#65: Offline Journal Newsletter : 3 Feb '24
Wales Photography Festivals galore and other news
Hello again
Here’s my latest take on News, events and exhibitions relating to photography and photographers in and linked to Wales.
The Winter months usually have events and gatherings slowly re-emerge from slumber, so do make an effort to attend where you can!
Brian
CLARITY ON DIFFUSION
Following the recent announcement of a new Hay Photo Festival in the Spring of 2025, yesterday (Friday) saw Ffotogallery reveal FFOTO CYMRU – the successor to their Diffusion Photography Festival via Social Media.
I spoke to Ffotogallery Director Siân Addicott very briefly on Thursday before the announcement whilst visiting the gallery to see the FFOCWS 2023 exhibition. Having recently been successful in their bid for continued Arts Council of Wales grant funding for Ffotogallery, Siân and her team are excited to have secured additional funding from ACW and British Council Wales to stage a series of Ffoto Cymru Festival exhibitions by photographers and artists in venues around Wales.
The Ffotogallery website doesn’t yet provide more information, but more details will doubtless be shared over the coming weeks and months as photographers, venues, exhibitions and events are finalised in the Ffoto Cymru festival programme for 1-31 October 2024.
For the moment, here’s the announcement made on the rebranded Diffusion Instagram account:
SAVE THE DATE: FFOTO CYMRU 2024
1 - 31 OCTOBERFfotogallery is proud to present FFOTO CYMRU - Wales International Festival of Photography, debuting in venues across the country in October 2024. Building on the successes of five editions of Diffusion Festival, we invite you to engage with photography in new and meaningful ways, through a programme of exhibitions, commissions, conversations, public installations and events.
More details to follow!
EYE FESTIVAL SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED
Glenn Edwards, Director of The Eye International Photography Festival, has been teasing five of the seven guest speaker lineup for the next event to be held once again in Aberystwyth Arts Centre on the weekend of 18-20th October 2024.
Lua Ribeira (Documentary / Magnum Photos)
Harry Borden (Portrait photographer)
Denise Maxwell (Lensi Photography)
Joel Goodman (Photojournalist)
Philip Hatcher-Moore (Photojournalist)
The EYE Festival website is currently being updated with full information on the 2024 Festival programme.
PHOTOWALK social at Roath Park Lake
The resident Geese at Roath Park Lake were joined by a gaggle of nine photographers plus myself last Sunday for the first of two relaxed social Photowalks.
Whilst everyone had a camera, not many were used in anger as discussion and conversation amongst small groups occupied the time as we took a relaxing stroll around the 2km lake in the sunshine and fresh air.
If you’d like to join me and others for the next social Photowalk (10.30am on Sunday 11 February), we’ll again meet at the benches directly facing the iconic lake Lighthouse and spend around 1.5 hours at the lake and adjacent Gardens. There is a Cafe by the lake which serves tea, a selection of coffees, sandwiches and snacks. Public toilets are also onsite.
The weather forecast looks fine for next Sunday but I’d suggest wearing walking shoes or boots, dressing warm and being prepared for rain, just in case. Camera not essential.
Sunday 11 February 2024: 10.30am - 12 noon
These Photowalks are free to attend but if you might be interested in coming along, drop me an email at offline.journal@gmail.com to give me an idea of numbers on the day.
Freelance Opportunities at Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Aberystwyth Arts Centre is looking for 3 short-term but immediate freelance consultants to plan and support them in their participation in the new Welsh Government-funded dispersed National Contemporary Art Gallery for Wales initiative.
The last time I explored things, no dedicated personnel/expertise in photography was in place at Arts Council of Wales. One can only hope a large pan-Wales initiative such as this might present the opportunity to address this anomaly?
More information on the roles is available on the Aberystwyth Arts Centre website link below. Deadline Friday 9 February.
aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/freelanceopportunities
New Ffoton conversations coming 2024
If you would like to support Ffoton Wales’ ongoing efforts in the recording and editing of new audio conversations (and videos) planned through 2024, consider a donation as small as £5, or any larger amount you feel comfortable with, by using the payment link below. All support goes towards helping with storage and expenses in making new material.
A very small number of the first two photo zines #urbanwales (creative street photography) and #portraitcymru (creative portraiture) produced in collaboration with the wider photography community around Wales on Instagram, are still available and can be yours for just £7.50 with free P&P. Bargain!
