Awards

Critical Mass 2024 Awards

Each year, Critical Mass finalists (not just the Top 50) can be selected for awards, scholarships, grants, and publication features!

We are excited to offer the following awards for 2024:

The Michael Reichmann Project Grant is awarded to three Critical Mass Top 200 Finalists. Each recipient receives a $1000 cash award to develop a new or current project.

This award is made possible by a generous endowment gifted to Photolucida by the Luminous Endowment for Photographers – an organization created by the late Michael Reichmann in 2007 to foster current and anticipated photography projects. Photolucida is excited to continue Michael’s legacy by providing this opportunity to emerging photographers.

The Atlanta Photography Group will host the 2024 Top 50 Exhibit from January 14 to February 8, 2025.

Two Solo Show Awards – Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR and Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA will each select an artist for a solo show – all Top 200 finalists will be considered!

SPAO Residency Award – The SPAO Residency Award will be given to one candidate selected from the TOP 50 Critical Mass finalists. All top 50 award winners will be allowed to apply for consideration. SPAO’s Creative Director will choose one winner to participate in the SPAO International Artist Residency (valued at $4500 US). This 6-month residency provides mentorship, support, and a paid exhibition opportunity for professional photo-based artists.

The SPAO Residency allows photo-based artists to advance their careers at one of Canada’s foremost photographic art centers. Individuals are afforded the time and environment needed to research, experiment, and produce a body of work. If space is available, residents can also receive a 50% discount on SPAO’s Part-Time classes. Learn more about SPAO’s Artist residency here.

Maine Media Workshop Scholarship—One finalist will receive a $1,600 scholarship for an online or in-person workshop with Maine Media.

Fraction Magazine Feature – Ten finalists of the Top 50 will be featured in Fraction magazine.

Projections Webinar Feature – Three photographers will be selected to be featured in Frank Meo’s Projections webinar.

Analog Forever Feature—One finalist will be interviewed by Michael Kirchoff and featured in Analog Forever magazine.

Daylight Feature – One finalist will be featured in Daylight Stories.

Hahnemuhle Portfolios – Two Limited Edition Hemp Portfolio boxes for TWO Critical Mass Top 50 finalists!

The Limited Edition of the Hahnemühle Portfolio Box impresses with 50 sheets of Hahnemühle’s latest FineArt Inkjet Hemp paper in 13 x 19”. To protect your FineArt prints effectively, 50 interleaf sheets made of glassine paper are included. The high-quality Portfolio Box also includes three Certificates of Authenticity with holograms and one pair of white Hahnemühle gloves.

This year, Mathilde Kabuka Mujanayi, Ayathma Wickramasinghe, Dan Elia, Chip Moody, Lisa Brown, and Adrian Saker were awarded registration scholarships.