Getty Images Introduces New "Grants for Good" Program

SEATTLE & NEW YORK, Feb 19, 2009 — Getty Images, Inc., the world's leading creator and distributor of visual content and other digital media, today announced an expansion of its photographer grant program to involve the creative community, whose work often benefits the non-profit sector. Getty Images Grants for Good will award two photographers $15,000 each to cover costs associated with creating compelling imagery to raise awareness about the issues and work of a non-profit they admire.

"The growth of our grant program is a testament to Getty Images' ongoing commitment to making tangible, positive contributions in the world through the power of imagery," said Andrew Saunders, vice president of imagery at Getty Images. "These grants enable more photographers to produce extraordinary imagery for important causes, supporting non-profits, NGO's, professional associations and charities."

Getty Images is bringing together a distinguished panel of industry experts to judge the grant applications. The panel currently consists of Curator Christopher Phillips, International Center of Photography, and Publisher and Editor Lesley Martin, Aperture Foundation.

The two grant recipients will be announced at the 2009 Cannes Advertising Festival in June. In addition to the cash prize, the winning photographers will have the option to collaborate with Getty Images' team of art directors, photo editors and producers during the execution of their project. The photographers' resulting work will be showcased on gettyimages.com and will be used by the non-profit to develop more powerful visual communications.

"Photographers are encouraged to approach their grant project with a high level of creativity and collaboration with the non-profit and their creative agency," said Saunders. "It also provides photographers with tremendous flexibility in their donation to the non-profit. Photographers can choose to have either all or a portion of the funding directed to the designated charity if they wish to contribute their own time or resources to the project."