PhotoVogue and Pandora have launched the Pandora Grant as part of the “Women by Women” global open call, which focuses on female authorship and representation. This initiative aims to support women’s creative work and create more meaningful opportunities in contemporary visual culture.

The grant reflects Pandora’s commitment to empowering women, encouraging self-expression, and fostering creative independence. Through its global projects, Pandora has consistently invested in initiatives that promote inclusion, community, and opportunity. The grant extends this vision into the field of image-making, reinforcing the belief that creativity thrives when it is supported structurally.

During the PhotoVogue Festival on March 3rd, Alessia Glaviano and Pandora’s marketing director, Fenisia Cilli, discussed the initiative alongside Delali Ayivi.

Delali Ayivi was selected from the “Women by Women” open call and received a €20,000 grant in recognition of the strength, clarity, and originality of her vision.

A Togolese-German photographer, Ayivi was born in Baltimore, raised in Germany, and later lived in Malawi before studying at the University of the Arts London. Inspired by her great-great-grandfather, Alex A. Acolatse, she began documenting her communities in Togo, Germany, and Malawi, focusing on fashion and identity. Now based between London and Lomé, she co-founded Togo Yeye in 2019 to support creative communities at home and in the diaspora. Her honors include being named to the Dazed 100, the British Fashion Council’s NEW WAVE Creative list (2023), and Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe (2025).

Pandora’s creative directors, Francesco Terzo and A. Filippo Ficarelli, said: “We are inspired by Delali’s creative vision, which is deeply rooted in the idea of imagination as freedom—a way to expand reality. Her exploration of identity, shaped by transformation and courage, feels both unique and universal. Her work opens up meaningful conversations around personal expression and transformation, themes deeply connected to Pandora’s foundation. It is a true pleasure for us to support, uplift, and celebrate her work.”

Ayivi’s projects include “Time to Play,” a photo series created with WaterAid and the Wimbledon Foundation. Shot in Togo and the UK, it explores how access to clean water restores play as a powerful tool for childhood. Through vibrant portraits of children and families, the series celebrates imagination as a foundation for joy, learning, and self-determination.

In “On Womanhood and the Right to Dream,” Ayivi offers a poetic narrative of womanhood and sisterhood, creating images that exist between reality and the mythical. Her practice honors the women who raised her and who accompany her in life and creativity—an act of gratitude and solidarity where contradictions coexist and women are free to be themselves. For Ayivi, photography becomes a fertile space for imagination, where possible futures can be envisioned and fantasy can become reality.

Ayivi was officially announced as the grant recipient during a dedicated conversation at the PhotoVogue Festival.On Tuesday, March 3, a conversation was held at the PhotoVogue Festival to mark this moment. The talk brought together PhotoVogue and Pandora for a public dialogue on vision, responsibility, and the importance of culturally supporting women artists.

“Supporting women’s vision requires more than symbolic gestures,” says Alessia Glaviano, Head of Global PhotoVogue and Director of the PhotoVogue Festival. “A €20,000 grant represents something concrete. It offers time, research, experimentation, and the freedom to take creative risks. Meaningful financial support can change the trajectory of an artist’s career. With this initiative, we are not only recognizing talent—we are helping to create the conditions in which it can fully unfold.”

In a cultural environment where visibility is often fleeting, tangible support is transformative. Investing in women’s creative vision is more than an act of recognition. It is a concrete step toward a more equitable and inclusive future for visual culture.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the Pandora Grant Supporting Womens Creative Vision designed to sound like questions from real people

General Beginner Questions

1 What exactly is the Pandora Grant
Its a funding program specifically designed to support and empower womenidentifying artists and creators by providing financial resources to bring their unique creative projects to life

2 Who is this grant for
Its for women transgender and nonbinary creators working in any creative fieldlike visual arts writing filmmaking music design or performancewho have a specific project idea but need funding to make it happen

3 Why is it called Pandora
The name references the myth of Pandoras Box but focuses on the hope that remained inside It symbolizes unleashing creative potential and the hopeful transformative power of womens voices in the arts

4 Do I need to be a professional or have a degree to apply
No not necessarily While professionalism in your proposal is important the grant often values compelling vision and potential as much as an extensive formal resume Emerging artists are encouraged to apply

5 What kind of projects get funded
Projects with a clear original vision This could be creating a new series of paintings producing a short film writing a book developing a community art installation launching a creative business or researching a performance piece

Application Process Questions

6 How do I apply
You typically apply through the grants official website during the open application period This involves filling out a form describing your project submitting a budget and providing work samples

7 Whats the most important part of the application
A strong clear project proposal You need to articulate your creative vision the projects goals its impact and exactly how youll use the grant money Your work samples should support this vision

8 What should I include in the project budget
Be specific and realistic List items like materials equipment rentals studio space fees for collaborators marketing costs and a modest stipend for your own labor It shows youve planned thoroughly

9 How competitive is it
It can be quite competitive as these grants often receive many more worthy applications than they can fund A polished passionate and wellplanned