OPEN CALL
Deadline: 30 September 2026, 2359hr Singapore Time
The Singapore Documentary Festival (SGDF) is seeking the best of documentary photography from across Southeast Asia. Our 2027 Open Call invites Southeast Asian image-makers to submit compelling photography projects that reflect the preoccupations of local communities and celebrate diverse regional talent. Selected works will be presented in a group exhibition as part of SGDF in April 2027.
Out of six selected projects, one will receive the Truth Seeker Foundation Prize, which comprises a SGD 5,000 cash grant. The Prize recognises an exceptional documentary photography project that addresses critical social and environmental issues in the region to foster empathy and inspire positive change. The remaining five runners-up will each receive a SGD 1,000 cash prize.
Supported by
What Selected Projects Receive
Opportunity to showcase in a group exhibition at the Singapore Documentary Festival in April 2027.
One project will receive the Truth Seeker Foundation Prize of SGD 5,000. Five runner-up projects will each receive a SGD 1,000 cash prize.
Budget return flight and accomodation to attend the exhibition opening and programmes in April 2027 in Singapore.
Meet The Jury
The projects will be selected by the following panel, alongside a representative of the Truth Seeker Foundation.
Kelsang Dolma
Director of PR and Special Art Projects at Nuanu Creative City and Founding Director of FOTO Bali Festival
Maye-E Wong
Senior Editor for Wider Image and Special Projects at Reuters
Maye-E Wong is the Senior Editor for Wider Image and Special Projects at Reuters based in Brooklyn, New York. With two decades at the Associated Press (AP) under her belt, Maye-E has built an extraordinary career, covering a vast array of global assignments, including over 35 trips to North Korea. Her impressive portfolio includes pivotal stories such as Rohingya women fleeing Myanmar, political unrest in Thailand and Hong Kong, the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the Bangladesh garment factory collapse, and Black Lives Matter protests in New York.
Maye-E’s work has earned her prestigious accolades including the Overseas Press Club Hal Boyle Award, the 2018 Ancil Payne Ethics in Journalism Award, and a Picture of the Year award from the Reynolds Journalism Institute for her powerful portraits of abuse survivors within the Catholic clergy. Wong served as juror in the 2017 and 2018 World Press Photo contests and sits on the Advisory Board of POY Asia. She is currently a member of the board of directors at the Eddie Adams Workshop.
In 2023, Maye-E took on the leadership of Wider Image at Reuters, leading photographers in their visual storytelling efforts across the globe. She oversees photo editing and entries of Reuters photographer’s works for major international awards, which have won several World Press photo contests and was a finalist of the Pulitzer entry for Breaking News in Photography in 2026.
Amrita Chandradas
Documentary Photographer & Curator for Truth Seeker Foundation Prize
Amrita Chandradas is a Singaporean documentary photographer whose work explores identity, the environment, and social issues across Southeast Asia and beyond.
A Magnum Photos & IdeasTap 30 Under 30 winner, she holds an MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London College of Communication. Her work is featured in several international publications such as The National Geographic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg Business, BBC, NPR, and the Financial Times, among others.
Chelsea Chua
Curator, Arts Programmer and Artistic Director of Singapore Documentary Festival
Chelsea Chua is a curator and arts programmer who is interested in our relationship with images and image-making. In her previous role as Programme Director at Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film, she worked with artists, photographers, curators, filmmakers and other cultural entities across Southeast Asia to develop projects such as exhibitions, screening programmes, workshops and mentorships. Her recent engagements with the region include being a mentor for the South Asia Incubator, Photo Kathmandu (2025), and co-curating the Jakarta International Photography Festival (2025 and 2026).
Who Should Apply
We welcome applicants working primarily with still images who meet the following criteria:
Applicant Eligibility
Project Requirements
How To Apply
Please provide a short biography, portrait and an up-to-date CV outlining your photographic practice, relevant experience, exhibitions, publications, awards, and other professional achievements.
Your project synopsis should be no more than 250 words and respond to the following prompts:
Share 15 to 30 images from your project
Timeline
30 September 2026,
2359hr Singapore Time
Application deadline
November 2026
Selection Announcement
End November 2026 – January 2027
Artists to work with exhibition team on image selection, sequencing and layout for exhibition
February – March 2027
Production of images
and exhibition
April 2027
Exhibition opening and programmes during Singapore Documentary Festival
Application & Selection
Successful applicants will be informed by November. Shortlisted applicants may be contacted in October for interview or further information. We regret that we will not be able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
Applicants that demonstrate the following will be at an advantage:
Queries about the SGDF 2027 Photography Open Call can be emailed to soak@objectifs.com.sg.
Deadline: 30 September 2026, 2359hr Singapore Time
