Designed to support the development of your artistic and photographic practice, this five-week course blends discussion, practical activities and reflective exercises to help move your work forward. Together we will consider your approach to the medium and what inspires you. Whether you’re facing creative blocks, seeking professional opportunities, or simply looking for space to experiment and develop your voice, each session takes on a different theme and provides the tools to enrich and strengthen your work.
Led by artist Tom Lovelace.
Format
All sessions will consist of a blend of discussion, presentations and practical activities.
Schedule
This course is open to all. We particularly encourage recent graduates, emerging artists, photographers whose creative practices have lapsed, and anyone seeking inspiration, renewed focus or creative direction.
Details on how to access the sessions will be confirmed upon registration. Please check your junk folders if you haven't received an email from TPG staff confirming your place.
Schedule
Week 1 | Approaches to image making on Tue 7 Apr at 18.30–20.00
The course begins by considering your unique perspective as an image-maker to shape ideas and workflow. What stories and ideas are you trying to express? We will discuss cultural, personal and material influences, using exercises to expand concept development and experiment with new approaches.
Week 2 | Talking about your work on Tue 14 Apr
This session looks at how to communicate your ideas clearly — whether verbally, in writing or digitally. Together we will develop strategies for introducing and contextualising your work with to different audiences (eg curators, clients, peers). We will also look at artist statements, biographies and proposals as key tools for building a professional practice.
Week 3 | Displaying and sharing your work on Tue 21 Apr
This session explores different opportunities and ways to present your work — physically and digitally — to different audiences. We will consider how presentation affects interpretation and experiment with how to share work more effectively, thinking through exhibition layouts, artist books and online showcases. Topics covered this week also include sequencing, framing and curating.
Week 4 | Building your digital presence on Tue 28 Apr
Following last week’s discussion, we look at how artists and photographers can develop an impactful online presence that reflects your voice and work, and engages with audiences to attract opportunities and increase visibility. Together we consider the different platforms, and approaches that balance authenticity and “professionalism”.
Week 5 | Research, development and collaboration on Tue 5 May
In this final session we look at different approaches to deepen, inform and expand your work. Where does collaboration fit in an individual practice? What ethical considerations need to be made in in research? We will cover different research methods, collaboration and shared research practices. There will be time at the end of this session for further reflection and discussion on next steps.
Biography
Tom Lovelace is a London based artist, working across photography and performance. Lovelace’s practice is shaped by the collaborative histories of photography, phenomenology, theatre and the languages and legacies of abstraction. Since 2017, Lovelace has been developing the Living Pictures, presenting interactive exhibition spaces, exploring the photographic image, moments in art history and sites of architecture through performance methodologies. Lovelace is currently completing doctoral research, with a focus on the Living Pictures, at the University of Westminster. As a Lecturer he works at the Royal College of Art, London and Glasgow School of Art.
Bursaries
A number of partial bursaries covering 50 per cent of course fees will be awarded on a first come basis. Applicants who wish to be considered for a partial bursary should submit a statement (max. 500 words) to projects@tpg.org.uk, outlining how Around the Photograph would contribute to their professional development. Successful applicants will be notified within a week of submission.
We actively encourage applications from groups who are currently underrepresented in the cultural sector in the UK. This includes people who identify as D/deaf, disabled* and neurodivergent; those with caring responsibilities; candidates from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds; and arts and culture professionals desiring career development, prioritising independent artists, freelancers and those made redundant/at risk of redundancy since 2020.
*The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Sharing that you are disabled will not be used in any way in judging the quality of your application.
Ticketing
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