Getty Images, a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, in collaboration with GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has announced its latest global creative grant of US$25,000 focused on the Chosen Family.

The grant seeks diverse perspectives, photographers and videographers to help increase the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community while also challenging harmful, cliched visual stereotypes.

This grant will offer financial assistance and mentoring to content producers who are authentically showcasing and investigating celebrations, events, and activities across a wide range of individuals and groups that are members of “chosen families,” outside of stereotypical Pride celebration imagery.

This covers events, fresh family traditions, and local customs as they pertain to LGBTQ+ populations around the world.

“Our VisualGPS global research shows that less than 1% of visuals in media and advertising show members of the LGBTQ+ community and those mainly focus on Pride celebrations as a defining event across the community,”

“This grant aims to portray connections across the LGBTQ+ community, visualizing people coming together to embrace, nurture, love, and support each other, irrespective of traditional familial ties.”

Dr. Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Insights at Getty Images.

The Getty Images creative grant continuously aims to find and nurture creative talent while also easing some of the financial obstacles they face to capture authentic content.

This is because it recognizes the difficulties that photographers from all over the world face as they try to break into the commercial industry.

“Authentic and diverse media images of our community not only make LGBTQ people feel safe and seen but educate the general public on the truth about our lives and the common ground we all share,”

“This grant will create more content that depicts the multi-dimensional and diverse nature of LGBTQ people, along with our immediate families and friends.”

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

Chosen Family is a one-time prize available to photographers and videographers anywhere. Its winners will receive US$10,000 for first place, US$7,000 for second place, and US$3,000 for third place, as determined by a distinguished team of creative industry experts and LGBTQ+ activists.

The LGBTQIA+ Alliance, a Getty Images employee resource group, will also present a special US$5,000 grant.

Shortlisted projects will be judged by a panel that will include:

• Monica Trasandes – Director of Spanish Language and Latinx Media & Representation at GLAAD; has created and overseen international campaigns and research projects around the world and authored her novel, “Broken Like This”.
• Myles Loftin – Artist, storyteller, and creative collaborator working to increase visibility for underrepresented and misrepresented groups; Forbes 30 Under 30 in Art and Style.
• Alex Schmider – Emmy®, Peabody, and Critics Choice Award nominated film producer and the Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD.
• Landyn Pan – Trans non-binary photographer and video producer with a mission to amplify the voices of queer and trans people of color through creating empowering and uplifting media.
• LaQuann Dawson – Photographer, filmmaker, writer and visual director. His work explores themes of healing, isolation, desire, joy and disappointment while centering the visibility, wellness and liberation of Black and queer people.
• Joon Park – Cultural strategist and founding member of GLAAD’s Campus Ambassador program. Is a recipient of GLAAD’s first Rising Stars Grant, which annually honors LGBTQ+ changemakers across the United States.
• Abdool Corlette – GLAAD creative team lead; award-winning creative director & filmmaker with a focus on shifting culture through diverse, high-impact storytelling.
• Thaddeus Coates – Artist creating bright and thought-provoking illustrations centered around amplifying Black voices alongside diverse representation, black queer joy and other topics.

Content creators are encouraged to apply before November 18, 2022, at which point the application period will close. Recipients of the Creative Grant will be announced during the week of December 12th.