Reclaim Photography Festival, was founded in the UK during 2015, following conversations with our Reclaim Photography Swedish colleagues, and subsequently led to our first international artistic project, dedicated to the memory of Reclaim participant Goran Popović – Coga.

The concept of Reclaim Photography began in Sweden during 2011 through a group of photographers who wanted to inspire people, take art photography back to the streets and public spaces, spread photography as an art form and create a new visual language in our everyday environments. Find out more on our history page →

The aim of our first international Reclaim Photography Festival was to offer a completely democratic and inclusive project, free of cost or competition for all participants, by taking back art photography to our streets and public spaces. Individuals suffering particular hardships are often financially stretched or are unable to access photography competitions and exhibitions. This project offered the public and emerging artists the opportunity to showcase their creativity and to exhibit their work alongside our international Reclaim Photography colleagues, and established internationally exhibiting photographers. We were overwhelmed by their response, having received prints from participants world-wide, for the street events, which were displayed in collaboration with our partners, across five venues in the West Midlands region.

To accompany the street events we hosted a joint gallery exhibition, which offered the public a unique opportunity to see a selection of photographs from Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the USA.

The exhibition showcased a selection of limited edition and signed hand prints from UK and internationally renowned and emerging art photographers, including fine art, landscape, mixed-media, photojournalism, portraiture and social documentary photography, thus making photography accessible to everyone.

It was thanks to the generosity of all of the photographers involved, who selflessly donated their work, that we were able to stage these exhibitions for the viewing public and to raise funds for regional charities. Prints from the street and gallery exhibitions were auctioned for Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer and provided photography collectors the opportunity to support our international art photographers and our emerging artists; our great photographers of the future. We also self-funded an international group autumn exhibition at Dimbola Lodge, the home of the Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.

During our second year, we were able to offer an electronic submission process, enabling photographers to save further printing costs. We offered professional awards and a travelling gallery exhibition. We also worked with regional foster children and St Basils charity on a special project, “A Day in the Life… Hear Me… See Me…” After the spring festival closed, we self-funded a print auction to raise funds and awareness for St Basils charity. We also self funded our second autumn exhibition.