John House Convenes UWE Photography Symposium 2026: Counterpoints

On 17 February 2026, the annual UWE photography symposium took place at the Arnolfini. The event was organised by VAMP Steering Group member, John House, and Jim Campbell (Programme Manager BA Photography, UWE), and was supported by VAMP.

The symposium explored the question: how can the combination of photographic and written narratives enhance our understanding of personal work in photography?

At a time when generative AI is eating into the realm of the professional photographer and effecting the public perception of the medium, personal self-initiated work remains a beacon in the photographic landscape. Often produced in book form, this kind of work has shifted our notion of what the art of photography can be, from a single image decisive moment to a much more nuanced and rich photographic narrative. The format has also opened the door to a more fruitful relationship between images and words that goes beyond mere illustration or explanation. The idea behind the symposium was to explore ways in which artists might use image and text in counterpoint to enrich a personal narrative.

Speakers included, Jim Campbell, John House, John Spinks, Lydia Goldblatt, Clare Hewitt, Sadie Catt, Anna Fox, Laura Hynd and Amak Mahmoodian.

For more information about VAMP Steering Group member, John House, click here.

Photo credit: Emily Widdows