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About Forhanna

Forhanna believes the future of photography lies in its potential to tell stories.

We therefore research photographic storytelling, support the production of photographic stories and collect works that have relevant stories to tell in our Forhanna Collection.

We support makers with three types of grants:

  • the talent grant for upcoming names in the industry;
  • project grants for specific and clearly outlined projects;
  • and production grants where Forhanna takes on the role of producer of the entire project.

We initiate research into the methodes of photographic production and share the conclusions widely with our audience.

The Forhanna Collection acquires powerful examples of photographic storytelling. We thus invest in talented individual makers and by showcasing the Forhanna Collection we facilitate debates.

Team

  • Jan Paul Reij – Managing Director
  • Marc Prüst – Director of Research and Education
  • Geert van Eyck – Curator Forhanna Collection

Board

  • Guido van Eijck – Chairman
  • Jan Paul Reij
  • Imke Ruigrok

Advisory Board

  • Lars Boering
  • Geert van Eyck
  • Vincent van den Eijnde
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News about Forhanna

Photography masterclass in Belgrade

Forhanna is happy to launch a masterclass for professional documentary photographers from Serbia and Kosovo in collaboration with the Belgrade Fund of Political Excellence.

May 3, 2018

History

Forhanna was founded by documentary photographer Willem Poelstra (The Netherlands, 1956). His series on the Amsterdam ambulance service and a poor neighbourhood in The Hague were awarded with the Silver Camera Award, the most important Dutch photo award.

Willem Poelstra founder Forhanna

His latest project, For Hanna, Future Stories From the Past, was five years in the making. It’s an in-depth visual study of post-war Kosovo. The project was turned into a travelling exhibition and a book, Forhanna’s first achievements.

More about the project here

While working on his project in Kosovo, Willem was diagnosed with cancer and soon learned that his illness was terminal. He founded Forhanna to manage his photo archive and to support future documentary photography projects.

Forhanna has the mission to continue Willem’s distinctive way of working, which is characterised by an empathic eye, and an in-depth and research-based approach.

Willem provided substantial resources to build Forhanna into an organisation with an international scope and the objective of bringing documentary photography to a wider audience.

Donating to Forhanna

Forhanna has an ANBI status

Forhanna is a not-for-profit production house that supports documentary photography and film makers. We spend time and money on every adopted project.

All of our collaborations are built on the principle of reciprocity, allowing both Forhanna and the artists to share in the revenues of success-full projects. We use these revenues to keep supporting artists in the future.

Our activities, however, will always cost more than they will earn. We are therefore dependant on external funding and donations to make ends meet. You can help us in our mission.

By donating to Forhanna, you allow us to keep on carefully selecting talented and socially committed artists, and to bring their works to a wider audience.

Tax deductible donations

Donations to Forhanna are tax-deductible under Dutch tax law. That’s because the Dutch tax authorities have recognised the Forhanna Foundation as a Public Benefit Organisation, or ‘ANBI’ (in Dutch: Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling).

ANBI status

The Dutch tax authorities have recognised the Forhanna Foundation as a Public Benefit Organisation, or ‘ANBI’ (in Dutch: Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling).

In general, ANBI organisations focus at least 90 percent of their efforts on the general good and have a transparent bookkeeping.

You can find more information about Public Benefit Organisations under Dutch tax law: Read more about ANBI

We can inform you more on tax deductible donations. Just send an email to our office account: office@forhanna.com

You can find more information about ANBI and the annual report here.

Annual Report Forhanna 2022

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