APA LA - THE BRIDGE PROGRAM.
Providing Pathways. Providing Opportunity.
As part of our mission to ensure access to all photographers with a passion to succeed, APA LA is introducing The Bridge Program. With this program we will be offering three free spaces at each of our upcoming virtual Portfolio Reviews to qualified, unrepped photographers from underrepresented communities with less than 5 years professional experience. The selected photographers will have an opportunity to meet with top industry creatives and art buyers that can offer feedback and guidance as well as be given an opportunity to network.
If you are interested in applying for one of these free spaces please email Patti Silverstein, APA LA Director, at director@apa-la.com a link to your website and a short bio (no more than 250 words) including a bit of your background as well as the focus of your work. Also, please let us know how you heard about this opportunity.
Once all applications have been received, an APA LA Board committee will review the applicants and from there will select the three to be awarded the free slots.
Past Recipients
"I was lucky enough to have participated in the last round of the APA LA Bridge Program where I got to meet with top agency creative directors and show my work. In this industry, it's all about who you know and getting your work out there in front of them. All creatives I met with were really wonderful and receptive to the work I showed and to this day I continue to stay in touch with them with on-going project updates. As much as portfolio reviews are totally worth the investment cost wise, a lot of newer/emerging photographers may not have the financial resources to be able to afford them, so being able to participate in this program is an amazing opportunity and I am truly grateful to APA for providing resources and programs to emerging photographers like myself. This just shows how much APA cares about our career development and the uplifting of our industry as a whole and I am proud to be a member of such a great organization." Timothy Kwon / Photographer + Director
"I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the incredible experience I had as part of the Bridge program. It was not just an event to showcase my photography to influential industry figures but a journey filled with genuine support and guidance from the Board Members. Patti, the director of APALA, and Christopher, my dedicated mentor, went above and beyond to ensure that my presentation left a lasting impression on the reviewers. Their guidance taught me valuable strategies for effectively presenting my work and facilitated connections with incredible individuals.
I am deeply thankful for this remarkable opportunity to be a part of a program that holds such immense significance in our career development. Thank you, APALA, for making this possible." Zuania Muñiz-Meléndez / Conceptual Still Life Photographer + Director
“APA LA was a great experience for me as as a fine art photographer in the early part of my career. This was my first portfolio review ever and Patti SIlverstein, Christopher Malcolm, and the rest of the organizers at APA LA really made me feel welcomed while my reviewers reassured me that I was on the right path. The virtual review session was all around amazing: I’m so grateful to have been invited to show my work.” David Christopher / Portrait + Fine Art Photographer
“My recent reviews with APA LA were a great career learning experience. The reviewers , who were all from ad agencies, were all very thoughtful and engaged in the review. They provided really useful and specific feedback about what they loved as well as what could be improved.” Helynn Ospina / Portrait Photographer
Any questions please email director@apa-la.com
