Community darkroom and photographic studio based in Bristol, Negative Thinking has launched a crowdfunder to support its move to new premises. Negative Thinking offers expert tuition and guidance in all things analogue. It says: Our mission is to share the joy of handmade photography with as many people as possible and to encourage everyone that comes through our door to experiment with the infinite creative potential of picture making.
A huge part of our ethos is accessibility; we want everyone to be able to experience handmade photography without barriers. This artform is for everyone, and Negative Thinking aims to create inclusive opportunities for people to experience these wonderful techniques for themselves, no matter where they come from. Photography is part of our shared heritage, and as such, belongs to us all.
At Negative Thinking, we have been running workshops, artist residencies, talks, exhibitions and social events from our studio space in Totterdown for the last two years. Over this time we have built a wonderful community of photographers, artists, printmakers, thinkers, and friends.
We have loved being a part of the community in Totterdown, but sadly, our time there will soon have to come to an end.
Due to rent rises, we are being forced to look for a new home. This means we need to find new premises by January 2024.
This is where you come in - we need your help to raise enough money to move our community to a new space where we'll continue our mission of spreading the joys of handmade, alternative photography.
We knew this day would come, as the current studio has its limitations, and now we have a firm deadline for taking our next steps.
Just wait and see what we have in store for you!
We'll need to start from scratch all over again; building everything we need to continue to offer our low cost workshops and courses, and to keep our community alive.
Our new space will be accessible, welcoming, and open to all those that wish to learn, to experience, to grow, and to find their own creative potential.
The rewards we're offering for your support reflect our commitment to community building - we want you to use our space for your creative projects long into the future.
How do we plan on spending the money? Well, firstly, we need to secure a new building into which we can move; deposits, up-front rental costs, legal costs. Then we must make the space fit for purpose. We'll need to build walls, plumb in the darkroom, and wire the place up for electricity.
After the work is done, we'll also need funds to move the studio and darkroom equipment into the new space, which in itself is no mean feat!
Negative Thinking was set up as a response to the need for a community for analogue photographers and artists in Bristol. It is a place for sharing ideas, for learning about the history of photography, and for dreaming about where it can take us.
See: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-new-home-for-negative-thinking
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