The Prints For Wildlife fundraiser is returning on August 28 for its third edition! The first two print sales were a huge success and managed to raise over $1.75 million for non-profit conservation organization, African Parks, that manage 20 national parks and protected wildlife areas across 11 different countries.
Images from more than 130 brilliant photographers, including none other than Will Burrard Lucas, Beverly Joubert, Ami Vitale, Gaël Ruboneka Vande weghe, Andrew Liu, Marsel van Oosten, and Karim Illya, will feature in the upcoming print fundraiser.
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The Prints for Wildlife 2022 fundraising print sale will kick off on August 28, running for one month until September 25. Each participating photographer has donated one fine art print, some framed, and are coming together to sell limited numbers of wildlife photo prints at $100 each, with 100% of the profits going straight to helping conservation charities in Africa.
Created and founded by photographers Marion Payr, and Pie Aerts, Prints for Wildlife launched for the first time in July 2020, taking note of how the devastating impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic started to be seen across Africa’s communities and wildlife areas. The first print sale in 2020 raised $660,000.
African Parks is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect and manage 30 parks by 2030, aiding in areas of conservation, rehabilitation, and wildlife protection. They also have the largest counter-poaching force in all of Africa and 1000 rangers providing safety for both animals and people. Tourism and enterprise is strongly encouraged by African Parks to aid in improving its national and local economies.
This year’s fundraiser will feature more than 130 photos from acclaimed wildlife photographers such as Will Burrard Lucas, Beverly Joubert, Andrew Liu, Marsel van Oosten, Ami Vitale, Graeme Green, Joachim Schmeisser, Gaël Ruboneka Vande weghe, Karim Illya, Mia Collis, and Drew Doggett.
Purchasing a single print at US$100 will help African Parks in their latest mission to manage 30 protected areas – amounting to roughly 30 million hectares of wilderness across the continent. The organization currently protects 20 national parks including Kafue (Zambia), Akagera (Rwanda) and Liwonde (Malawi).
African Parks say it is looking to sign a number of new parks into its roster within the coming months and years ahead, including the Luengue-Luiana and Mavinga National Parks in Angola, as well as the Boma and Bandingilo National Parks in South Sudan. When managed effectively, these areas will safeguard biodiversity, promote conservation, and deliver valuable ecosystem services that aid human wellbeing.
Co-founder of Prints for Wildlife, Marion Payr, is a travel photographer based in Austria and much of her career focuses on female and women empowerment, believing an equal representation of voices and images supports a vision of a united world.
She has an additional dedication to the art of travelling, and post-covid had the opportunity to visit African Parks' work in Akagera and Nyungwe National Parks in Rwanda in Summer 2022.
“The incredible success of Prints for Wildlife came as a much needed reminder that, even in times of crisis, humanity can come together to spread hope and do good for our planet." Shares Marion.
"Wildlife conservation, protecting valuable biomes and supporting communities has now found a place in the hearts and, with the stunning art of all the generous photographers, on the walls of thousands of homes across the globe.”
Other co-founder of Prints for Wildlife, Pie Aerts, is a Canon EMEA ambassador, and Dutch documentary and wildlife photographer with a particular interest in human-wildlife conflict stories. His photography explores the intricate relationship between animals, humans and nature, and the more increasingly distant we become from each other, searching for the cause of this disconnect through his lens.
“The key to conservation is putting people at the heart of the solution. This is done through community programs supporting health, education, job security, and sustainable livelihoods. African Parks, and their community-first approach to conservation, is ensuring that the protected areas under their management are safe places where wildlife and people can flourish." Shares Pie.
He continues, "In safe places, magical things can happen. Therefore, choosing African Parks as our partner for this campaign was a no-brainer.”
Be sure to buy a limited edition art print captured by one of your favorite wildlife photographers, and help the Prints for Wildlife fundraiser by sharing one united goal: to aid in the growing of safe spaces where people and wildlife can flourish.
The sale and online store will not be live until August 28, but you can check out a sneak peek of the catalog by signing up with your email to Prints for Wildlife. Be sure to keep up to date with live talks from Prints for Wildlife via their Instagram.
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