We recently caught up with Albie Clark from Edinburgh’s The Photographers Collective. Here, he tells us all about it…

Albie Clark Seafield II 2012

The Photographers Collective was formed in 2011 after a visit by a group of Edinburgh-based photographers and lecturers to Les Rencontres d’Arles, a photography festival in southern France. The initial drive behind the Collective was to replicate something of the ethos behind the festival, that an entire town could be utilized to showcase photography in all its forms and in interesting locations. Returning to Edinburgh, we recruited other members and set into motion the idea of a collective devoted to establishing something similar in Scotland. Struck by the dearth of festivals in Edinburgh, but none dedicated solely to photography, our long term plan is to establish a photography festival in Scotland, akin to those in Brighton and Liverpool.

Paul T Cowan Subtract Darkness 2012

Since the Collective’s conception, our remit has broadened to group exhibitions and workshops. Collaboration and idea-sharing are central to the Collective, and we aim to offer support for photographers through portfolio reviews, professional promotional guidance, artist talks and exhibition opportunities. Our next clinic is planned for Summer 2013 in Edinburgh and is an ideal opportunity to have your work critiqued by a panel of industry experts, from professional photographers through to lecturers and picture editors.

Susie Lowe Nocturnes Part Two

In terms of exhibitions, we hold an annual group exhibition featuring founding members’ work as well as showcasing other photographers. We are committed to inspiring and nurturing photographic talent, and our showcase members are hand-picked to highlight the breadth and variance of contemporary photography in Scotland. We also support and promote individual members’ exhibitions, from Susan Young’s DAVID (Axolotl, Edinburgh, 2011) to Albie Clark’s Changement de Decor and Kevin McCollum’s upcoming No More Than a Mile. We are always on the hunt for new and interesting venues within which to exhibit, as well as photographers to exhibit work and participate in collaborative projects.

Susan Young Elijah Samuel Marvelous Oruh

We held our first group exhibition, Collection One, at the French Institute in Edinburgh in May of 2011. Collection II ran during the Fringe Festival as part of Streetwork’s gallery space on South Bridge in Edinburgh. We are currently in the process of organizing our next exhibition, Collection III, to take place in Glasgow later in 2013. For Collection III we will be showcasing the work of Robert Ormerod, Ronnie Baxter and Eoin Carey, very different photographers but each representative of Scottish photographic talent.

Jon Lee Strategic Development Site 2012

The Photographers Collective is:
Albie Clark/Paul T Cowan/Jon Lee/Susie Lowe/Clara Massie/Kevin McCollum/Susan Young

2013 Showcase Photographers:
Robert Ormerod/Ronnie Baxter/Eoin Carey

Kevin McCollum Wire 2012

You can connect with us through our Facebook, Twitter or The Photographers Collective website. You can email us at info@thephotographerscollective.com.

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