Exhibiting and presenting your photography
Time: 18:00 - 21:00
Location: Kean Street Photography Studio
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VY755
- Dates: 22/05/24 - 26/06/24
- Time: 18:00 - 21:00
- Taught: Wed, Evening
- Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
- Location: Kean Street Photography Studio
- Tutor: Shirley Read
Course Code: VY755
Choose a start date
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
A comprehensive guide to the exhibition process, from early planning stages to the private view and beyond. The course is taught by Shirley Read, author of the definitive book on the subject: ‘Exhibiting Photography: A Practical Guide to Choosing a Space, Displaying Your Work, and Everything in Between’. You are encouraged to bring a project you would consider exhibiting, to use as a practical basis for exploring aspects including approaching galleries, getting press, budgeting, designing and hanging the show, and the private view. Get to know the professional expectations and potential pitfalls, and gain real confidence in your ability to stage a successful show.
What will we cover?
- Why exhibit?
- What is involved in organising a show
- Approaching galleries
- Function of press and mailing lists - reaching an audience
- Budgets
- Timetabling
- Designing and hanging the show
- Using text
- The private view and after.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- have increased confidence in approaching a gallery or planning an exhibition
- know what the pitfalls and problems of an exhibition might be
- work to professional standards in exhibition presentation.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
To join this course, you should have developed a body of work ready for exhibition or have completed an appropriate City Lit course such as the 'City Lit photography course' (code VY844 or VY878), 'Creative photography project and portfolio assessment' course (code VY637 or VY648), or the 'Develop and research your own project' course (code VY879). You are expected to be a regular visitor to photographic exhibitions.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and be prepared to take part in group discussion. You should be happy using numbers and able to do simple measurements and calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught informally through discussion and visual display. You will be encouraged to visit exhibitions in your own time to inform discussion in class.
The course also uses Google Classroom (an online teaching resource) for you to share comments with your class, download course material and upload images as appropriate for group crits.
Google classroom login help.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no extra costs but please bring a notebook.
The City Lit photography studio (at Kean St) is an annex and not part of the main building; there is no reception, so please do not arrive more then 5 minutes before the start time of your class and do try the door before ringing the bell.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
The next step is to exhibit your photographs. You could think of doing a course on framing or a photography portfolio course. Or to indulge your interest in photography further have a look at the wide range of practical and theoretical photography courses run by City Lit, from wildlife or fashion photography through to running your own photography business. Browse the website or prospectus for inspiration.
Shirley Read is a curator, writer and oral historian who has worked in photography for many years. She is passionate about photography and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience so teaches, formally and informally, lectures, tutors, mentors and runs workshops and conferences. She has curated for such diverse veneues at Camerawork, the Tom Blau Gallery, the Royal Festival Hall and the Ideas Store, Canary Wharf. She has writen for magazines and her books include 'Exhibiting Photography' (in English & Chinese), 'Photography and Research' (with Mike Simmons) and, most recently, the catalogue essay for Grace Lau's 'Portraits in a Chinese Studio'. Since 1994 she has been interviewing photographers for the 'Oral History of British Photography' a sound archive, part of National Life Stories, held in the British Library.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.