I’ve been collecting photo books for state schools. It first started when I was due down in Dorset to give a workshop and talk, at my old school in fact. I’ve been trying to support them photographically for a couple years and it’s been going well - Sony donated ten cameras, bags, memory cards and their time, which was incredible, but I noticed they didn’t seem to have an active library of photobooks. So I emptied my shelves of some lovely but under-utilised photobooks thinking a few hundred pairs of eyes per year is better than one pair - then it occurred to me that I really can’t be the only one with access to books that they could spare. I put in on my socials and OH MUMMA it kicked right off. You donated 400+ books! It was astonishing, overwhelmingly so. You brought them to my house, to train stations, posted, couriered, even ordered them online as it was cheaper than mailing them. Honestly beautiful. I then had to hire a Transit (a good problem), and spent a couple days at QE in Wimborne and St Peters in Bournemouth, doing workshops (with the lightings kits Fixation had donated!) and giving out books which will remain as a permanent resource in class.
More schools need more help, and I’m thinking about rolling out this and have since done the same in Edmonton, London with around 90 books (30 photobooks and 60 AoP books) and am due in Kent next week for more. So if you’re reading this and can help - please do. I know where your books will be appreciated and please be aware I only go to state schools with scant resource. One of the schools above has £1.85 to spend per student per year on art so they can’t afford a 40 quid book, but if you have one or some that you no longer look at so much, please let’s group together to inspire a future generation of photographers. Thank you.
