Women and Prison : Shining a Light International Photography Contest
The Muhammad Ali Centerin Louisville, Kentucky is honored to announce its ninth annual “Shining a Light” International Photography Contest and subsequent exhibition. This year the Ali Center is asking participants to submit photographs that illustrate the unique ways in which incarceration affects women prisoners.
At the end of the contest period, the Muhammad Ali Center will produce a documentary-style exhibition, which will be exhibited beginning Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
CONTEST THEME
“Shining a Light:Women and Prison”
Since 1980, the rate of incarceration of women is 50% higher than men’s incarceration rate. Imprisoned women, including transwomen and non-binary people, suffer a myriad of injustices while imprisoned. Women are more likely to suffer mistreatment and sexual victimization as they serve their sentences, they are not given adequate access to essential menstrual care, medications, or treatment. The imprisonment of women also affects a wider community than the individual – women are often the caregivers and nurturers in their families and communities, and the needs of those who rely on them cannot be met while they are in prison.
Photographers, amateur and professional, are invited to submit photographs that illustrate these injustices, globally and locally, especially those issues that differ from male prisoners. The contest will accept photographs that illustrate:
- disparities in treatment of and incarceration rates for women of different races, economic situations, sexual identities, and mental health conditions
- issues imprisoned women face concerning motherhood (pregnancy, abortion, birth, and postpartum), access to appropriate medications and contraception, menstruation, overall hygiene, and general privacy
- how women’s communities, families, and dependents suffer during their incarceration
- criminal justice and prison reform movements
- hardships of adjusting to life after prison
EXHIBIT INTENTION
In the resulting documentary-style exhibition, the Muhammad Ali Center intends to increase awareness, to educate on prison injustices, particularly those that disproportionately affect women prisoners, and to inspire visitors and viewers to get involved and to be a part of the solution.
CONTEST CALENDAR
- Call for Submissions:Friday, July 1, 2022
- Entry Deadline: December 31, 2022
- Muhammad Ali Center Exhibition: March 8, 2023(International Women’s Day) – January 8, 2024
PRIZES
A monetary prize will be awarded directly to contestants by the Muhammad Ali Center in recognition of placing first, second, or third.
- 1st Prize — $1000
- 2nd Prize — $750
- 3rd Prize — $500
The monetary prize will be awarded in the form of a digital Swift transfer. Should you be awarded one of the above listed monetary prizes, you will need to send the appropriate bank information to bgoldy@alicenter.org for the transfer.
Information required of winning photographer: Personal bank Swift number, bank name, bank address, name for individual account and account number. Upon notification of award, more information about the transfer of funds will be provided. Please see the Swift website for more information: https://www.swift.com/. Prizes will be sent within 4 weeks of the notification of placing first, second, or third.
If you live in the countries identified on the current U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, Sanctions Programs and Country Information list, you will not be eligible to receive prize money from this contest; however, you are not precluded from participating in this contest by submitting photographs. Follow the link to see the current OFAC list: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information.
Other Recognition:
- Press Release
- Website
- Social Media
RULES AND LEGAL CONDITIONS
By submitting one or more photographs and participating in the “Shining a Light” photo contest, you agree to the following rules and legal conditions:
- All photographers are welcome; both amateur and professional.
- Photographers under the age of 18 are required to submit Parental Consent Form with their submission.
- You agree to limit your submissions to one photograph. Should more than one photograph be submitted, only the first will be accepted for consideration and all other(s) will be discarded.
- You agree to your photograph and name being displayed by the Muhammad Ali Center, published and/or used on websites owned and social media sites operated by the Muhammad Ali Center for an indefinite period, with appropriate credit line.
- You agree to your picture(s) and name being displayed at other venues for an indefinite period.
- Participants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs, notwithstanding the rights granted above to the Muhammad Ali Center and other exhibition venues.
- Photographers selected by the Muhammad Ali Center will have the opportunity to opt into a photo sale agreement. Details below.
- This agreement is for the period of exhibition.
- The Muhammad Ali Center will pay for the cost of printing.
- All sales will be communicated to the photographer at the end of the exhibition period.
- Proceeds from the sales will be split with 40% to the photographers and 60% to the Muhammad Ali Center.
- All unsold prints will remain the property of the Muhammad Ali Center.
- The Muhammad Ali Center has the right to verify, at their sole judgment and discretion, winner eligibility.
- Participants warrant that their photographs:
- are original and
- do not infringe on any third party’s rights,
- Participants agree that they have obtained all necessary permissions from any third party that appears in the photograph.
- The Muhammad Ali Center reserves the right, at its own discretion and judgment, to disqualify any entry if it finds in its sole discretion that any of the conditions above are not met.
- All decisions by the Muhammad Ali Center and its judges concerning the photo contest are final and binding.
SUBMISSIONS:
- Submission Deadline: Saturday, December 31, 2022, 11:59 PM (EST)
ABOUT SHINING A LIGHT
The Muhammad Ali Center leveraged its existing capacity to increase awareness around issues of human rights and social justice on local, national, and international stages. In 2013 the Muhammad Ali Center created “Shining a Light,” an international photography contest focused on gender equality. The “Shining a Light” exhibition opens in conjunction with International Women’s Day on March 8 every year and offers educational programming about the selected topic to enhance the audiences’ experience.
ABOUT THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER
The Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, was co-founded by Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The international cultural center promotes the six core principles of Muhammad Ali (Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality) in ways that inspire personal and global greatness and provides programming and events around the focus areas of education, gender equity, and global citizenship. Its newest initiative, Generation Ali, fosters a new generation of leaders to contribute positively to their communities and to change the world for the better. The Center’s headquarters also contains an award-winning museum experience.
CONTACT
For additional information about the photo contest, rules, awards, exhibitions, and venues, please email bgoldy@alicenter.orgor visit www.alicenter.org.
