Outreach Spotlight: VII Community in Partnership with PhotoWings
Explore the VII + PhotoWings Partnership:
Outreach Spotlight: VII Insider Videos
VII + PhotoWings: Foundry Photojournalism Workshop
Outreach Spotlight: VII + YMCA Youth Voices
Outreach Spotlight: Lost Rolls America
About The VII Foundation:
The VII Foundation's mission is to transform visual journalism by empowering new voices and creating stories that advocate change. In a world where beliefs and actions are increasingly out-of-sync with facts and realities, transforming visual journalism is an urgent task.
The VII Foundation was developed with a mission to radically transform visual journalism as funding through traditional sources for continuing documentary practice and long-term journalism projects diminished.
With an emphasis on changing policy and educating youth, our high-profile projects narrate lived experiences, document complex problems, and seek sustainable solutions. The VII Foundation has recently produced prominent films, books, and exhibitions in multiple languages, which have been exhibited worldwide, reviewed in leading media, and taught in schools and colleges.
Outreach Spotlight: VII Community
We are proud to expand our partnership with VII to present Community, with a mission to foster opportunities and further tuition-free education of visual practitioners.
Designed to be a space for open discussion and access to practical collaboration, VII Community provides a career-enhancing network for VII Academy and Foundry Photojournalism Workshop alumni worldwide. The new curated platform centers on continuing education, encouraging comradeship, mentoring, and developing personal and professional skills in a media landscape where collaboration is vital.
Made up of over 1000 alumni, the strategy of VII Community is to amplify, recognize, and advance careers in visual journalism in the Majority World and underrepresented communities in G20 countries. Our platform will allow practitioners to collaborate with peers and professionals in exciting spaces, including outside of the photojournalism silo, and encourage shared practical experience and knowledge.
VII Community will promote open discussion, personal development, practical media knowledge, and professional training through monthly talks by industry and other experts, portfolio reviews, mentorships, and educational resources in multiple languages.
Learn more:
VII Community Website
VII Community Activities
Continuing Education Series
Engage in live discussions with field experts on a range of topics, including storytelling, writing, ethics, resilience, marketing, editing, grant writing, and beyond.
Community Hangouts
Join us each month to connect with fellow members, engage in lively conversations, share valuable insights, and exchange ideas about the needs of the Community.
Photo Reviews
Join our monthly live group sessions where a guest editor will provide feedback on selected projects submitted by alumni. All members are welcome to attend and are encouraged to provide peer-to-peer feedback during the open discussion.
Ask me Anything
Whether you want to learn about gear, techniques, or career development, our “Ask Me Anything” video and chat sessions are the perfect opportunity to gain inside knowledge and have your questions answered by experts in the field.
VII Insider Presentations
A select group of alumni will be invited to present their work on VII Insider. A program of The VII Foundation in partnership with PhotoWings, VII Insider is an online platform for public debate and discussion focused on advancing the production and analysis of photography, documentary stories, and visual journalism.
Rewind Sessions
Discussions with the community dedicated to learning from their past courses.
Mentorships
Alumni of the VII Community are eligible to apply for a 1-on-1 mentorship, which includes six 1-hour sessions with guest mentors. This program is a valuable opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Portfolio Reviews
In these 20-minute sessions, alumni will get the opportunity to have their portfolios reviewed by guest editors, professionals, photographers, curators, and other experts from the field.