Help Joseph Graduate! MFA Thesis Funding

Hey everyone! If you don't know me, I'm Joseph O'Malley (they/she) , and I'm heading into my thesis year in the MFA Photography & Video program at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.

I've had a really rewarding time at SVA so far - I've been lucky enough to produce everything from documentary photography series to short films to fine art installations, and have had several of my pieces selected for shows in SVA's galleries in Manhattan, as well as independent galleries in Brooklyn. (Check out my first one from 2022 below!)

I've been scraping everything together myself so far, through scholarships, student loans, and my two jobs outside of class, but now I have to get started on my thesis project, which is supposed to be my biggest project ever.

The project is going to be a photo series exploring queer sexuality and trans femininity between different generations of American media and family life. I'll be shooting complex theatrical scenes set in the 1950s-60s on location with costumed models, which I'll get to display in a multimedia gallery installation alongside physical set pieces and video elements.

It's the culmination of everything I've worked on so far , and in order to put all the elements together, I'm going to need some help! I'm already saving up however I can — applying for grants, picking up a third job, etc. — but there are certain things that I just can't fund on my own.

The main expenses are travel, costumes, and other production materials — everything from rolls of film on set to rolls of paper for the prints. Every dollar counts!

I'm already putting together an exciting team for the project, and we're grateful for any and all support. Thank you so much!

Stay tuned for updates and sneak peeks along the way!