The Eamonn McCabe Bursary
In recognition of the significant legacy and widely-held respect across photography for Eamonn McCabe, the RPS, in partnership with Eamonn McCabe's family and The Guardian , has launched the Eamonn McCabe bursary.
This new International bursary launched in 2024 commemorates the life of photojournalist Eamonn McCabe (1948-2022). McCabe made his name as a sports photographer before moving to wider editorial work, mainly working for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers. He was widely respected and supported a generation of photographers from the 1980s to the 2020s. Through his own photography, books and broadcasting, he did much to raise awareness of photography’s history and significance to a wider public. He was Fellow of the RPS. This bursary looks to continue that legacy. It is supported by Eamonn McCabe’s family and The Guardian newspaper.
The bursary will provide £3000 to a photographer aged 30 years or under to deliver a photography project responding to the theme of ‘sporting endeavour’. This can be interpreted as widely as the applicant wishes, but the general approach should be suitable for publication. The project should normally be new, not previously exhibited or published.
As well as professional sports we particularly encourage projects covering grassroots and community activities. These could be addressing issues such as mental health, or supporting displaced communities etc. We will also welcome creative interpretations on the theme.
The completed project will be published by The Guardian and the RPS and we will work with the successful applicant in bringing their project to a wider audience. Each recipient will also have the opportunity to have their portfolio printed by Metro Imaging.
Applicants should be aged 30 years or under on the closing date. Interviews via Zoom will take place in September and we would expect to announce the recipient by the end of September. The project should be completed within one year of it being awarded.
Closing date 4 August 2025, to get started or access an existing application go to the application portal and use your RPS Account credentials to login or create an account.
RPS would like to acknowledge the support of his wife Rebecca Smithers and children Ben McCabe and Mabel McCabe.
2024 Recipient: Nathan McGill
Project: Wicket - Women in Cricket
The project aims to focus on gender representation in sport, particularly addressing the gender stereotypes and male-centric portrayal of Yorkshire’s cherished sport—cricket. Women in cricket are often underrepresented, unheard, and unseen.
Through my perspective, the power of my words, and the tool of my camera, I seek to delve into the lives of women and girls who adore, love, and play this sport. I aim to develop a documentary portrait project that places these players at the heart of the narrative, highlighting the diversity and equality within local communities.
This project is fundamentally a community endeavor, centered on their portraits and their stories. It seeks to collaboratively rebuild the image of women in sport, giving them the visibility and recognition they deserve
Explore more:
Who was Eamonn McCabe?
Eamonn McCabe was a photographer, picture editor, writer and broadcaster, who was generous in his support of other photographers.
The 2025 Eamonn McCabe Bursary is now open for applications
Closing date 4 August 2025, to get started or access an existing application go to the application portal and use your RPS Account credentials to login or create an account.
Support the Eamonn McCabe bursary
Please consider supporting the next generation of photographers by making a donation. If you are a UK taxpayer we can also claim Gift Aid on your donation.