The UK’s biggest outdoor photography festival launched in Preston in June 2023, displaying major projects from several internationally-acclaimed photographers.

The work of Martin Parr, Jenny Lewis, Maryam Wahid, Ian Beesley, Dougie Wallace, Serena Dzenis, Bobby Beasley and Sarah Maple were displayed in parks and on walls across the city.

Many more photographers – including the world’s most famous AI generated image, The Electrician by Boris Eldagsen – had large-scale single images displayed across the city, while an extensive engagement program saw multiple opportunities for local people to take part in the festival, either by taking photographs or by being photographed.

These engagement projects included the famous Clarks shoes Preston is My Paris advert-inspired portrait session and 48hrs in Preston where photographers have been invited to photograph the city and help create a unique archive of the people who live in Preston. The city also hotsed the world’s first photography protest parade, which saw a large group of participants walk through the city and park holding up banner-style images.

Thousands of school children across Lancashire experienced the festival via their own private exhibitions on school premises which were sent to them in the post.

The photographers taking part in Lancashire Photography Festival is led by Martin Parr, the UK’s leading documentary photographer who is known around the world for his bold, satirical images documenting human life.

Social-documentary photographer Jenny Lewis exhibits images from her stunning One Day Young projects, where new mothers were photographed within 24 hours of giving birth, in Miller Park.

Yorkshire-based Ian Beesley will show a selection of his stunning black and white Northern industrial images in Preston’s stunning Georgian-era Winckley Square.

Street photographer Dougie Wallace, whose critically-acclaimed books include Stags Hens & Bunnies: a Blackpool Story and Harrodsburg (both published by Dewi Lewis), will exhibit his stunning brash people-focused images in the city centre.

Maryam Wahid’s portrait work focuses on the identity of British Pakistani Muslim woman and will exhibit images from her stunning The Hijab project.

Serena Dzenis surreal Icelandic landscapes, taken during lockdown in 2021, have already won several awards. The breathtaking images will also be displayed in the city’s Avenham Park.

As part of several festival legacy projects, photographer Andy Ford will spend this summer photographing Lancashire agricultural shows. This will work will be shown during the festival via projector and will be exhibited during the next festival in 2024.

The festival was funded by Arts Council England, with support from Friends of Winckley Square CIC and Preston BID’s Special Projects Fund.

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The second Lancashire Photography Festival took place in Preston from June until September, 2023. The festival is supported by Arts Council England.

There was a guided festival walk on Sat Aug 19, 2023 – starting 1pm Miller Park – following the map route.

Some of the call outs released 2023 festival were:
(details on News section of this website)

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In 2021, the trial version of the festival saw over 200 large-scale images displayed outdoors across 16 locations across the city, showcasing the work of over 60 photographers – incluidng the iconic work of John Davies and the bold, brash imagery of Peter Dench. The festival launched on April 2nd, 2021, with all works across the city able to be viewed from the street, in a covid-safe way.

Davies’ stunning black and white work was shown in a stand-alone installation in Winckley Square while Dench’s vivid colour images were displayed on the hoardings of the former BHS building on Fishergate.

The work of dozens of local photographers was shown on the hoardings of Preston Market, plus projects by Blackpool Sixth Form students and Preston Photographic Society was also displayed in the city.

Images of Preston skaters from Moor Park skate park were displayed at multiple sites across the city and there will be several unique, large-scale installations on walls across the city.

All images in the festival were able to be viewed from the street, in a totally safe, socially-distanced way compliant with lockdown restrictions. This means it was free!

The festival launched a few days after the stay-at-home lockdown guidance was lifted in England. The festival duration was extended due to its popularity, with images on display for almost three months.

It is hoped that the festival can become a regular event in the city, displaying the work of photographers from around the world – and enagaing local audiences and encouraging everyone to try photography.

Evaluation of #lancsphotofest 2021:

In April 2021, the first trial #lancsphotofest hit the streets of Preston.

#lancsphotofest was the highest-profile arts event in Preston in 2021 and was the highest engagement numbers for an arts event in Preston during 2021.

1m+ visitors saw #lancasphotofest

66 photographers had their work displayed

200 large-scale images

250,000 #lancsphotofest hashtag engagement every week

318,000 twitter engagement for @gazcook & @EnjoyTheShowUK

Audience numbers

It was impossible to visit Preston and not see images from #lancsphotofest

Approximately 1.2million people visited Preston City Centre during the festival. It was impossible for visitors not to engage with the images of #lancsphotofest. This compares with 80,000 visitors to Belfast Photo Festival, established for 10 years, which exhibits in 30 museums, galleries and public spaces across the city. The Harris Museum averages 60,000 visitors for a two-month period – this figure was much lower when #lancsphotofest took place.

114,133 saw the Peter Dench installation on Fishergate

64,000 people saw the images at Preston Markets

The festival received wide-spread media coverage.

Comments and feedback:

‘Did the walk today, sensational stuff Garry Cook, so many people looking at them. If you’re not careful Preston may soon become a cultural hub instead of a desert’
– Susan Woods

‘Saw some of the photographs today. Will be heading back for another tour! It’s fantastic! Thanks Garry for organising and putting this on!’
– Jo Humphries

‘What a great way to get some footfall back into the city’ – Carol Anna Main

‘Amazing achievement Garry – let’s hope it turns into an annual event!’
– Ewa Craven

‘I’ve really enjoyed the photo festival and would love to take part in the future. I’ve always said #Preston needs more things like this’
– David Bullock

‘I’ve been!! Not seen everything yet so going again soon to see the rest. It’s a fabulous exhibition’
– Dawn Keeling

‘Made you stop. Made you think. Made you question #lancsphotofest’
– Jo Mclaughlin

‘People say visit your city with eyes of a visitor and did this morning! #lancsphotofest is superb!! Brilliant photos in nook and cranny locations!’
– Christina Livesey

Documentation of 2021 Lancashire Photography Festival: