© Emma Boyns
You may remember that in response to the COVID-19 situation we pulled together everything we could so we could offer 20 Shutter Hub membership bursaries to photographers who needed some extra support in 2020. We have always worked really hard to make sure that things are as affordable and attainable as possible for photographers, and that we work together as a community to support and share.
Now that they’ve been members for over 6 months we thought we’d give you an update on how they are getting on with their membership and what they’ve been working on. We invite you to explore their work further in their Shutter Hub portfolios, connect with them on social media and keep the community spirit alive!
The 2020 Shutter Hub membership bursary recipients were: Heather Agyepong, Jordana Barale, Emma Boyns, Georgina Cook, Yolanda Crisp, Zak Dimitrov, Alishia Farnan, Nicolette Clara Iles, Ellie Laycock, Michaela Nagyidaiová, Michiru Nakayama, Justine Ritchie, Dan Rubin, Nicola Stead, Mike Sutton, Misha Vallejo, and Francesca Wilkinson.
Cyclamen coum #3 © Francesca Wilkinson
Francesca Wilkinson has been making the most of the exclusive member opportunities: “Since receiving my bursary, I regularly go through the list of ‘opportunities’ and ‘calls for entry’ as it is such a well put together list of genuine opportunities. I have also been introduced to a number of really wonderful photographers that I have seen through the Shutter Hub instagram and cannot rate the helpfulness and friendliness of the Shutter Hub team enough.
I am currently working on a series looking at woodland flora and due to the nature of my work, I am now waiting for Spring in order to create new pieces which will become a part of this series. I would love to share some of the photographs that I have for this series so far and include a short artist statement about why I am doing a series like this.
In April 2021, I will also be exhibiting my series on Cyclamen at the RHS Art and Photography Show.
The positive outcome of the crisis is that it has given me the clarity to retrain. So, in January I will begin a part-time BA in Environmental Studies and I expect that all of the things that I will learn over the next few years will richly inform the photography that I create so I am very excited about it.” – Francesca Wilkinson
Francesca took part in the Shutter Hub YEARBOOK 2020 online exhibition, was selected as one of the 100 photographers for the printed publication and will also be exhibiting as part of the SHUTTER HUB OPEN 20/21 Amsterdam.
© Emma Boyns
Emma Boyns was exhibited in the Shutter Hub YEARBOOK 2020 online exhibition and has used her membership to keep inspired and promote her work. “I’ve been really grateful to have been a part of the Shutter Hub community throughout this year and since being a recipient of a membership bursary. The platform has allowed me to find inspiration from other photographers, both through their portfolios on the site and the “closer look” blog posts, as well as helping me find the latest opportunities for me to promote my work, within Shutter Hub and in the broader photographic industry. I was delighted to be included in the YEARBOOK online exhibition in the Summer and it was great seeing such a high quality of varied work alongside my own. Over the past couple of months I’ve started to have more commissions coming in which is great, and I’m also really enjoying planning test shoots and potential entries for some of the competitions and exhibitions listed on the site.” – Emma Boyns
© Heather Agyepong
Heather Agyepong shared the Good News that she was exhibiting in A Picture of Health, a group exhibition of contemporary women photographers from The Hyman Collection who had responded to subjects of health and wellbeing. Featuring autobiographical perspectives to social commentaries on the wider society, A Picture of Health is a timely exhibition as those throughout the world are united by the effects of the current global pandemic.
The exhibition includes work by Heather Agyepong, Sonia Boyce, Eliza Hatch, Susan Hiller, Rose Finn-Kelcey, Anna Fox, Rosy Martin (in collaboration with Verity Welstead), Polly Penrose, Jo Spence, and Paloma Tendero and is on until 28 February 2021. Find out more here.
© Ellie Laycock
Ellie Laycock has been working as one of four Artists in Residence at Lambeth Town Hall as part of their People and Places commission and residency as part of the Lambeth Town Hall Art Programme, with an exhibition opening in February.
The project is run in collaboration with Photofusion and 3Space and funded by Arts Council England and Lambeth Council.
The project is inspired by a series of photographic Councillor Portraits commissioned in 1903, when the Borough of Lambeth was established, currently on display in the Town Hall. The commissioned work will be displayed in the Town Hall, Brixton next year as a selection of leadership in the borough over a century on.
Ellie has also been working with the St Matthews Project, a grass roots football charity that began on the St Matthews Estate in Brixton as an informal kick about in 2004. Founded by Lee Dema, the project now regularly engages with over 200 young people in Lambeth every week as well as providing free meals to the community and fostering the next generation of community leaders.
Ellie will also be exhibiting as part of the SHUTTER HUB OPEN 20/21 Amsterdam.
“Even though it’s been the weirdest and hardest year I am very grateful for the bursary and am really enjoying being a member so far. What a great community.” – Ellie Laycock
Georgina Cook was quoted in an article by Red Bull on how to become a music photographer.
Zak Dimitrov will be exhibiting as part of the SHUTTER HUB OPEN 20/21 Amsterdam and shared the Good News that a zine accompanying his project Branches of a Tree in Winter was available to buy online.
Michaela Nagyidaiová shared the Good News that she was part of the Void Collective Charity Print Sale with her photograph titled ‘Fading in the Mist’, taken in Slovakia in 2020. Michaela took part in the Shutter Hub YEARBOOK 2020 online exhibition and was selected as one of the 100 photographers for the printed publication. Michaela will also be exhibiting as part of the SHUTTER HUB OPEN 20/21 Amsterdam.
Nicola Stead exhibited in the Shutter Hub Ways of Seeing exhibition with National Trust for Scotland and Glasgow Women’s Library and we were able to connect her with the Glasgow Times who shared a feature on her work on Govan’s women. Nicola had two portraits from her Glasgow Women series shortlisted for The British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain award & was been selected for Futureproof 2020, Street Level’s annual showcase of new talent in photographic image making.
Mike Sutton shared his project ‘Octopus’ with us in a Ways of Seeing exhibition and will be exhibiting as part of the SHUTTER HUB OPEN 20/21 Amsterdam.
Misha Vallejo was featured in new online magazine ‘Far Away – Up Close‘, produced by our Dutch friends at Docking Station.
Our membership has always been heavily subsidised by our own income* (we receive no external grants or funding), allowing each member to access over £1000 worth of services, it’s something we are really proud to be able to offer.
For those who aren’t Shutter Hub members we have, and always will, provide free content on our award winning blog – we share knowledge, opportunities, advice, behind the scenes projects, and much more. We also send out regular newsletters to our mailing list (sign up here), and you can keep in touch with us on Instagram and Twitter.
In 2016 we set up the Camera Amnesty, our appeal to help homeless photographers get hold of your unwanted cameras and photography equipment. We’ve created free exhibitions, free opportunities, and freedom to share, wherever we can. We believe in collaborating and making a positive impact within the industry.
We will continue to do what we can, and hope these bursaries, along with everything else we do, will be of some help and support in this unsettled time.
We will be announcing details about our 2021 bursaries in due course, so make sure you’re signed up to our mailing list to receive all our latest updates.
*This bursary is funded by Shutter Hub income, sponsorship and donations. We receive no externals grants or funding.
Not a Shutter Hub member yet? Join here for opportunities to promote your work online and in exhibitions, access selected opportunities, events, seminars and workshops, meet up and share photographic experiences, and become part of our growing community…
