Thank you to everyone who submitted materials to the 2025 award. We were able to award one project this year and look forward to announcing that shortly.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Collection Awards have recognized excellence in documentary since 2015, and we are pleased to open submissions again in 2025. We are accepting material in the following formats:
- photography projects
- film shorts
- audio projects
This year’s award will consist of an honorarium of $3,500 plus additional production support as needed. We will award up to two (2) completed projects, such as a collection of photographs or a completed short film. The Archive is also interested in representing the labor of documentarians, and a well-rounded collection should contain supplemental materials such as notebooks, raw interviews, and other research materials gathered along the way.
IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR THE 2025 AWARDS
This year we have made a few changes to both the public-facing and behind-the-scenes aspects of the Awards.
Most notable is our decision to limit film submissions to 40 minutes or less (including credits). This decision was made to recognize the time commitment required of the faculty and staff who review submissions while still providing an opportunity for filmmakers whose work might fall outside of traditional distribution channels. In addition, we will now require our awardee(s) to participate in an in-person or online discussion of their work in Spring of 2026. The conversation will be facilitated by the Archive.
Finally, it is important to note that Duke now requires all payments to be processed through PaymentWorks, which means that international awardees may be required to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN
COLLECTION AREAS AND GOALS
The Archive of Documentary Arts seeks to preserve and acquire collections of intentionally created narratives and bodies of work that document a broad range of human experience. We are committed to diversifying our collection to better reflect the multitude of viewpoints and communities from which work is being made in the documentary arts today. The Archive collects audio, moving images, and photography from around the world that reflect the breadth of the documentary endeavor.
Key in the Awards jury’s consideration is whether a project is a good fit for the goals and Collection areas of the Archive of Documentary Arts. We are specifically looking for work that complements and grows the following focus areas:
- Activism and Justice - The Archive collects documentary materials related to activism and justice, with a special interest in civil rights and incarceration.
- Faith Communities - The Archive houses several collections dedicated to exploring faith communities. Collections focus on underrepresented communities.
- Human Environmental Impacts - The Archive collects work related to the environment, with a specific interest in human impacts and environmental justice and racism.
- Labor and Work - Building on strong labor collections in the Rubenstein, the Archive of Documentary Arts seeks to add a visual history to the labor movement in the United States, with a particular focus on work in and around unions.
- Lives of Marginalized Communities - The Archive works with creators from across different communities to collect and preserve stories from within. Special attention is given to areas of race, gender identity, and citizenship.
- War on Camera - With a focus on U.S. military presence at home and abroad, the Archive collects representations of war and conflict, as well as the preparations and impact. Special attention is given to the role of the camera in making visible, and participating in, the creation of nationalism, anti-nationalism, and memory.
ELIGIBILITY AND PROCEDURE
Any creator not affiliated with Duke University or currently enrolled in a degree-granting program (e.g., BA, MFA, PhD, etc.) is eligible to respond to the Call for Submissions. We are particularly interested in reaching a diverse group of creators.
Jury consideration for the Awards proceeds in two (2) stages, as follows:
Round 1:
No portfolio is required for this round. DO NOT SEND MATERIALS.
Please send a brief email to: RLCollectionAwards@duke.edu with the following information:
- a project summary, including (1) number of images in the project or run time if film/audio and (2) any technical specs
- a summary of supplemental materials
- a short statement about why your project is a good fit for the Collections in the Archive of Documentary Arts
- project or creator website if available
Emails will be reviewed by the Curator of the Archive of Documentary Arts, and selected creators will be invited to move forward with submission of their materials. While we recognize that many projects deserve to be preserved, we will only be able to select ones that speak to our Collection goals and our ability to steward responsibly.
Round 2:
Creators of selected projects will be invited to submit a digital portfolio or links for our consideration. The curatorial staff will work closely with each creator in this stage to enable the best presentation method for their project to the jury. Deadline to receive materials will be October 31, 2025.
A list of past winners is available upon request.
FAQs
- Can I send you jpegs or mov files? Please do not send us materials in Round 1. All we need is an email with a project statement and a brief explanation on why your project is a good fit for the Archive of Documentary Arts.
- How many photographs ? We do not have strict minimums or limits; however, a well-rounded body of work would tell a story across multiple photographs. This might mean 10 or more images (with most portfolios coming in around 10-15 images).
- Do you accept works in progress? No. We are seeking finished bodies of work.
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My film is more than 40 minutes. Can I submit it? No. As of 2025, the Award is limited to films that, including credits, run 40 minutes or less. However, you may reach out to the Curator directly about other collection opportunities.
- My project was done years/decades ago, is it too old to submit? No. We collect both historical and contemporary work.
- Do I have to give you my copyright for you to collect my project? No. You may maintain your intellectual rights. When the library collects materials, we are collecting the objects, either physical or digital, but not the IP rights. Those rights may stay with the creator. We do ask that you provide the library with permissions that enable us to use your materials for educational purposes such as teaching classes here at Duke and providing access to researchers both in the reading room and remotely. A copy of our agreement can be viewed upon request.
- What media do you accept? We accept film/video, photography, and audio. We also accept a combination of these formats. We recognize that creators might use multiple media to tell their stories and if you are invited to Round 2, we will work with you on the best presentation of these different media for the jury.
- What if my materials are digital? We accept digital collections, such as photographs in digital form, video, and audio.
- Digital is great and all, but I work in 16mm, cassettes, tin types, etc. Do you take analog media? Super! We love analog, too. To submit to the call, however, you will need to be able to present remote or digital access for the jury to review the work.
- Can I submit my book for consideration? We are not accepting books for the Collection Awards. If you’d like us to consider a book, please fill out this form and we will evaluate adding it to our book list. Book purchases are made throughout the year as they apply to both our thematic areas of interest and according to our budget.
- I have questions not answered here. Who can I contact? Please email the Curator for the Archive of Documentary Arts, Caitlin M. Kelly at caitlin.kelly@duke.edu. She may also be reached by phone at 919-681-7963 and snail mail at 411 Chapel Drive, Campus Box 90185, Durham, NC 27708. Please do not send physical materials as these will not be returned.
