Redeye's Photo Histories: Format Collective

Redeye are thrilled to welcome Maggie Murray, founder of Format Collective. Established in 1983, Format was the first and only women's agency in Britain. “If you’ve read the excellent recent book, Photography of Protest and Community by Noni Stacey, you might wonder how the radical collectives of the 1970s transitioned into the progressive photography of today. This talk sheds light on that era. The collective documented the world quite differently as they focused on events and individuals who weren't being represented in mainstream media. From LGBTQ+ marches to Miners' Strike to womens rights movements, these women photographed a range of important political events and social movements. 

In this talk Maggie Murray will take us through how and why Format was set up as a collective and agency for women photographers. As well as what it was like being a photographer, and especially a female photojournalist in the 1980s and 90s. Maggie will give us an insight into how the members juggled different aspects of their core aims such as creative, commercial and political. She takes us through the struggles they faced, how they overcame them with support, and how they developed, both collectively and individually. And finally, what led to the closure of the agency in 2003. 

Photo Histories are delivered in partnership with The Photographic Collections Network.

For more info and for tickets follow this link: https://www.redeye.org.uk/programme/events/photo-histories-format-collective