creative media

National Photography Symposium 2011

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Do you have any plans for the weekend 13-15 May? How about attending the National Photography Symposium in Liverpool? (If I didn’t think that Haje would do something unspeakable to me for cracking a joke about Liverpool – he has a soft-spot for the city – I would. Instead I’ll say that I rather like the word ‘symposium’. If you went to one in Ancient Athens, it was a raucous drinking party.) The organisers have lined up a host of interesting speakers to discuss everything from ‘Photography, Espionage and the State’ to visions for a national centre for photography.

Now, The Financial Times has dubbed this event ‘the most important forum in UK photography’ and whilst I can’t vouch for that, the programme does look quite enticing. I’m quite intrigued by the session led by Sara Jayne Parsons on Gertrude Bell, a photographer (amongst other things) whose work in the region that we now know as Iraq contributed to its formation as a country. But you might prefer to discuss the impact of the Hargreaves report with Andrew Wiard, or perhaps think about how photography can work in conjunction with other creative media to preserve and protect rights.

It’s £100 for a weekend ticket, or £60 for just the Saturday session. There are concessionary rates available, too. For more programme information and ticket details, trundle over to the National Photography Symposium website.