The Magnum Foundation has launched an open call for the Counter Histories Puerto Rico Fellowship, an international program designed to support photographers and artists who engage with photography to reinterpret history and explore contemporary social questions. The fellowship invites creative practitioners working on projects connected to Puerto Rico and its diaspora to develop and complete visual storytelling projects that challenge dominant narratives and reframe historical memory.
Through a combination of financial support, mentorship, collaborative learning, and international exposure, the program aims to strengthen artistic practices that investigate archives, identity, memory, and the contested nature of history. Selected fellows will receive a $10,000 project development grant and participate in an eight-month virtual fellowship program from June 2026 to February 2027.
Applications for this opportunity are open until April 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT (New York time).
About the Counter Histories Initiative
Since 2018, the Magnum Foundation’s Counter Histories initiative has supported artists who challenge dominant historical narratives and highlight suppressed or marginalized histories. The initiative explores the ways photography and visual storytelling can reveal overlooked perspectives, question historical archives, and generate new interpretations of the past.
Historical archives often contain gaps, silences, and biases shaped by power structures, colonial histories, and systemic inequalities. Counter Histories encourages artists to engage critically with these archives and develop creative responses that expand how we understand historical memory.
The initiative emphasizes collaborative research and artistic experimentation, encouraging photographers and visual artists to examine how images shape collective understanding of the past, present, and future.
Counter Histories Puerto Rico Edition
The Counter Histories Puerto Rico Fellowship focuses specifically on projects connected to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican identity, including stories emerging from the archipelago and its global diaspora.
At a time when public memory in Puerto Rico faces challenges due to systemic disinvestment and cultural erasure, the program seeks to support artists who contribute to the creation of a collective visual archive that reflects diverse experiences and perspectives.
This new edition of the fellowship is developed through a partnership between:
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Magnum Foundation
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Instituto de Observación Colectiva
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Artist and past Counter Histories Fellow Christopher Gregory-Rivera
The program is supported by the Mellon Foundation and hosted by the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, providing fellows with opportunities to connect their projects to a broader cultural and institutional network.
Fellowship Structure and Duration
The Counter Histories Puerto Rico Fellowship combines financial support, mentorship, collaborative learning, and public presentation opportunities.
The program runs for eight months, beginning in June 2026 and concluding in February 2027.
Up to eight fellows will be selected to participate in the program.
Financial Support
Each selected participant will receive a $10,000 project development grant.
The grant is flexible and can be used to support the development and completion of the fellow’s project in ways that best fit their creative practice. Possible uses include:
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Production costs for photography or multimedia work
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Travel related to the project
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Equipment and creative materials
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Research and archival exploration
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Editing and post-production work
In addition to the project grant, fellows will receive additional discretionary funds that can be used for:
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Individual mentoring sessions with experts
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Creative collaborations with other fellows
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Specialized research support
Virtual Fellowship Program
During the fellowship period, participants will take part in a structured virtual program consisting of approximately 25–30 hours of activities spread over the eight-month period.
To ensure accessibility and flexibility, the program requires no more than four hours of participation in any given month.
The virtual fellowship may include:
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Guest lectures by photographers, scholars, and curators
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Collaborative working groups
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Community-building sessions among fellows
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Curatorial advising
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Professional development workshops
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Peer feedback sessions
All fellowship programming will include translation and accessibility for both English and Spanish speakers, ensuring that participants from diverse linguistic backgrounds can fully engage in the program.
In-Person Symposium
The fellowship will culminate in a public symposium, likely taking place in February 2027.
During this event, fellows will present their work and share the outcomes of their projects with a broader audience.
The Magnum Foundation will cover all travel expenses associated with attending the symposium. Additionally, the organization will ensure that fellows have reliable internet access throughout the virtual fellowship program.
Types of Projects Supported
The program supports creative production rooted in photography, particularly projects that engage critically with archives, memory, and historical narratives.
Eligible projects may include:
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New photographic productions
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Creative reinterpretations of historical archives
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Artist-generated archival projects
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Visual storytelling that activates personal or collective photographic archives
While projects may incorporate written research or archival preservation work, the program prioritizes projects where visual outputs and creative storytelling remain central.
Applicants should ensure that their project—or a significant part of it—can be completed and publicly shared by the end of the fellowship period.
Key Themes and Guiding Questions
Applicants are encouraged to explore a wide range of conceptual questions related to historical memory and visual storytelling.
These include:
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What could an archive of the future look like?
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How can artists engage with histories that were never photographed?
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What creative possibilities emerge from gaps and silences in historical archives?
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How might artists challenge photography’s role in reinforcing violent histories or limiting narratives?
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How can emerging technologies expand photographic storytelling?
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How can artists present alternative methods of memory-making?
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What role does memory play in shaping archives and historical narratives?
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How can artistic work addressing historical trauma or loss contribute to healing and reconciliation?
These questions are intended as inspiration rather than strict thematic limitations.
Who Should Apply
The fellowship is open to photographers and artists whose creative practice significantly engages with photography.
Applicants are expected to commit fully to the fellowship’s collaborative environment and contribute to the shared learning experience.
Importantly, the program has no formal education or professional experience requirements.
The organizers strongly encourage applications from:
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Self-taught photographers and artists
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Current students
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Mid-career or established artists
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Practitioners who have historically lacked access to formal training opportunities
The fellowship aims to create an intergenerational cohort representing diverse artistic backgrounds and experiences.
The organizers also encourage applications from communities that face systemic oppression or underrepresentation within the photography field.
Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated through a multi-stage review process.
All submissions will first be reviewed by the Magnum Foundation team. Final decisions will then be made by an external selection committee composed of experts in photography, visual culture, and historical research.
Fellows may be selected through either the open call process or through nominations, although all applicants will complete the same application form and receive equal review consideration.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit several materials through the online application form.
These include:
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Samples of current and previous work
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A short biography
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A short description of the proposed project
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A list of creative inspirations
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A statement explaining why the applicant wants to participate in the fellowship community
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A description of what the project needs in order to be completed
Applications must be submitted as individuals, even if the project involves collaborators.
Applicants may submit materials in either English or Spanish.
Q&A Session for Applicants
A virtual information session will be held to answer questions about the fellowship and application process.
Date: March 16, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT (New York)
The session will include translation and will be accessible to both English and Spanish speakers. A recording will also be made available afterward for those who cannot attend live.
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