Photo Fringe invites applications from artists with experience of working with small communities to co-produce a new body of work for Photo Fringe 2024 with Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project (MFGWP).

The project will be a feature of the eleventh edition of Photo Fringe with two outdoor exhibitions in Moulsecoomb and Brighton beach throughout October. Garden Estate is funded by Brighton & Hove City Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund, Chalk Cliff Trust, East Brighton Trust and Arts Council England.

Project Brief

• to work with the user groups of MFGWP and a small group of pupils at Moulsecoomb Primary School and Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, sharing photography skills through workshops and activities
• to devise and lead five activity sessions using photography that enable users to understand and explore the basic principles of photography and create visual stories about MFGWP and their personal horticultural journeys there
• to spend time with the community at and around MFGWP exploring what makes their garden so meaningful and essential to Moulsecoomb as a place
• to produce unique artwork as well as co-produce images with participants at specification for large format printing for outdoor exhibitions both in Moulsecoomb and on Brighton beach
• to provide a final selection of images for MFGWP to use for future advocacy
• to contribute ideas towards a learning resource for local school children drawing attention to food production, local community gardens and the role photography and storytelling can play in gardening, wellbeing and campaigning for a greener planet.
• to prepare exhibition-ready artwork by 29 August

The selected artist will receive:

• a fee of £2,000 plus £500 for post-production (preparation of final print-ready designs)
• workshop support from the lead grower based at MFGWP

Photo Fringe 2024, Common Ground
Our eleventh biennial open-platform photography festival will run throughout October. Finding common ground is a starting point for positive change. Like photography, common ground can bridge divides, challenge stereotypes and create space for collaboration and connection.

We want this year's festival to disrupt traditional hierarchies and encourage a mutually beneficial exchange of perspectives, skills and ideas.

Our theme was inspired by acts of reciprocity between generations of women farming together in Haringey, photographed by Arpita Shah for our recent We Feed The UK co-commission with The Gaia Foundation.

About MFGWP
Established as a project in 1994, and as a charity in 2005, Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project is a small charity on the outskirts of Brighton located in an area of high deprivation with few community facilities. They connect people with gardening, food and nature through:

• Working in primary and secondary schools to provide an alternative for pupils who struggle in a typical classroom setting
• Running a therapeutic garden project for people of all abilities
• Having inclusivity and diversity at the heart of the project, with everyone welcome at our Tuesday and Friday work days
• Working alongside local schools, social services, pupil referral units, the youth service and other organisations, supporting young people to make progress in mainstream education to achieve their potential.

They specialise in working with young people with learning difficulties such as Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Dyslexia and ADHD. They offer horticultural, carpentry, woodland management, cooking, educational and social opportunities to everyone. moulsecoombforestgarden.org

What the project is looking for
Photo Fringe is looking for a photographic artist to explore non-traditional routes into social documentation and offer ideas for a fresh approach to developing images collaboratively with MFGWP users to help share their gardening experiences and increase visibility for the community garden as a whole.

Garden Estate celebrates the incredible work of the staff, volunteers and users of the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden for their 30th Anniversary as a model of good practice and community cohesion.

About the exhibition spaces
The priority is to position artwork outdoors in a public space within close proximity to MFGWP and for visibility to the general public. Inspired by fence.photoville.com we’d like to use the fences near Moulsecoomb Place. Additionally, some of the pebble gabions on Brighton beach, situated next to the i360 will be available. They have a display area of: 900mmx900mm A selection of the exhibition artwork will also be shown online in a digital exhibition via photofringe.org

Eligibility

• Artists whose work is considered photographic
• Artists with experience of working with people that have learning difficulties
• Artists should be within a reasonable travel time to Moulsecoomb
• Availability on Tuesdays and Fridays
• Full DBS clearance (this can also be arranged)
• Over 18 years of age

Project Support
The artist will be supported by the Photo Fringe team and the Head Gardener at MFGWP, Daisy Brown.

Timeline

Application Deadline: 10 June (midnight)
Notification: 17 June
Development of work at MFGWP: between 24 June and 9 August
MFGWP Open Day & 30th Anniversary Celebration: Friday 12 July (must be available to run activity on this day)
Artwork deadline: 29 August
Launch: 4-6 October

Preview event
The festival launches on Friday 4 October with project-specific events across opening weekend, details to follow. The artist will need to be available for press interviews.

How to apply

Click here and follow the instructions to make your submission. You will be asked to:

1. submit a short artist statement telling us about your practice and your unique approach to community-engaged work (maximum 300 words).

2. give an indication of how you would approach the brief (max 300 words). Tell us:

• how some of the work will be co-created with participants. We value the process as much as the outcome.

• how the work will represent the unique characteristics of MFGWP
• initial ideas for how the work could be presented large format outside on either a fence or beach gabion
• initial ideas on how participant’s work might be presented in the exhibition
• about your prior experience of working with people of all ages that have diverse access needs and learning difficulties

3. complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (required) - LINK

4. We also request:

- a link to your website or online portfolio

- a link to your Instagram (optional)

- your CV (optional)

- upload up to five images of your work that might help us understand your visual style and/or approach (each image at 72dpi, no larger than 3MB)

Application support
We are happy to accept video answers if this is preferable. If you require support with your application, please contact Festival Director, Claire Wearn (clairewearn@photofringe.org).

You can also download and save the full artist brief here.