The Meeting Place Scholarship | Open Call

ALMAAHH and FotoFest Collaboration

ALMAAHH, in collaboration with FotoFest, is pleased to announce an open call for two (2) scholarships for Latino artists to participate in The Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Reviews, FotoFest’s flagship international portfolio review program for lens-based artists and photographers.

This scholarship is part of ALMAAHH’s ongoing commitment to opening access, visibility, and professional development opportunities for U.S. Latino artists by supporting their participation in influential cultural platforms.

About The Meeting Place

Organized by FotoFest, The Meeting Place Portfolio Review is the longest-running international portfolio review program in the United States and one of the largest of its kind globally. Held biennially in Houston as part of the FotoFest Biennial, The Meeting Place brings together photographers and leading professionals from across the photography field—including curators, museum and gallery directors, publishers, editors, and arts organizers from the U.S. and abroad.

The program is designed as a focused, professional environment for dialogue, exchange, and feedback. While participation does not guarantee exhibitions, publications, or representation, artists may gain valuable critical insight, professional connections, and a deeper understanding of how their work is being received within the field.

Program Details – The Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review

Location: Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria

2001 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056

Check-In Begins: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Review Dates for ALMAAHH x FotoFest Scholarship Recipients: Sunday, March 15–Monday, March 16, 2026

SELECTED APPLICANTS – WHAT TO EXPECT:

• Selected applicants will be notified the first week of February 2026
• Each selected photographer receives eight (8) one-on-one review appointments with leading professionals in photography. Portfolio Reviewers, who are curators, gallery directors, photo editors, book publishers and more, join from institutions across the United States and internationally.
• Each review appointment lasts 20 minutes.
• Photographers have the opportunity to influence who they meet with ahead of the reviews by submitting their Reviewer Preferences. Schedules are built based off these preferences and are delivered to participants the week ahead of the portfolio reviews.
• Portfolio Reviews will be conducted in-person—remote portfolio reviews cannot be accommodated.
• Photographers may show physical prints or digital images on a laptop or tablet during the portfolio reviews, but physical prints are encouraged if possible. Please be mindful that all devices are fully charged ahead of time as we cannot guarantee direct outlet access within the review room.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR APPLYING TO THIS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY:

• This call is open to photographic artists who can present at least one complete and cohesive series/body of work (15-25 images) that is ready for a wider audience and an opportunity such as exhibition or publication.
• Applicants can be artists, photojournalists, documentary photographers, and/or visual storytellers. Commercial photography such as product, marketing, real estate or lifestyle photography is not a good fit for this program.
• English is the primary shared language of the portfolio reviews. Reviewers who have fluency or conversational command of other languages will have that information listed at the bottom of their bio, and photographers and Reviewers are always welcome to conduct their review in whichever shared language they prefer.
• ALMAAHH and FotoFest are unable to provide interpretation services, but third-party interpreters can be accommodated during the reviews.
• While printed portfolios are ideal for presentation, portfolios presented on digital screens are allowable, especially if your work involves multimedia components. Please be aware that FotoFest cannot guarantee access to electrical outlets during the review appointments, and all devices must be charged and able to run on battery power.

Eligibility: Latinx artists who live and work in the Greater Houston are and have registered in the ALMAAHH Registry.

For Questions: gmagana@almaahh.org and fjmoguel@almaahh.org

Fees: There is no application fee

Schedule: 
Application Opens: January 20, 2026

Open Call Closes: February 1, 2026 (no extensions)

Notifications: February 4, 2026

Other important dates to keep in mind:

• Thursday, January 29, 2026, 6–8PM: Free Online Workshop: How to Prepare for Portfolio Reviews (recording will be made available to all participants)
• Thursday, February 5, 2026, 6–8PM: Free Online Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers (recording will be made available to all participants)
• Friday, February 6, 2026: Deadline to submit one image of your work to be included in the Photographer Catalogue
• Mid-February, 2026: Reviewer Preference Forms are made available to all participants
• Week of Sunday, March 8, 2026: Individual review schedules will be made available to all participants
• Thursday, March 12, 2026: Check-in and Meeting Place Programming begin
• Sunday, March 15–Monday, March 16, 2026: Portfolio Review sessions for ALMAAHH x FotoFest Scholarship Recipients

How to Apply:

• Application form is found here: https://forms.gle/phjRy7wwpJGbGpso9 
• Deadline to apply is February 1, 2026. There are no extensions.
• Questions can be sent to: gmagana@almaahh.org and fjmoguel@almaahh.org

ONLINE RESOURCES:

FotoFest Website: https://fotofest.org/

The Meeting Place 2026 Webpage: https://fotofest.org/meetingplace

Reviewer List for The Meeting Place 2026: https://fotofest.org/meeting-place-2026-reviewers

All About Portfolio Reviews: https://fotofest.org/portfolioreviews

About ALMAAHH

Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County (ALMAAHH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building an arts and culture hub that will cement Houston’s place as a leading city for American Latino cultural expression. Through partnerships and community-rooted programming, ALMAAHH works to ensure that American Latino histories and creative contributions are seen, celebrated, and sustained for generations to come.

About FotoFest and The Meeting Place

FotoFest is a Houston-based contemporary arts organization that serves as a platform for art and ideas by presenting internationally focused photographic exhibitions, public programs, and publications. FotoFest’s Meeting Place Portfolio Review is the longest-running international portfolio review program in the United States, and one of the world’s largest. The flagship Meeting Place is held every two years in Houston, Texas as an integral part of the FotoFest Biennial.

The Meeting Place is a unique, photography-centered environment where participants have the opportunity to network, collaborate, share ideas, and establish life-long connections. In addition to the flagship review in Houston, FotoFest and its partners have presented the Meeting Place around the world, in Beijing (2006), Moscow (2011), Paris (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019), San Francisco (2023, 2024), and online (2021, 2023, 2025).