This is the third post in a series about Photo Salons and Exhibitions. In previous posts I looked at What is a Salon and How to Enter a Salon. This post will cover how to find salons to enter.
The posts in this series are:
Background
Following encouragement from Mike Watson, I entered a few Salons and Exhibitions over the last year. It is something that we want to actively promote as a club, but there are at the moment only a few members I'm aware of that enter external salons and exhibitions.
Last year, Mike said to me, have a go and you'll most likely be surprised, and indeed I was… which is why I'm repeating that advice to everyone. To that end, I thought I'd put together this series of articles to share my (albeit limited) experiences in the hope that it inspires other members to give it a shot.
Where to find Salons?
Initially Mike told me about MidPhot and Cheltenham last year so I entered those. A short while later I came across an advert for the Neath PS Salon in the Photography News magazine, circulated by Mike in club emails.
Later I found a web service built by Adrian Lines (a well-known member of the photography community,) that lists many national and international salons. (Albeit the accuracy isn't 100% at the moment)
The salons are also published by the regulating bodies on their websites. For example FIAP and BPE.
FIAP - https://www.myfiap.net/patronages
GPU - https://www.gpuphoto.com/salons-with-gpu-license
PSA - https://psa-photo.org/index.php?exhibitions-current-exhibition-list
PAGB - http://www.thepagb.org.uk/
The following British based salons are affiliated with all four main photographic bodies.
Bristol Salon (Closing Date in January) - https://bristolphoto.org.uk/bristol-salon/
Cheltenham International Salon (Cosing date April5th 2021)- http://www.cheltenhamcameraclub.co.uk/wordpress/salon/
Midland Salon (Closing Date in June - 2021 Not announced) - http://www.midland-salon.com/
Welsh International Salon of Photography (Closing Date in August - 2021 Salon not announced) - http://thewpf.co.uk/category/wipis
Smethwick International (Closing Date in November - 2021 Salon not yet announced - https://smethwickinternational.com/
Edinburgh International Exhibition of Photography (FIAP/GPU only - Closing Date in June) - http://www.edinburghphotosalon.org/
Acceptances to these Salons count towards the AFIAP and EFIAP distinctions as well as the GPU Crown distinctions.
The PSA do have their own distinctions however they are not widely regarded in the UK.
PAGB have it's own distinctions, but they are more panel based in similar to RPS distinctions (LRPS/ARPS/FRPS) rather than criteria based like FIAP, GPU or BPE distinctions.
British Photographic Exhibitions are a smaller, often UK camera club based group of Exhibitions, that are not generally internationally affiliated (FIAP/GPU/PSA) so do not count towards FIAP/GPU/PSA distinctions, however acceptances to these exhibitions count towards the BPE Crowns distinctions instead.
The BPE website is here: http://www.britishphotographicexhibitions.org.uk/
There are currently 17 exhibitions per year, with the list of exhibitions posted here: http://www.britishphotographicexhibitions.org.uk/index.php/list-of-exhibitions
January - Clay Cross & Southport
- https://www.claycrossps.co.uk/exhibition
- https://www.southportphotographic.co.uk/exhibition-2021/
February - Evesham
- https://www.eveshamphoto.net/
March - Basingstoke & South Birmingham
- https://www.basingstokecameraclub.co.uk/exhib/index.htm
- http://southbirminghamphotographicsociety.co.uk/exhibition
April - Robin Hood, Neath & Rushden
- http://www.robinhoodexhibition.co.uk/
- http://www.neathphotographicsociety.org/nps-salon/welcome/ (No 2021 Details published yet)
- https://www.rdps.co.uk/open/
May - Midland Monochrome
- https://www.midland-mono.co.uk
June - Winchester
- https://www.winphotosoc.uk/2020/06/wne-2021-introduction/
July - Beyond Group
- http://www.beyondgroup.info/
August – None
September - Dingwell & Shrewesbury (Shropshire)
- http://www.shropshire-photographic.org.uk/Exhibition/Index
- http://www.dingwallcameraclub.com/nationalcompetition.asp
October - Gurnsey & Wessex (Frome)
- https://www.fromewessexcameraclub.com/salon.html
- http://www.guernseysalon.co.uk/
November - Bebbington
- http://www.bebingtonps.org.uk/BEBINGTONSALON.html
December - Solihull
- https://solihullphotographicsociety.co.uk/open-exhibition/
MidPhot
MidPhot is an individual exhibition, that runs annually for members of clubs that are part of the Midland Counties Photographic Federation. Gloucester Camera Club is part of this federation.
Usually there are both print and projected image sections, however this year due to COVID, only digital image sections are included. In previous years, these have been entered en-masse through the club, however this year since it is digital entry is by individuals online.
Closing date for entries are usually around February, this year it is Saturday 13th.
Prints are normally entered as a club rather than individually and are collected on club nights and delivered by our representative Bob Harding, at the MCFP General Meeting.
Full details about MidPhot, including the online entry system can be found here: https://www.mcpf.co.uk/midphot-2/
If there is interest, we could also announce upcoming salons in club meetings and emails to help people enter.
I very much hope that you find this, and other posts of interest, use and encouraging. If so then please do like and share this article using the links at the bottom
If you have found this post interesting and useful, please do comment below or like & share it.
The other posts in this series are: