Since its founding, HCP has earned an international reputation for exhibitions of current and relevant work that have helped to define the state of photography. HCP's exhibitions have included works by some of the most important photographers of the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as the work of many emerging photographers who are now established professionals.
Houston Center for Photography’s mission is to increase society’s understanding and appreciation of photography and its evolving role in contemporary culture. HCP Education offers over 180 courses, workshops, and masterclasses on an annual basis, including a variety of Teen Class during the Summer.
Thanks to the generosity of both our donors and Platinum/Gold Sponsorship Members, HCP is able to offer scholarships in support of the professional development of photographers in Houston and its metro area.
Eligibility
Scholarship applications are open year round to teens (between the ages of 13 and 18) of any skill level living within a radius of 100 miles from Houston’s city center. HCP membership is not required for scholarship application. Our scholarships are designed to support all members of the community and do not require any sort of educational prerequisite or minimum qualification for consideration.
Schedule
Scholarship applications are received on a rolling basis throughout the year. New applications are evaluated as they come in. Applicants will be notified by the the end May if their application has been accepted. Scholarship recipients may apply for another scholarship only in the following year.
Evaluation Process
Application evaluation is a holistic process that takes into account each applicant's financial need, the potential impact receiving a scholarship will make for the applicant, and the merit of their portfolio and statements.
Accepting Scholarships
Recipients accept offered scholarships by returning a signed copy of their scholarship notification and registering for the relevant class. Scholarships that are not accepted as described will be offered to other candidates instead.
Recipients’ Responsibilities
Scholarship recipients are expected to attend classes and complete all assignments. Parents and students are responsible for transportation to/from HCP. Recipients who fail to attend 70% of classes will not be eligible to apply for additional scholarships. HCP submits an IRS form 1099 to recipients of prizes and awards as required by the Internal Revenue Service. Parents should consult with a tax professional for information regarding their tax obligations.
In 2024 HCP dedicated its third gallery space to Houston and its metro area photographers. We welcome your submissions for exhibition consideration. This rolling call for entry opens in September and stays open until the end of August. Artists must be HCP members to apply. Each year we will consider submissions on a rolling basis for one of our eight solo exhibition slots. Work is considered as it comes in and artists will be provided notification at the end of subsequent month if their work has been accepted for exhibition. Houston based artists may apply more than once per year with new work. There are no themes or limitations to the type of work we will consider as long as the work falls within the discipline of photography.
Houston Center for Photography’s mission is to increase society’s understanding and appreciation of photography and its evolving role in contemporary culture. HCP Education offers over 150 courses, workshops, and masterclasses on an annual basis.
Thanks to the generosity of both our donors and Platinum/Gold Sponsorship Members, HCP established a new scholarship program supporting the professional development of photographers in Houston and its metro area. We welcome submissions from HCP members and non-members alike for full scholarships to attend courses and masterclasses offered by HCP. Approved applicants are eligible to receive one scholarship per year.
Eligibility
Scholarship applications will be open year round to adults (over the age of 18) of any skill level living within a radius of 100 miles from Houston’s city center. HCP membership is not required for scholarship application. Our scholarships are designed to support all members of the community and do not require any sort of educational prerequisite or minimum qualification for consideration (students in photography programs are, however, welcome to apply).
Schedule
Scholarship applications are received on a rolling basis throughout the year. New applications are evaluated as they come in and applicants will be notified at the end of the subsequent month if their application has been accepted. Accepted applicants remain candidates to receive a scholarship for a period of one year. Scholarship recipients may apply for another scholarship only one year after their original application.
Evaluation Process
Application evaluation is a holistic process that takes into account each applicant's financial need, the potential impact receiving a scholarship will make for the applicant, and the merit of their portfolio and statements. New scholarships will be offered on a rolling basis as they are made available. Candidates will be offered specific scholarships taking based on their interests, photographic work, and personal background.
Accepting Scholarships
Each approved applicant is eligible to receive only one scholarship per year. Recipients accept offered scholarships by returning a signed copy of their scholarship notification and registering for the relevant class. Scholarships that are not accepted as described will be offered to other candidates instead. Candidates who cannot accept an offered scholarship may be considered for other scholarships while their application remains eligible.
