1. Presentation
The Armenian Women Photographers Residency Program is organized by the International Women In Photo Association (IWPA) as part of its mission to foster artistic growth, intercultural dialogue, and professional development for women photographers. This one-month residency, taking place in September 2026 at Centre des Récollets in Paris, is designed to provide a creative and supportive environment for five Armenian women photographers will focus on the themes of Memory, Migration, and Social Change.
The program aims to:
- Offer a dedicated space and time for artistic experimentation, research, and the development or continuation of projects around the topics of memory, migration, and social change.
- Facilitate mentorship and networking with established professionals in the field of photography, curation, and cultural institutions.
- Provide access to Parisian cultural resources, including archives, galleries, and institutions, to enrich the residents’ creative process.
- Encourage cross-cultural exchange and collaboration among participants, fostering a community of support and shared learning.
Through this residency, IWPA seeks to empower participants by offering the tools, connections, and inspiration needed to advance their artistic practice and expand their professional opportunities.
2. Key Dates
- Open Call: April 14, 2026 – May 17, 2026
- Deadline for Submissions: May 17, 2026, 23:59 (Paris time)
- Notification of Selected Candidates: June 13, 2026
3. Eligibility
- Open to women photographers of Armenian nationality or those who identify as such, currently residing in Armenia.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- No entry fee is required.
4. Residency Details
Five selected candidates will participate in the residency, which includes:
- Accommodation at the Centre International des Récollets, Paris.
- Professional Mentorship with experts in photography and curation.
- Access to cultural resources in Paris, including archives, galleries, and networks.
- A creative and reflective environment for research, experimentation, and artistic development.
- A public presentation at the end of the residency (September 2026) to share the process and outcomes of their work.
The residency is designed as a space for research and artistic exploration, providing participants with the time, resources, and professional networks to deepen their practice.
- Selected candidates must commit to:
- Attending all residency activities (workshops, mentorship sessions, events).
- Sharing their research or creative process in a final presentation
- Granting IWPA the right to use their work for promotional purposes (with full credit to the artist).
- IWPA will cover:
- A fixed amount for travel expenses (round-trip flight from Yerevan to Paris).
- A daily stipend for living costs.
- Accommodation at Centre des Récollets.
5. Application Process
Each candidate must submit the following documentation to the link available on our website
- A resume (maximum 2 pages)
- A short biography (maximum 200 words)
- A portfolio (maximum 15 pages in PDF format), which may include images, text, archives, or mixed-media work.
- A cover letter (maximum 300 words) outlining:
- Their artistic practice and research interests.
- How they envision using the residency for exploration,development and experimentation
- Any specific goals or questions they hope to address during the month.
- All materials must be submitted in English or French, and incomplete applications will not be considered.
Candidates will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.
6. Selection Process
– IWPA guarantees fairness, good faith and neutrality in the selection process.
– A selection committee composed of renowned professionals in the field of photography will evaluate applications based on:
- Artistic quality and originality.
- Alignment with the residency’s themes.
- Potential for growth and impact.
– The selection committee will select the 5 resident artists . They may select fewer than 5 residents if they estimate there are not enough candidates with an adequate level.
Selected candidates will be notified by email and announced on IWPA’s website and social media.
IWPA reserves the right to cancel or modify the residency program in the event of unforeseen circumstances or force majeure affecting its ability to organize the program without liability to the participants.
In the event of cancellation, selected artists will be notified as soon as possible. No claims or compensation can be made against IWPA. Candidates are advised not to incur significant expenses until they receive final written confirmation of the residency.
By submitting their application, artists fully accept these terms
7_ Copyright
–Submitted photographs must be original materials created by the participant.
–Participants must confirm that they are the sole copyright holder of the material or have been authorized by another copyright holder to submit the material to this call
–IWPA (and its partners) are not responsible of any royalties, fees or any other amount to a third person and can assume no responsibility and are not liable for any misuse of the participants work by third parties.
–The photographer retains copyright of her photographs. IWPA recognizes that the participant – the author of the photograph – retains complete ownership of the copyright in each submission.
– Selected and shortlisted artists agree that any photographs submitted can be reproduced (citing credits of its author) and used to carry out and promote IWPA and its activities but IWPA cannot guarantee that others who copy or repost images will do the same and IWPA shall not be liable for the actions of any such third parties.
– The images remain the property of the author and the author grants IWPA a royalty-free license to use, copy, reproduce, adapt and modify the images in relation to the promotion of the award during the following year(s) and for any other purposes, without the participant being able to raise any financial claim, and to include all print, video or online media or social media. IWPA may sub-license this license to its partners.
– Photographers will be informed, in case IWPA wishes to use their work in any other context.
–The participant undertakes, warrants and confirms that she will not assert any moral or similar rights that she may have in relation to any original materials submitted as part of the contest to prevent their public display in accordance with these Regulations.
–Participant agrees to indemnify IWPA and its partners (Indemnified Parties) against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal and other reasonable professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by an Indemnified Party arising out of or in connection with any claim made against an Indemnified Party for actual or alleged infringement of a third party’s intellectual property rights arising out of, or in connection with the participant’s submission or from a breach by the participant of these Regulations.
8_Data Protection and Transfer of Image Rights
All personal information is collected for the purpose of administering your entry, and will be kept secure and confidential and is used in accordance with applicable law.
In compliance with the provisions of REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 27, 2016 relating to the protection of natural persons (“RGDP”), the owner is informed that personal data facilitated by the participants are incorporated into the corresponding ownership and responsibility file of IWPA.
Data that will be processed by IWPA:
Names and surnames
Nationality
Location
And having obtained the consent for it, images and photographs.
IWPA also informs that these data may be published by IWPA on the internet in order to disseminate and publicize its activities and residencies.
IWPA will not collect, use or disclose personal information for purposes other than those described above, unless the participants give their consent, there is a legal obligation or a legitimate interest exists.
The personal data of the participants will be kept during the period for the duration of the process, assessment, and dissemination of the contest.
The personal data of the participants will be automatically kept for those who agreed to become IWPA members through the online application.
Participants can exercise the rights of access, rectification, cancellation, opposition, limitation and portability, as well as the right to withdraw the consent granted, by addressing, by any means that allows to prove the sending and receiving, to the attention of IWPA (International Women In Photo 42 rue de Tocqueville, 75017 Paris, France, or by writing an email to contact@iwpa.fr.
Additional Considerations
– This Contest is subject to French law. In the event of a dispute between the Parties, arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) then the dispute shall be referred to and finally resolved by Paris Court Jurisdiction.
–The illegality of any part of Regulations shall not prejudice the enforceability of any other part, which shall be severable.
– The failure on the part of a party to exercise or enforce any right conferred upon it by these Regulations shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any such right or operate so as to prevent the exercise or enforcement of any right conferred upon the parties by these Regulations.
– These Regulations constitute the entire understanding and agreement of the parties relating to its subject matter and supersede, cancel and replace all prior agreements between IWPA and the participants which relate to the same subject matter whether written, oral, implied or would be inferred from the correspondence, oral statements or conduct of the parties.
– The participant shall not sell, assign, mortgage, charge, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its rights or obligations under these Regulations nor will it delegate or sub-contract any of such rights or obligations without the prior written consent IWPA.
– Subject to applicable law, IWPA and its partners, will not be liable for loss of profits, revenues, or data, financial losses or indirect, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, IWPA and its partners exclude all liability of for any claims under these Regulations.
