On the 17th of January 2024, I gave a short presentation at The Photographers’ Gallery about my experiences of using Crowdfunder.co.uk to self-fundraise to help me publish Memories from The End Of The Line. Here’s a short blog about the event and those I met.
The Photographers’ Gallery
‘Situated in the heart of Central London, at the gateway to Soho, The Photographers’ Gallery (TPG) is the UK’s foremost centre for the presentation and exploration of photography in all its forms and home to an international community of photographers.’
Their website goes on to say:
‘Founded in 1971 in a former Lyon’s tea room in Covent Garden, TPG was the UK’s first public gallery devoted to the medium of photography and has remained instrumental in reflecting photography’s pivotal role as a cultural force and its position as one of our most significant contemporary art forms.
Over the years, the Gallery has introduced a rich and compelling roster of international photographers (and also) championing the work of UK pioneers.
In May 2012, TPG moved to its current home in Ramillies Street, Soho. The five-storey building designed by award-winning architects O’Donnell + Tuomey offers visitors three floors of world-class exhibition spaces, an education studio, a state-of-the-art media wall for digital projects, as well as a central café area and enhanced spaces for the Bookshop and Print Sales Gallery.
Consistently pushing the boundaries of form and presentation, The Photographers’ Gallery continues to lead the way in championing photography for the widest possible audiences with the aim of further public engagement with and awareness of this universally relevant and inclusive medium.
In 2022, Soho Photography Quarter opened – a brand new outdoor space, bringing the best of contemporary photography for free, day and night, right on the doorstep of the Gallery.’
Imagine my surprise and delight when I was approached by Janice McLaren, Head of Education & Projects, in October 2023 to present at one of their free networking sessions on the theme of ‘Self-Fundraising’. It seems she had been captivated by my fundraising efforts to print and publish Memories from The End Of The Line and felt this would be an ideal opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with others.
I, of course, jumped at the chance, although I admit to feeling a little out of my comfort zone as it had been more than six years since I had last presented in this way. But I felt positively challenged, and that was a good thing. The timing was also perfect as I was about to launch my second self-fundraising project to support the printing and publishing of my second book – Return to The End Of The Line.
The session was scheduled for the 17th of January 2024, so I met Janice in early December to better understand the session’s informality and location. Two guests are invited to speak for ten minutes each (although, in reality, we both over-ran) with plenty of time for questions and answers. The session takes place in the Gallery’s open ground-floor cafe space, so meeting and talking with those present is easy.
The second guest speaker was:
Anthony Luvera
Anthony is a renowned international social photographer championing the cause of people experiencing homelessness and the LGBTQ+ communities. He describes himself as:
‘…an Australian artist, writer and educator based in London.
His photographic work has been exhibited widely in galleries, public spaces and festivals, including Tate Liverpool, The Gallery at Foyles, the British Museum, London Underground’s Art on the Underground, National Portrait Gallery London, Belfast Exposed Photography, Australian Centre for Photography, PhotoIreland, Malmö Fotobiennal, Goa International Photography Festival, and Les Rencontres D’Arles Photographie.
His writing has appeared in various publications, including Photography and Culture, Visual Studies, Photoworks, Source, and Photographies.
Anthony is an Associate Professor of Photography in the Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities at Coventry University and editor of Photography For Whom?, a periodical about socially engaged photography.
He is Chair of the Education Committee at the Royal Photographic Society. He has designed education and mentorship programmes, facilitated workshops, and given lectures for the public education departments of National Portrait Gallery, Tate, Magnum, Royal Academy of Arts, The Photographers’ Gallery, Photofusion, Barbican Art Gallery, and community photography projects across the UK…’
It was a privilege to be in Anthony’s company and to hear him speak passionately and powerfully about his recent collaboration with SIFA Fireside, Birmingham’s main day centre for homeless and vulnerable adults.
Over four years, Anthony invited participants to explore photography, culminating in a collection of self-portraits entitled CONSTRUCT, which he published through the Kickstarter self-fundraising platform.
Why Self-Fundraise?
Those who have followed my endoftheline journey may be familiar with some of the details. But why not have a look anyway? Click the link above and view the presentation.
If you need to familiarise yourself with my work or are contemplating self-funding yourself, why not have a look? It might inspire your thinking. I’d be happy to help with any questions you may have. This is what it helped me achieve.
As for questions, the gathering of over 40 attendees at the Gallery was very curious, and both Anthony and I had our fair share of questions. It was a rewarding evening as those there were keenly interested in the subject matter as they were looking to run their own self-fundraising projects for book publishing or exhibition events.
It was interesting that whilst Anthony and I presented independently and from different perspectives, we covered the same points. That was reassuring for me as it filled me with confidence that I hadn’t missed anything in my approach. Phew!
In Summary
If you are thinking of self-fundraising, here are four simple steps to follow:
- Check out which crowdfunding site is right for you
- Plan ahead pre/post-crowdfund launch
- Be clear:
- What you’re asking for
- What you’re offering
- Celebrate your success and achievements
I’m delighted that I could contribute in some small way to the development of the assembled group. And what did I learn? I learnt of the amazing work of The Photographers’ Gallery and the shared opportunities it provides. So much so that I have now become a member.
So, I’d like to pass on my sincerest thanks to Janice McLaren and The Photographers’ Gallery for their invitation to take up this inspiring opportunity.
Bookshop
Return to The End Of The Line is available here. Two purchase options include:
- Meet the author – a personal delivery for Londoners
- Postage to UK, Europe & RoW
Follow me on Social Media
Instagram – for my complete photo portfolio, and Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Threads, where you can comment on any of my photos or anything else. Subscribe to my newsletter for updates on my current projects, and subscribe to my blogs so as not to miss any new content. Want to get in touch – email me at info@theendoftheline.blog
Photos By RJT 