PRO CASE STUDY
Krasimira Butseva from Revolv Collective (revolv.org.uk) discusses the benefits of being part of a community
WHY DID REVOLV COLLECTIVE BEGIN?
Revolv Collective was founded by myself and Lina Ivanova in 2017. The collective was formed as an organic process to the experiences we encountered after graduating from university. We wanted to be part of a peer-mentoring group, a collective of like-minded individuals, while facing the challenges of post-education life.
We organised workshops, exhibitions, discussions and crits, while developing innovative ways of teaching photography and inviting people to be a part of a community.
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE AT FIRST?
The challenges we faced in the past were linked to the fact that we were still [far away] from an arts community. We lived away from London, worked in a very small team and had to handle a lot of tasks to very tight deadlines.
WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FROM BEING PART OF A COLLECTIVE?
The benefits constantly expand! We have met inspiring photographers and artists, professors, curators and writers. We have worked with various creative individuals to fulfil our projects. We have also seen the impact of our work within other people’s practices and careers, and we have formed a large network of photographers.
DOES BEING PART OF A COLLECTIVE HELP A PHOTOGRAPHER TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS?
Being part of a collective is very important for the progress of any photographer. The ethos of our organisation is that we do not believe in the sole artist genius but rather in the collective, and the fact that the only way to develop is through collaboration.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO JOIN ONE?
Yes! Being a part of a collective is crucial to development, as everyone needs support or a little push sometimes.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN COLLECTIVE, OR JOIN AN EXISTING ONE?
It really depends what one has in mind. Starting a collective might seem easy from the outside, but it involves a lot of work, and the key is in the longevity and persistency. Joining a collective might be a better choice, as it will already exist within a specific framework and foundations.