Prize: 6 x $10,000 Project Grants

• Entry Fees: Free

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

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Every year, Working Assumptions awards six $10,000 Project Grants to artists and storytellers whose work explores family in ways that are thoughtful, unexpected, and deeply human. The program is designed to support projects that use visual storytelling to challenge familiar narratives, spark dialogue, and encourage audiences to reconsider what family can mean in contemporary society.

The grant is open to a wide range of creative approaches involving photography and photo-based practices. We encourage proposals spanning documentary, journalism, fine art, education, therapy, community engagement, and research, recognizing that photography has the power to communicate across disciplines and connect with people on both emotional and social levels. We are particularly interested in projects that approach family with nuance, complexity, and originality — work that opens space for new perspectives and meaningful conversations.

Unlike many traditional funding opportunities, the Working Assumptions Project Grant is intentionally unrestricted. We believe artists and storytellers understand the needs of their projects better than anyone else, and recipients are therefore given complete freedom in how they choose to use the funding. Whether supporting travel, production costs, research, collaboration, printing, or simply the time required to focus on the work, the goal of the grant is to help projects move forward without unnecessary limitations.

Projects must already be in progress at the time of application and should ultimately be intended for public presentation or engagement. Through this initiative, Working Assumptions continues its commitment to supporting visual storytelling that expands public understanding of family, identity, and human relationships through photography and image-based art.