New Orleans, LA (April 21, 2009) – The New Orleans Photo Alliance (NOPA) will announce the launch of the Michael P. Smith Fund for Documentary Photography (MPS Fund) at a reception Monday, April 27, 6 – 8 pm, at The Historic New Orleans Collection where a major retrospective of Smith’s work is currently on display. The MPS Fund was created by NOPA to honor the life and work of Michael P. Smith, one of New Orleans’ most legendary and beloved documentary photographers.
NOPA will award one $5000 grant annually to a Gulf Coast photographer whose work combines artistic excellence and a sustained commitment to a long-term cultural documentary project. NOPA will accept grant applications beginning June 1, 2009 and will announce the winner during this year’s PhotoNOLA festival in December.
The New Orleans Photo Alliance is a diverse group of photographers who joined forces in 2006 to create unity and opportunity for photographers in the Gulf South. NOPA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that currently includes more than 300 members from across Louisiana and the United States. Since its inception, NOPA has sponsored photographic exhibitions, workshops and educational programs. It also coordinates PhotoNOLA, the annual photography festival held each December at venues throughout New Orleans.
Michael P. Smith (1937–2008), a New Orleans native and award-winning professional freelance photographer, spent a lifetime capturing the music, culture and folk life of New Orleans and Louisiana. Smith photographed every New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival from its inception in 1970 until his retirement in 2004, when he was honored with a major exhibition at the Fair Grounds. In a brilliant career that spanned more than four decades, Smith was an inspiration, a role model and a mentor to many photographers in New Orleans and beyond.
In 2007 The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) acquired the Michael P. Smith Archive, which consists of photographs, correspondence, field recordings and ephemera. In addition to ensuring both the long-term preservation and ultimate public access of Smith’s work, the acquisition also served as the basis for the exhibition In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from The Historic New Orleans Collection now on display at THNOC and at the Contemporary Arts Center.
Located in the French Quarter at 533 Royal Street, THNOC is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the preservation of regional history and culture. The reception is free and open to the public. Food and drinks will be supplied. Sponsors of this event include the New Orleans Photo Alliance, The Historic New Orleans Collection, and Whole Foods, Inc.
For more information, contact Lori Waselchuk at 225-907-6695 or visit the NOPA website www.neworleansphotoalliance.org.
To learn more about the Michael P. Smith archive, the exhibitions, or The Historic New Orleans Collection, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.