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 and Observer newspapers, has launched the Eamonn McCabe bursary.

This new bursary launched in 2024 commemorates the life of photojournalist Eamonn McCabe (1948-2022). McCabe started 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.

In 2024 the bursary will provide £3000 to a photographer aged 25 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 editorial, suitable for publication. The project should normally be new, not previously exhibited or published.

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.

The closing date for applications is 1 August 2024. Applicants should be aged 25 years or under on that date, and living, working or studying in the UK. 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.

See full details on how to apply for this bursary here.

The RPS would like to acknowledge the support of his wife Rebecca Smithers and children Ben McCabe and Mabel McCabe.