All eyes on town for photography festival
ANORTH Wales seaside town will be transformed into a massive photo gallery again this October as The Northern Eye International Photography Festival returns.
Colwyn Bay plays host to the festival, with a multitude of speakers and exhibitions from the world of photography.
The inaugural festival in 2017 attracted almost 6,000 visitors to the exhibitions and this year returns with an even bigger line-up.
The festival, which kicks off on October 7, is on for two weeks and this year features more than 20 pop-up exhibitions within the town’s empty spaces, shops and businesses.
The festival is organised by Paul Sampson, curator of Oriel Colwyn – the only dedicated photography gallery in North Wales.
He said: “We have partnered with the Aberystwyth Eye Festival, which is held every other year.
“This is their fallow year, so we fill the void with this event, which is why it’s called the Northern Eye International Photography Festival.
“On Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th the festival plays host to a special speakers weekend event at Theatr Colwyn.
“This is a rare chance to hear top names in the profession, such as Magnum’s Olivia Arthur, John Bulmer and Wales’ own Dan Wood.
“Other speakers are Brian David Stevens from London, who recently exhibited a striking 10-year project photographing war veterans each Remembrance Sunday following the Cenotaph ceremony; Tessa Bunney whose work includes “The Women of UCT6”, documenting an all-female unexploded bomb clearance team working in Laos and trained by the Manchester based Mines Advisory Group; and Joanne Coates, based in the North of England, who is interested in working life and class inequality.
“Key themes of Joanne’s work are Northern culture in rural places and working class life and work such as farming and fishing. There will also be a chance for ticket-holders to book a slot with a speaker and have their own work critiqued – a very rare chance to get such professional advice and guidance.”
“In addition, the free exhibitions, which will be on show around Colwyn Bay from October 7 for two weeks, means that there is plenty for everybody to see, plus time to enjoy them.
“We aim at Oriel Colwyn to stage exhibitions of a quality that are more usually only available in large cities, and I am very pleased that we have been able to continue to bring this calibre of work to Colwyn for everybody to enjoy.”
The festival is being supported by the Bay of Colwyn Town Council.
For more information about the Northern Eye Festival from October 7-20, including how to buy tickets for the speakers weekend on October 12-13, visit northerneyefestival.co.uk.