Recipients’ Responsibilities
Scholarship recipients are expected to attend classes and complete all assignments. Students are responsible for making it to in-person classes. Recipients who fail to attend 70% of classes will not be eligible to apply for additional scholarships. HCP submits an IRS form 1099 to recipients of prizes and awards as required by the Internal Revenue Service. Please consult with a tax professional for information regarding your tax obligation.
Evaluation Committee
Applications are evaluated by multiple staff members at HCP. The evaluating team changes every month to provide equitable opportunities to all applicants.
CALL FOR ENTRIES OPENS: May 6th, 2025
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: June 1st, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT
Learning Curve is an annual exhibition celebrating HCP students’ work from the past year. It features a range of photo-based work—including digital, analog, and alternative processes—and highlights HCP Education's various programs. There is no fee for entry.
Every year the Learning Curve exhibition is juried by a leading curator, editor, or artist who is in dialogue with the medium of contemporary art and/ or photography. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited at HCP and highlighted on our digital platforms (website, newsletters, and social media).
About the Juror:
Raquel Natalicchio is a bilingual photographer from Los Angeles, California currently based in Houston, Texas as a staff visual journalist for The Houston Chronicle. Natalicchio documents social issues, community-driven stories, political mobilization, and migration across the US/Mexico border. Her work focuses on the universality of humanity, including themes of love, struggle, resilience, and community. Her current long-term project, “Borderlands”, explores the rich diversity of experiences in border communities along the US/Mexico border.
Natalicchio has exhibited in several solo and group exhibitions such as the Los Angeles Center of Photography, Art House NYC, New York, and Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles among others. Her images have been published extensively in the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, El Pais, Daily Mail, CNN, NBC, CBS, and ABC to name a few.
Combining her passions for photography and education, Natalicchio has developed special curricula with themes such as ‘self-love’ for teen girls after-school programs. She is equally passionate about community building and has produced talks, panel discussions, and exhibitions for photography communities in Los Angeles, Houston, and London.
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Eligibility
Students who attended a course or a workshop at HCP from January 2024 onward are welcome to apply. Students of all levels of photographic knowledge or experience may apply.
Call For Entry Guidelines
STEP 1. Prepare your images and all related texts
Carefully edit a group of no more than 5 images and/ or videos that describe your current photographic work. For videos, your files must be either QuickTime (.mov) or MPEG-4 (.mp4) filetypes. For images, please use the following specifications:
- JPEG (.jpg) or PNG (.png) filetype for images
- 72 DPI
- 2000 pixels on the LONGEST side
- Adobe RGB (1998) Color Profile
For each image, you will need to fill out the following information:
- Title
- Year
- Medium
- Size (inches)
You will also need to have the following information available for upload:
- Artist Bio
- Artist Website (if applicable)
STEP 2. Click "Submit"!
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NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: Applicants will be notified of the jurying results by June 9th, 2025. Please note; HCP retains the right to reject any selected work that differs from the work submitted.
LIABILITY & AGREEMENT: Works will be insured while on the premises of HCP. HCP retains the right to display and reproduce work accepted for this exhibition for publicity and promotional purposes.
- ARTWORK PRESENTATION: Upon your acceptance, the work to be exhibited must be delivered ready-to-hang in either a simple white, black, or natural wood frame; matting is optional, and frames that do not meet this criteria should be pre-approved by the Exhibitions and Programs Coordinator in advance. In the case that a pedestal or specific hardware is needed for presentation, you must inform the Exhibitions and Programs Coordinator of what will be necessary for the installation of your work. Artists exhibiting slide or video projection, installation or sculptural works beyond a two-dimensional format are expected to provide the hardware and equipment necessary to exhibit the work as it is intended to be shown. HCP does not provide slide or video projectors. HCP does have a few small-to-medium sized TV monitors and media players for displaying video work.
- Your entry constitutes understanding and agreement with the conditions outlined in this prospectus.
DEADLINES/CALENDAR:
May 6th, 2025 – Entries for Learning Curve 17 open for submission
June 1st, 2025 – Entries for Learning Curve 17 close
June 9th, 2025 – Acceptance notifications sent via email
July 3rd, 2025 – Accepted works due at HCP
July 17th, 2025 – Opening reception, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Exhibition On View: July 17 – August 17, 2025
FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBMISSION PLEASE CONTACT:
Areli Navarro Magallón, Exhibitions and Programs Coordinator
713-529-4755 or areli.magallon@hcponline.org