In 2021 Professor of Photography Anna Fox was awarded an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Engagement Fellowship by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of the UK Research Initiative. This Fellowship builds on the Fast Forward initiative and has enabled the pioneering project Putting Ourselves in the Picture supporting a community of marginalized women and non-binary people in collaboration with five organisations recognised for their influential endeavours:
Autograph ABP; Impressions Gallery, Bradford; National Galleries of Scotland; Women for Refugee Women and Work Show Grow.
Through a series of innovative workshops and mentorship activities organised by the partners this project has developed the skills, knowledge of photography and confidences of the participants. The resulting outputs are set to educate us all by increasing awareness of women’s unheard life stories using photography as a tool of empowerment and as a story-telling practice.
The project participants Ceecee, Rella, Rhody, Miya, Precious, Raolat, Phim, Leonelle, Linda, Nwanyi, Lovelin, Hannah, Grace, Maureen, Ana, Maryam, Sylvie, Taraneh, Elham, Manar, Vicky, and Josiane have all made work that opens our eyes, enthuses our ideas and crushes stereotypes. Putting Ourselves in the Picture confronts gender discrimination and the marginalisation of women in our societies.
Outcomes:
A book, Putting Ourselves In The Picture - published by Trolley Books, edited by Anna Fox and Maria Kapajeva, designed by Sarah Boris, an essay is written by Anna Fox and Maria Kapajeva and edited by Anne Lyden, Anne McNeill, Bindi Vora, Elizabeth Ransom and Natasha Caruana.
A series of podcasts - in collaboration with Social Broadcasts, Fast Forward have produced the Putting Ourselves in The Picture podcast series of 6 episodes, which was hosted by Anna Fox and Maria Kapajeva.
This series focuses on conversations around the Fast Forward Manifesto for increased involvement of women in photography concerned with improving inclusivity and diversity in photography. It also features discussions about the project Putting Ourselves in The Picture created with a group of partner organisations, participants and other photography professionals.
