Documentary Photography Program
The Globe Photo Academy
Training and Mentorship Program ▪ January to June 2026
12 spots available
About the Program
Beginning January 2026, the Foundation is launching a 6-month pilot program to train and mentor photodocumentary practitioners, filling a gap in the availability of training opportunities for photographers in Canada. Designed by Chris Donovan, an experienced photojournalist and educator, this program will help develop a new generation of visual storytellers in Canada who are unhindered by student loan debt, and focused on using their craft to shape the ways in which Canadians see themselves for decades to come.
The program will cover topics including the history of documentary photography and photojournalism, contemporary issues in photography, sustainability and funding, professional networking, teaching and other supplementary income opportunities and more. Students will be exposed to a range of guest speakers, and there will be an emphasis on peer mentorship.
Students will attend online classes twice a week. Between January and June 2026, the participants will work on a thesis project—a long-term documentary photography project which they will advance over the course of the program. Participants will leave the program with the tools to pitch and publish articles in legacy media, exhibitions in public galleries, books, self-published zines, as well as having built a strong network of peers and industry contacts.
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How to Apply
Email a 300- to 400-word statement about why you would like to participate, and outline the specific project you plan to work on during the program. Please include a link to your portfolio.
Send applications to:
Chris Donovan, Photojournalism Programming Lead at chris@globeandmailfoundation.com. Please include your first and last name and APPLICATION - PROGRAM in the subject line.
Application Deadline:
Friday, January 2, 2026
12 spots are available. The program will be held online and is open to applicants who are currently resident in Canada.
We encourage applications from underrepresented identities and communities across Canada. Applications will be reviewed by a volunteer jury.
Follow us on Instagram: @globephotoacademy
About Chris Donovan
Chris Donovan (he/him) is a photojournalist, artist, and educator based in Saint John, New Brunswick. He holds an MFA in Documentary Media and is a PhD candidate at Toronto Metropolitan University. His work addresses issues of class and environmental justice primarily in the Maritime provinces.
Donovan is the author of The Cloud Factory (GOST Books, 2025) and Stay Solid or Move West (Boreal Collective Press, 2021). His work has been exhibited at galleries including The Image Centre in Toronto and the National Gallery of Canada, and regularly appears in newspapers such as The New York Times and The Globe and Mail. He is an active mentor and advocate for Canadian documentary photography and the founding director of a photography festival in New Brunswick called Photo East.
Donovan's work has been recognized by a World Press Photo Award, the Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant, the Environmental Vision Award from POYi, and the Scotiabank New Generation Photography Award.