The Art of Play.
The Power of Risk.
Framing Photographic Education
APHE Conference 2025
at Falmouth University & in the town of Falmouth
Tuesday Sept 9th - Thursday Sept 11th, 2025
UPDATES
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED -
Wednesday, September 10th: - Prof Shawn Sobers, Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice at the University of the West of England, Bristol. [More details below]
Thursday, September 11th - Jo Bradford, Course Leader for the BA in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University. Bradford makes long-term photographic works in traditional documentary style and experimental photographic artworks. [More details below]
CALL FOR PAPERS - DEADLINE EXTENDED - Lots of opportunities to present in a friendly space. Submit proposals by July 18th at 5pm.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW - Tickets now available for both Members and Non-members. Be there or be square (or whatever format you prefer)!
STRUCTURE AND PROGRAMME
There are three strands to the September conference:
PRACTICE: Share your own research, elements of your photographic practice or other creative image exploration with the membership.
PEDAGOGY: What innovative, engaging, and impactful strategies have you developed in your teaching? Please share case studies, projects, and outcomes with us. This strand will determine the APHIE winner for 2025 through a general vote at the conference. The winner will be invited to present their paper online at the SPE National Conference in March 2026.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES: In this strand, we invite members to share examples of pedagogy and practice that use new technologies, discuss ethics, and share any other innovative future-casting in relation to our field.
Session Formats
We aim to create a mix of sessions featuring practical skill-building, case studies, and presentations that present handy, replicable practices, strategies & inspiration. We’ll also have lively conversations in a variety of formats designed to engage participants, promote knowledge sharing, and nurture a sense of community.
Sessions are 30, 45 or 60 minutes. For 60-minute sessions, you may have up to four presenters (including the moderator). Please consider the following formats or propose your own!
Organized by the APHE:
WORKING GROUP BREAKOUTS: These sessions offer groups with shared roles or identities to gather to discuss the key future directions of focus for APHE. (30 minutes)
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS: Presentations from inspiring, challenging and insightful leaders in our field. Speakers - See Below. (90 minutes + Q&A)
Proposed by members:
PANEL DISCUSSION: Moderated panel discussions, which include 2-4 speakers who bring a variety of perspectives and experiences. (60 minutes)
WORKSHOP: Facilitated, highly interactive sessions that offer practical approaches, frameworks, or tools to build skills. Workshops can use creative inquiry, generative exercises, interactive mapping or analysis, among other approaches. (45 minutes)
“FISHBOWL” DIALOGUES: Typically 3-4 speakers who address a field-wide issue in dialogue with each other, with the possibility for audience members to join the fishbowl and contribute to the discussion. (45 minutes)
PECHAKUCHA: Named for the Japanese term for “chit-chat,” this format requires presentations of 20 slides that automatically advance to appear for 20 seconds each, resulting in a total presentation time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds for each speaker. This format is well-suited for those who are sharing new ideas or works in progress. (Total of 30 minutes / 4 x presentations per theme)
PROPOSE YOUR OWN: If you have a new idea for a session format that is not listed here, feel free to propose your own. General guidance about session goals apply, and please consider that we may be unable to accommodate formats with significant technical production requirements.
Please contact admin@aphe.ac.uk with your submissions
or any questions on the formats and what is involved in contributing.
Deadline for expressions of interest: July 18th 5pm
Conference schedule
Day 1: Tuesday 9th September
Arrive, 4.00-6.00 Early registration.
Evening event - Book Launch - The Authentic Photographer: Finding Your Creative Voice.
by Jo Bradford, published by Octopus.
Optional (semi-organised) fish & chips on the beach
Day 2: Wednesday 10th September
Meet on campus.
9.00 registration
9.30 Welcome to Falmouth, and tour of the facilities
10.00 Chair’s Introduction to the conference proceedings
10.30-11.30 Strands/fishbowls
11.30-12.30 Strands/fishbowls
12.30-1.00 Working Groups (APHE Future Focus)
1.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-4.00 Workshops/Making and Doing. Sign-ups
5.00-6.30 Keynote - Dr Shaun Sobers
7.00 Evening meal
Day 3: Thursday 11th September
Meet on campus.
10.00-11.30 AGM
11.30-12.45 Keynote - Jo Bradford
12.30-2.00 Wrap-up and Lunch
2.00 Conference closes.
ABOUT OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
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Dr Shawn Sobers is Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice at the University of the West of England, Bristol, where he teaches BA and MA photography, and is the Doctorate Post-Graduate Lead for the school. He is an anthropologist, filmmaker and photographer, and his work has been published, exhibited and screened nationally and internationally, and has directed and produced documentaries for BBC1, ITV and Channel 4. He has produced many projects on a broad range of topics, including emerging heritage narratives, connections of transatlantic enslavement, youth creativity, Ethiopian historical connections with the UK, Rastafari culture, AI and Black representation, and youth homelessness. His book Black Everyday Lives, Material Culture and Narrative: Tings in de House was published by Routledge in 2023. |
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Jo Bradford received her M.A in Photography: Critical Practice from Falmouth University in 2004. Bradford makes long-term photographic works in traditional documentary style and experimental photographic artworks in her colour darkroom. She is interested in exploring alternative and historical processes, loves working with textiles and often adds weaving and stitching to her photographs. Since her first exhibition in 2000, Jo’s work has been regularly exhibited and collected internationally. She is the Course Leader for the BA (Hons.) Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, and she has published 4 books about photography. Bradford is represented by Galerie Miranda (Paris), Eyestorm Gallery (International) and Gina Cross Projects (London). |