In a year of firsts for everyone, we had several of them too, not the least of which was the launch of Alpha Female+, the latest evolution of our Alpha Female Creator-in-Residence program that began in 2018. If you’re new to Alpha Female, here is the view from above: Our lives are richer when we can see the world through different perspectives. In the photography and video industry there’s a substantial disparity in gender and minority representation, which means some perspectives don’t see the light of day and we’re the poorer for it. Alpha Female was created to help close the gap and make our industry an environment where all voices have an opportunity to thrive.

We're excited to officially kick off the fourth season of Alpha Female. See how you can enter and win a $5,000 Sony Alpha Female+ grant, camera, lens and more!

Today, we’re excited to officially kick off the fourth season of Alpha Female, and the second in its Alpha Female+ format. Our previous season’s 12 winners are extraordinarily talented and supremely motivated to use their perspectives as critical pieces of the puzzle we’re all trying to build together. They’ve been a delight to work with both as artists and as human beings. When we look at their collective body of work, we’re proud they gave us the opportunity to bring their perspectives to a global audience.

We’ve made progress in creating awareness about the need for representation in our industry, and we’ve provided support for strong voices to further the female and minority perspectives, but much remains to be done. In March of 2021, The World Economic Forum released its latest Global Gender Gap Report. In a surprising twist, not only has the gender gap not closed in the past year, but it has widened by another 35 years, to 135 years on average until gender parity can be attained. This means that according to this forecast, none of the people reading this today will see gender parity in their lifetimes. As discouraging as that can be, the reality is there’s never been more opportunity to do something about it. Just as the gap can widen in one year, it can also shrink significantly the next. The forecast is based on the data it intakes. With a concerted effort, we can reverse the trend and start closing the gap and move the forecast in the opposite direction. Ultimately, the world is not bound by a particular set of data, it’s what we make it.
 
If you’re a U.S. or Canada-based visual content creator over the age of 18, you can apply for an Alpha Female+ grant. Seize the opportunity to contribute to the change we all wish to see. Alpha Female+ provides the resources necessary to see a project through and add your voice to the chorus of those who believe equality and representation are within reach. Whatever your gender, ethnicity, or professional level, you can make your voice heard and contribute to our society’s understanding of the female and minority perspective.

First, the program provides a $5,000 grant to fund a specific photo or video project geared toward furthering the female or minority perspective. Grant winners will also receive a full frame Sony camera and lens, a full year of Adobe Creator Cloud, courtesy of our partners at Adobe, and a full year of Sony Pro Support membership. To round out the package, grant-winning projects will be promoted on Sony’s platforms, and you get to join our vibrant community of supportive creators who do wonders for one’s spirit. For more details and to see the deadlines, read our contest guidelines.

There are 12 grant packages available, and once you apply with a project, you stay in the running for all the remaining ones. Moreover, you can apply once per grant period, meaning you could submit as many as twelve projects for consideration if you begin with the first grant period, which starts on April 5.

So get ready to apply. At the very least, an application will help you start something you’ve never officially articulated or taken the steps toward making a reality. At the very best, you’ll win an Alpha Female+ grant package, your life will be forever changed for the better and an entire community will get the benefit of hearing your perspective. There is no losing scenario.

To learn more about the program and ask your questions live, join us for our 2021 Alpha Female+ kick-off event on Thursday, April 15, at 2:30 PM Pacific. 

Stay tuned to Alpha Universe for updates, follow and tag @SonyAlphaFemale on Instagram to share your work, and join the conversation in our Alpha Female Facebook Group.