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Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Jimmys Hall - Written by Paul Laverty, Directed by Ken Loach, Produced by Rebecca O'Brien

The third edition of Photo|Frome ran from 5 to 27 April 2025

MPB is Photo|Frome’s Official Sponsor, the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear.

Arts Council England Photo|Frome is supported using public funding by the National lottery through Arts Council England.

Frome Town Council is Photo|Frome’s Local partner.

Photo|Frome returned with the theme ‘inEquality’. Through photography from internationally acclaimed, national and regional artists, we reflected on stories of global and local justice and equality.

Our third edition brought another inclusive and thought-provoking perspective on photography to Frome & the South West. The festival included 14 free exhibitions (indoor and outdoor), talks, workshops, portfolio reviews, ‘meet the artist’ sessions, pop-up portrait studio (Faces of Frome), photowalks and more. The ‘inEquality’ theme is timely and important:

One of Photo|Frome’s principal installations featured Joss Barratt’s photography taken whilst working on set with acclaimed director Ken Loach. Loach is known for his focus on marginalised communities, which includes ‘Carla’s Song‘, images from which we paired with Susan Meiselas‘ renowned documentary on Nicaragua. By combining fiction and reality we explored the same issues but from totally different angles, giving new perspectives. The work of Nick Hedges, Tish Murtha, Roland Ramanan, Paul Seawright, Jim Brogden, and Fast Forward: Women in Photography was also featured alongside other Ken Loach films.
 
Other indoor and outdoor exhibitions took different creative approaches to the theme. This included Sujata Setia’s ‘A Thousand Cuts’,  Valentina Sinis‘s ‘Were Afghan Women to Unveil their tales‘, Evgeniya Strygina’s ‘Home from Home’, and Tim Smith‘s ‘In the World But Not Of It‘, and Lucy Sewill‘s ‘Visible Women‘. Outdoor exhibitions included Joanne Coates whose work explores rurality, hidden histories, and income-based inequalities, Gideon Mendel‘s ‘When I’m 40‘, and Sarah Palmer’s ‘Wish You Were Here’. Students from Falmouth University, Boomsatsuma, Bristol and Frome College also exhibited, as did local collective Frome Wessex Photographic.
 
Photo|Frome again offered an international Open Photobook Award and the MPB Student Awards. New for 2025, we held an Open Call on the inEquality theme. All were free to enter.
  • Despite rising living standards, economic inequality remains stark, with the wealthiest 1% owning about 45% of global wealth, compared to 33% in 1995
  • The UK gender pay gap was still over 13% in 2024
  • Life expectancy varies by almost 10 years between rich and poor areas of England
  • Globally, 108 million people today are displaced by conflict, compared to 33 million in the 1990s
  • In 2022, about 30 million were displaced by climate events, with the World Bank estimating that 200 million could be forced to migrate by 2050, fuelling immigration concerns
  • The Economist notes a continual decline in democracy across the globe. Though around half of the world’s population live in a democracy of some sort, only 8% reside in a full democracy, and almost 40% live in autocratic regimes
  • Data sources at bottom of this page
 
 
 
Diana Tishchenko, Open Call Winner
Photo|Frome was also delighted to be collaborating with Roseberry Road Studios, Bath, in inviting photographers to submit work exploring the theme of inEquality. Entries were selected by Homer Sykes (Photographer), Toufic Beyhum (Photographer), and Calum Mackenzie (Creative Director at Roseberry Road Studios).
 
The free pop-up studio, Faces of Frome, returned in partnership with the Frome Independent market. And the there was a full day of talks, presentations and discussions about rural inEquality ‘These Poor Creatures‘. 

Calendar of Key Events

5 April

Opening Day

The festival officially opens at most venues – check the detailed programme for opening times and details (once published).

6 April

Faces of Frome @ The Frome Independent

Be part of an ongoing project documenting the diversity of the people of Frome. A free pop-up studio in partnership with the Frome Independent market. Everyone gets a free digital image.

The festival installation at Rook Lane Chapel opens on this day.

And the winners of both the Photobook Awards and the MPB Student Awards will be announced at Rook Lane in the afternoon. 

12 April

Portfolio Reviews

Photographers of all abilities can sign up for a portfolio review during which professionals will offer feedback and pointers.

‘In Conversation’

Frome resident, magazine editor, and arts journalist Ash Khandikar hosts a conversation with world-renowned filmmaker Ken Loach, acclaimed documentary photographer Susan Meiselas, and professional film & television still photographer Joss Barratt. They will discuss how photography serves today’s important issues, be they through fiction or journalism.

13 April

Frome Wessex Camera Fair 

The largest fair in the South West to trade your pre-loved photographic equipment.

This event is run by Frome Wessex Photographic at the Cheese & Grain.

15 April

Silk Mill

Another major venue opens, for the duration of the festival.

19-20 April (Easter Weekend)

Workshops

Experience a full programme of workshops covering non-camera photography, technique, and creativity. 

Please note that these events are ticketed.

26 April

‘These Poor Creatures’

A full day of talks on photography, inequality and the countryside, featuring national and international photographers, panel discussions and audience participation. Silk Mills Studio & Galleries, Frome.

Please note that this event is ticketed.

26 April

‘Twice in a Blue Moon’

A musical departure for Photo|Frome as the student work exhibited at Silk Mill Studios finds itself soundtracked by ‘spacey folk-dub brass fiesta’ and ‘psychedelic folk fusion’ live sounds courtesy of local bands Blue Midnight and Kangaroo Moon.

Ticketed event, from 19:30.

GET INVOLVED

Photo|Frome needs your support! Installation, looking after exhibitions, helping visitors enjoy the show. Learn about the curation process, interact with the photographers and enjoy special offers the festival. Receive an official t-shirt (while stocks last), gain free access to our forum day and more. DETAILS AND SIGN UP HERE

Sources on inEquality

  • Global Inequality – Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report 2024 – Report
  • UK Gender Pay Gap – UK Office for National Statistics 2024 – Report
  • UK Life Expectancy Gap – UK Office for National Statistics  – Report
  • Displacement data – UNHCR Global Trends 2022 – Report
  • Migration by 2050 – World Bank Groundswell Report 2021 – Report
  • Economist EIU Democracy Index 2023 – Report