'These Poor Creatures'
Photography, Inequality, and the Countryside
A one-day forum of panel discussions exploring how rural inequality is being examined in contemporary photography
Silk Mill Studios & Gallery | Merchants Barton, Frome BA11 1PT
Saturday 26 April
9:30–16:30
£20–£35
**TICKETS NOW LIVE**
As the only UK photography festival located beyond a major town or city, Photo|Frome is the apposite forum to explore how rural inequality is being explored in contemporary photography.
Photographers Tessa Bunney, Jennifer Forward-Hayter, Kirsty Mackay, Naomi Wood, Denise Felkin, Seren Metcalfe, Jermaine Francis, and Andy Thatcher, who explore the representation of rural communities and experiences, will contribute towards engaging discussions around the relationship between photography and the countryside, led by moderators Jesse Alexander and Phil Hill.
In 1822, journalist, economist and politician William Cobbett published ‘Rural Rides‘ – a travelogue made on horseback from London through the West of England. When he reached Frome he observed that:
“These poor creatures at Frome have pawned all their things…
“All their best clothes, their blankets and sheets; their looms; any little piece of furniture that they had, and that was good for anything. […] The population of this Frome has been augmented to the degree of one-third within the last six or seven years. There are here all the usual signs of accommodation bills […] new houses, in abundance, half finished; new gingerbread ‘places of worship’, as they are called; great swaggering inns; parcels of swaggering fellows going about, with vulgarity imprinted upon their countenances, but with good clothes upon their backs.”
A full day of short presentations and panel discussions with practitioners whose photographic work explores aspects of the rural experience.
We have actively welcomed submissions from individuals and perspectives not traditionally represented at symposiums, encouraging everyone to bring their unique voices to this dialogue. Our goal was for this event to reflect the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and stories within rural communities. Coinciding with the 2025 theme of inEquality, Photo|Frome is an apposite forum to explore:
- How does the representation of poverty and inequality differ in a rural context compared to that of an urban experience?
- To what extent does photography obscure or reveal rural poverty and inequality?
- What part can photography play in communicating these differences and idiosyncrasies?
- Whose stories and what aspects of the rural experience should image-makers be addressing?
This fascinating day is being curated by Phil Hill and Jesse Alexander.
There are three videos recording the day, below.
First Session
Second Session
Third Session
Schedule
Saturday 26 April 2025
9:30–10:00
Registration
10:00–10:10
Welcome (Jesse Alexander & Phil Hill)
10:10–12:00
Panel 1 – Working In And Working From The Countryside (Tessa Bunney; Jennifer Forward-Hayter; Working Class Creative Database)
This session invited us to explore rural life through a diverse range of photographic narratives. An engaging discussion that spans environmental storytelling while also highlighting creative approaches to championing working-class voices outside of urban areas.
12:00–13:00 Lunch Break
13:00–14:00
Panel 2 – Community, Connections & Collaboration: What Role Does Photography Play? (Kirsty Mackay; Naomi Wood)
Participants discovered how photography can serve as a powerful tool for building community and forging meaningful connections. The panel delved into personal and collective experiences, addressing how visual storytelling not only represents identity and care but also critically examines pressing social issues like the cost of living crisis.
14:00–14:30
Break
14:30–16:00
Panel 3 – Who Owns The Countryside? (Denise Felkin; Jermaine Francis; Andy Thatcher)
This session challenged conventional ideas of land ownership and belonging by examining the intricate ties between communities and the landscapes they inhabit.
16:00–16:30
Plenary Discussion
And, to complete the day, why not also get tickets for ‘Twice in a Blue Moon‘, a musical extravaganza with bands Kangaroo Moon and Blue Midnight. A funky psychedelic heart-lifting wall of richly melodic sound meets some very addictive eccentric crossover music to amuse, beguile, cheer, delight, enthral and engross you – and put a Spring in your step for 2025. A great way to close your Photo|Frome visit!
