Community Portrait

BCA and Fujifilm have provided participants, through artist led workshops, the opportunity to produce individual portraits to produce a Community Portrait exhibition.

The exhibition features over 200 portraits of Bedford locals taken by local school-age children, Bedford College students, community groups and professional photographers, creating a ‘Community Portrait’ of the town. It explores the history of photography from 1840s glass-plate techniques, through to current digital techniques, and onwards towards to a potential future involving AI.

Co-produced by Bedford Creative Arts, in partnership with Fujifilm, it showcases the Bedford community through their own portraits, whilst inviting the viewer to reflect on the art of image-making through the decades and beyond.

Participants were inspired by visits to state-of-the-art facilities, the latest technologies provided by Fujifilm House and their own relationships and connections in the community.  They learnt about the local heritage of photography and the links with Fujifilm who have be present in Bedford and a key employer over the last 40 years.  

This project is sponsored by Fujifilm Bedford and is supported by Wixamtree Trust and The Steel Charitable Trust.