I saw this item on the PDN Pulse blog this morning. A Pittsburgh photographer has received a $10,000 grant to send newborns home with signed prints from local photographers.

The idea was a response to sending babies (and their parents) home with Pittsburgh Steelers “Terrible Towels.” The photographer thought sending them home with art might have a deeper, longer-lasting impact.

I don’t know whether it will turn babies into collectors. My own experience is that you can provide something for the kid but can’t guarantee that the appreciation (if any) will stick that long. In the long run it may mean more to the parents than to the kid.

However, it’s a creative way to use photography, and it’s great that people with funds apparently are looking for unique visions.