Panel
Andy Thatcher is currently finishing a PhD exploring common land through lens media, and his research has taken him to Newcastle, Switzerland and Norway – with a long detour through folk horror. He’ll talk about the different ways we might think about common land along with its history, its importance to local and marginalised communities past and present, and the threats it faces. He’ll also discuss his longstanding attachment to commons and illustrate his journey of academic and artistic discovery with images and stills.
Denise Felkin is an Editorial and Fine Art Documentary Photographer. She collaborates with communities to share stories that speak out about current issues, reveal a truthful voice, and promote sustainability, unity, equality, inclusivity, and compassion. Denise will share her photo essay ‘In Site’ to reveal a glimpse of an underground lifestyle with roots in new traveller communities, set in a zeitgeist of apocalyptic domesticity that existed in East London over two decades. Respect, freedom, truth, and beauty are conveyed, with an unpretentious perception of the experience and expression of an urban sub-culture.
Jennifer Forward-Hayter describes herself as ‘cruel, upsetting and funny, covering big stars with big egos to Russian nazis hiding from the law’. She is a documentary and portrait photographer. Jennifer will offer a masterclass on ‘How to use Rural Visuals for Your Own Political and Financial Gain’. She will plough camera-first into the next roaring culture war, with a special appearance by Jeremy Clarkson.
Jermaine Francis is a London-based lens-based artist / photographer whose work, visually explores our relationship to space and their historical, social and cultural narratives. He will explore landscape belonging and historical narratives in visual culture.
Kirsty Mackay is Scottish documentary photographer, activist and filmmaker. Kirsty’s research-led documentary practice highlights social issues surrounding gender, class and discrimination. As a working class artist her own experiences allow empathy, connection and insight into the stories of the people and communities she photographs. Kirsty will present her work on the UK’s cost of living crisis, ‘The Magic Money Tree’. Working collaboratively with children, families and youth groups from across England, Kirsty explores the impact of this crisis and shows us what poverty looks like in the world’s sixth richest economy.
Naomi Woods’ practice explores the dialogue between place, care and identity. She lives and works in Frome, making images with and in the community. Her award winning project ‘I Wake To Listen‘ has been featured in Creative Review, The British Journal of Photography and Vogue Italia, among others. As a working class artist born into and currently living in a rural environment, Naomi’s talk will focus on her own experience making work outside of the major cities. She will discuss how building community has become central to her practice and ask what role the photographer plays in representing people, places and stories in the countryside.
Seren Metcalfe is an Artist, Writer, and Curator with a deep commitment to platforming working-class creatives. As the Founder and Director of the Working Class Creatives Database (WCCD) she has curated and managed exhibitions, residencies, and public programmes across the UK, collaborating with institutions such as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Two Temple Place, and Aspex Portsmouth. WCCD fosters a thriving community of over 1,000 working-class artists, providing opportunities and advocacy for greater representation in the arts. You can find more info on WCCD here: Working Class Creatives Database
Tessa Bunney For over 30 years, Tessa Bunney has photographed rural life, working closely with individuals and communities to investigate how the landscape is shaped by humans. From hill farmers near her home in North Yorkshire to Romanian nomadic shepherds and from Lincolnshire flower farmers to Morecambe Bay fishermen, her projects reveal the fascinating intricacies of the dependencies between people, work and the land. Tessa will be talking about the series ‘Save our Sea‘: working with fishermen along the Teesside and Yorkshire coastline following the devastating wash-up of crabs and lobsters on which their livelihoods depend. In the making of this series, she also worked alongside a local writer (Helen Taylor), marine biologists and environmentalists to try to make sense of this ongoing situation from multiple perspectives along our North Sea coast.
Supported by Falmouth University, a leading specialist institution, focusing on the potential of creativity and technology across a range of online and on-campus courses. Home to the renowned Institute of Photography, the University fosters experimentation and excellence in photographic practice. With cutting-edge facilities and a vibrant community of thinkers and makers, Falmouth empowers students to shape the future of the global creative economy.