Photo|Frome again brings an inclusive and thought-provoking perspective on photography to Frome & the Southwest. The festival approaches contemporary documentary with a broad lens, and the artist line-up will reflect that vision, featuring world-class national and international names, photography to explore the history of the Southwest region, and showcasing the talents of local, student and amateur photographers. Many photographers are already confirmed, and details will be announced soon. Venues are also already confirmed. The 2023 theme is ‘Decolonising Environments‘

Decolonising Environments explores the complex and often conflicting relationships between human communities, places, and the natural world. Encompassing a range of styles, subjects and genres, Photo|Frome invites photographers and audiences to contribute to discussions around the social and environmental impacts of longstanding political, cultural, and economic ideas about our world.

‘Decolonising’ is usually defined as a process of self-determination and unlearning of the social and cultural constructs created by an established and maintained system of dominion of one group over another. ‘Decolonising Environments’ expands this concept, to encourage a wider examination of social, environmental, and cultural issues through the subjectivity of the photographer’s individual gaze.

There is a national and international backdrop of communities big and small impacting one another with both positive and negative effects whether resource exploitation or societal change. And we have all witnessed the shifting of seasons, changing weather patterns, reduced insect and bird life and the effects of urbanisation. Photo|Frome 2023 will thus showcase photography that exposes visitors to both global and local issues, with a wide variety of personal responses to contemporary themes.

In 2022, the inaugural festival included solo and group exhibitions, a series of talks, workshops, portfolio reviews, monographs, and a book & magazine fair.

2023 innovations will include more exhibitions and venues, outdoor exhibitions, a weekend symposium on the theme, two new awards (an Open Call for Photobooks and zines and new Student Awards) both with prizes). We will also continue to have Portfolio Reviews.

Aiming to create an even better festival the organisers are seeking increased public, commercial and private sponsorship. We will also soon announce a volunteer programme to support the events.

Here is the calendar of events – mark the dates in your diary!