History

Following the closure of Morris Newcombe's photographic gallery in St Leonards On Sea, a new organisation, the Cross-Channel Photographic Mission (CCPM), was established in 1987 by Kent County Council and South East Arts. In the early years, under the direction of Leo Stable, the focus was upon the coastal region and the building of the Channel Tunnel, often working in partnership with its French counterpart, La Mission Photographique Transmanche based in the Nord Pas de Calais. The publication, Soundings, produced in 1994 to coincide with the opening of the tunnel and now out of print, documented the work of the organisation. Once the Channel Tunnel was opened this geographical and philosophical rationale became more attenuated and in July 1996 the organisation was re-named Photoworks and became a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, under the artistic direction of Ann McNeill, supported by Liz Kent as Projects Manager. A Board of Trustees was set up under the chairmanship of John Gill. The organisation's new mission was to 'commission new photographic work by regional, national and international artists, which embraces the diversity of current photographic practice through exhibitions, publications, research and education'. In 1997, Anne left to direct Photo '98 in Yorkshire and is now Director of Impressions Gallery, York. David Chandler was appointed Director of Photoworks in April 1997. The same year, the office moved to free accommodation at the Kent Institute of Art and Design, Maidstone. In 1998, Photoworks was awarded its first major lottery grant for two In-Site residencies at Petworth House with Garry Fabian Miller and the Design Council Archive held by the University of Brighton, with Marysia Lewandowska and Neil Cummings. The grant enabled the organisation to significantly expand and further support from the Arts Council of England enabled the employment of a third member of staff. The post of Development Director was offered to Rebecca Drew in 2000 and Laura Thomas was appointed as Information Manager. The organisation has continued to grow at a rapid rate. In 2002 we appointed Helen James as our Projects Manager for Education and Audience Development and Gordon MacDonald as Projects Manager. A press consultant was also appointed on a freelance basis. A feasibility study undertaken in 2002 concluded that the organisation would benefit greatly from a move of location to Brighton. Increased funding from the restructured Arts Council made this possible, with the move to our present office taking place in June 2003. The move reflects our increasing ambition to become an organisation with a national presence and has enabled us to expand our remit and to establish a resource area for photographers. Our annual programmes vary hugely from year to year, dependent on partnerships, funding, and the long periods of development that each project entails. On average, over the past five years, per year we have organised six exhibitions with accompanying participatory events, published five books, and held many portfolio sessions for artists, talks and other public events. Since moving to Brighton the organisation has continued to rapidly expand. Photoworks were among the key founding partners of the Brighton Photo Biennial, along with the University of Brighton and South East Arts. The inaugural festival in 2003, and the second edition in 2006, generated significant national and international interest. The rich programme of exhibitions and events drew large crowds to the city, confirming Brighton as one of the UK’s leading centres for photography. In 2003 we also launched our redesigned magazine, Photoworks, as a unique forum for British and international photography and visual culture. Published bi-annually, the magazine has continued to grow, both in terms of distribution and content, and has gained a reputation as one of the leading international photographic journals. In 2004 we launched the first two titles in the Photoworks Monograph series, marking the beginning of a fruitful co-publishing relationship with the German publishers Steidl, significantly increasing the international profile of the organisation. In 2005 Benedict Burbridge was appointed as full time Projects Assistant and Polly Carter as Education Co-Ordinator, following Helen James’s move to the National Portrait Gallery. In the same year Helen Wade was appointed as Sales and Marketing Manager to oversee the marketing, distribution and advertising sales of Photoworks magazine. We have also developed an internship scheme with the University of Brighton, with up to five interns assisting the organisation at any one time. Plans for the future include working increasingly with international partners and artists, establishing exhibitions for tour both in the UK and abroad, increasing the international profile of Photoworks magazine and continuing to expand our publishing activities.