The London Villages Project
Runs March 1 2011 - February 29 2012
www.londonvillagesproject.org.uk
Registration open now to LIP Members only
What is it?
The goal of the London Villages Project is to provide a photographic record of London now.
Our purpose is to create a body of work that is identifiable as a unique contribution to the record of London — its multiplicity of communities, its miscellany of histories, its medley of architecture; its boundaries real and imagined; its current creation, its reference to memory.
To achieve this imagine London as a collection of villages or communities — a part of London, a small enclave, street, square, terrace, neck of the woods. Take a place that defines itself; a place apart; a community together; an emotional centre; home.
This is your opportunity to create a photographic project that captures an intimate record of what you consider a London Village.
Anywhere?
Anywhere within any of London’s thirty-two boroughs and the City. You can stay in one borough or photograph in them all; get to know one small part or make comparisons north to south, west to east; the whole High Street or one shop; stay close to home or boldly go next door.
The crucial element in whatever way you choose to go about the Project is the uniqueness of your subject — that this is your experience of a place, a people, a moment that is like no other in any other part of our capital.
When does it start?
It starts on the first day of March 2011 and ends on the last day of April 2012.
It’s a year-long project because we believe that photographers want time to embed themselves in a place to get the best out of it — time to appreciate the nuances of a street, to see what’s not immediately apparent and to understand the dynamics of the community; time to recognise the change that’s going on and time to find a direction.
In London Independent Photography we like to think of our photography as a journey with multiple detours; we like to give ourselves the space to understand the place and our place in the space. We like to feel that we’re learning as much about ourselves in the process as the process itself.
One year should do it.
How do I sign-up?
First, you need to be a member of London Independent Photography because you’ll need to your membership number to sign-up for the Project. Joining is simple and the link is on this page.
Next, when you’ve got your membership number go to the London Villages Project website, click on Sign Up. You’ll also be able to submit a brief biography of you & your work.
There are full details of the Project on the site, a FAQ as well as contact details if you’ve got any outstanding questions. No problem is too small or large if answering it keeps your show on the road.
How do I begin?
First, we hope that you change during the year of the Project; we hope that it’s a fresh learning experience and that the Project promotes new ways of interacting with our city and our people.
The Project is open to all styles and methods of photography. You may already have a project of your own that fits the bill perfectly but you may feel this is just the opportunity to start a fresh body of work. All we ask is that whatever images you submit are those taken during the year of the Project.
If you’re unsure of how to begin there will be a Focus Meeting on Saturday 5th March which will answer all questions for which there are answers and there’ll be a number of photographers on hand to talk about their own 'London Village Project'.
We’ll be running a variety of workshops throughout the year on aspects of the Project and issues in photography too.
There will be selection meetings each month which will provide a meeting place for catching up on current work and permanent problems.
We will also be showcasing projects online, publishing a monthly e-newsletter, keeping contact through LIP’s Satellite Groups and maintaining frequent email contact with all members of the Project.
How does it end?
There will be an exhibition programme and a series of publications. Details of these programmes will emerge as the Project develops — we want the final presentation of the completed London Villages Project to match the experience and the work.
We also want the end to be a beginning by exploring what the legacy of the Project might be — both for London and London Independent Photography.
LIP MEMBERS: TO REGISTER PLEASE VISIT THE LONDON VILLAGES PROJECT WEBSITE