About Faces Project
Faces Project exists to document the people who make their communities whole — not as a photography portfolio, but as a long-term, collaborative act of preservation.
To create a lasting, museum-quality archive of portraits and oral histories that honors the people who shape their neighborhoods — treating every participant as a collaborator, not a subject.
A future where every community has a public, permanent record of its own people — one that grows for decades, told in their own words, and accessible to anyone who wants to understand where they come from.
Our Approach
Every session begins with conversation, not a camera. Trust comes before the portrait.
Projects are shaped by nomination and partnership, never imposed from the outside.
The archive is designed to grow for decades, not to serve a single campaign or moment.
From the Founder
“I started this project with a single portrait and a question: what would it look like if a community got to document itself, permanently, on its own terms? Years later, that question is still what drives every session we do.”
— Founder, Faces Project
Process
A resident, partner, or organization nominates a person or community.
Our team meets participants to build trust before any photography happens.
Portrait sessions and recorded interviews capture each person's story.
Portraits and stories are published to the archive, exhibited, and sometimes painted as murals.
Questions
Most participants are nominated by community members or partner organizations. We prioritize voices that are often underrepresented in traditional media.
Participants are never paid for their portraits or interviews. Faces Project is a nonprofit documentary effort built on informed consent and collaboration, not commercial work.
Yes — visit the Get Involved page to nominate a person, neighborhood, or organization for a future Faces Project.
Through a combination of grants, sponsorships, and individual donations. See our Partners page for current supporters.
Faces Project began in Rhode Island and is actively exploring collaborations in other states. Get in touch if you'd like to bring it to your community.
Join Us
Whether you want to nominate someone, volunteer, or bring Faces Project to your community, there's a place for you here.
