Sustaining Environmental Stories: A Workshop on Innovative Environmental Storytelling

Call for Applications: Free Workshop on Investigative Environmental Storytelling
Are you a photographer or journalist working on environmental stories? Will you be attending the Professional Week at Les Rencontres d’Arles (July 7–9, 2025). Apply for our free 4 day hybrid workshop, designed to equip visual storytellers and journalists with essential investigative skills to bring environmental stories to a wider audience.

What You’ll Gain
Exclusive Training: Participate in two online seminars and two in-person talks in Arles with leading experts in environmental journalism, data research, and storytelling.
Grant Opportunity: One selected participant will receive a €1,500 grant to continue their project.

Workshop Focus Areas
Beyond Traditional Media – Transforming projects into books, exhibitions, or multimedia formats to reach a wider audience.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration – Working with scientists, activists, and policymakers to enhance storytelling depth.
Case Studies – Examining impactful environmental photography projects.
Climate Visuals & Public Perception – Understanding how imagery shapes awareness and action.
Emotion & Aesthetics in Environmental Photography – Exploring the role of visual storytelling in engaging audiences.

Confirmed Speakers:
Online Seminars
Boštjan Videmšek is an award-winning freelance crisis reporter for the Slovenian daily DELO and various European and U.S. publications. His work focuses on climate change, technology, conflicts and migrations.
Margaret Keady is an experienced photo editor, project editor, digital storyteller, and producer. She collaborates with photographers, writers, editors, developers, and designers to create visually compelling and journalistically rigorous stories. She is currently the International Photo Editor at The Wall Street Journal.
Alexandre Brutelle is the director and co-founder of the Environmental Investigative Forum (EIF). He is an investigative journalist, mentor, and trainer specializing in cross-border collaboration and environmental issues. He leads EIF’s development, strategic direction, and external partnerships.
Annika McGinnis is a U.S. multimedia journalist and media development specialist based in Uganda with over 10 years of experience. She is the co-founder of InfoNile.org, an award-winning geojournalism platform connecting journalists across the Nile Basin to produce data-driven environmental stories, and recently launched NileWell.org to link journalists with scientists. A National Geographic Society grantee, CIVICUS Goalkeeper, and former Global Health Corps fellow, McGinnis has reported for Reuters, USA TODAY, and McClatchy Newspapers. She also spent five years leading programs at the Media Challenge Initiative in Kampala. Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Data Journalism at Columbia University.
Arles Seminars
Kateryna Radchenko is an artist, curator, and photography researcher. She holds degrees in Philosophy and Journalism from Odesa National University. Since 2015, she has been the founder and director of the International Festival Odesa Photo Days.
Valerio Vincenzo is a photo editor at Geo France and the founder of the association Borderline – Frontiers of Peace, which organizes photo exhibitions and visual education workshops across European schools. He also performs regularly as a speaker for Live Magazine.
Melanie Wenger is a French documentary photographer and founding member of Inland. A National Geographic Explorer, she holds degrees in Literature and Journalism, and her work often focuses on long-term, intimate narratives.
Tommaso Rada is an Italian documentary photographer based in São Paulo, Brazil. His work explores social, economic, and environmental issues, often focusing on the relationship between communities and their environments.
Matjaž Tančič is a Slovenian photographer and visual artist based between China and Slovenia. His work spans documentary, portrait, and art photography, often dealing with environmental and social themes. He is a member of Inland and actively develops cross-disciplinary visual storytelling projects and educational programs.