The festival, now in its 3rd year, takes place at Bonded Warehouse, Manchester between the 7-9th May 2022 and boasts an exciting range of interactive events from some of the world’s most celebrated photographers.

Curators of Photo North, Peter Dench and Sharon Price have confirmed the involvement of major works from iconic photographic heavyweights including Tom Stoddart, Richard Davies, Carolyn Mendelsohn, Chris Floyd, and David Collyer. In addition and in memorial of Tom Stoddart, Photo North has been selected to display an exhibition featuring a selection of images from his final book – Extraordinary Women: Images of Courage, Endurance and Defiance, which celebrates the strong will of women throughout the world during times of war, poverty and hardship.

“When a crisis engulfs a community it’s the women who face the challenges head on.” Tom writes in the book. “Their love of family and ‘never surrender’ attitude drive them on to survive the miserable cruelty of conflicts, persecution, natural disasters and health emergencies.”

Exhibitions at the festival include photographer Richard Davies who documented his everyday surroundings in Hulme after moving into one of the blocks in 1989. Davis quickly set up a Photographic Darkroom and Studio. In between taking Portraits of various rising Manchester stars in his squat [Steve Coogan/Caroline Ahearne/Lemn Sissay] Davis’s photographs years later have become a valuable document of what life was like before the whole district was bulldozed in the mid-90s and regeneration began.

Richard will give a talk on Sunday, May 8th and Monday 9th to explain how important Photography became for him during those
years of 1989 to 1992.

Chris Floyd was embedded with the band The Verve during their meteoric rise from late 1996 to 1997 documenting the recording, touring and promoting of the album in Britain, Ireland and the US – the only photographer to have such access. The winners of our student competition with the theme, Identity, will be announced and on display.

Royal Photographic Society’s Documentary Photographer of the Year 2021, David Collyer, who works as an Operating Department Practitioner, documents the working life of the staff at Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny as they adapted to the arrival of Covid-19.

Festival co-founder & curator, Peter Dench, told PhotoBite: “We recognise people are passionate about photography. Photo North Festival aims to introduce or advance understanding of the medium through our programme of exhibitions – to inspire and engage debate. We have one perfect venue, with headline events and renowned photographers confirmed and the list growing. The creativity in planning the festival format, workshops and seminars is something unique to offer people in the north of England and beyond.”

Sharon and Peter have secured the sensational line up to deliver a thought-provoking, lively and inclusive festival that will appeal to the professional photographer, photo-enthusiast, keen amateur and anyone who wishes to engage with the timeless appeal of the medium.

Once again, Photo North Festival promises to be one of the most exciting and engaging photo exhibitions in the UK.

Sharon Price, co-founder & curator of Photo North, added: ”We’ve chosen thought-provoking works that provide relevant social commentary on some quite hard-hitting issues and the enduring problem of homelessness. But we also have the beautiful and the poignant, that will appeal not only to enthusiasts seeking to be challenged, but also to those seeking a feast for the senses.” 

Find out more at www.photonorthfestival.co.uk