TESTIMONIALS
“It feels like this festival has worked hard to create a warm, considered, inspiring and safe environment. I loved the diversity and quality of the exhibitions. I loved to see the established photographers work, the lesser known breaking talents, the students photographs and the public gaze via #365in2023 I especially enjoyed the contributions made by guest artist photographers who talked candidly about their practice, experiences and journeys. I made new friends, forged new contacts, built new networks and learnt so much.
There is something magical about Photo North Festival - this may sound like a cliche but it's different to most other photography festivals I have attended. There is an atmosphere of equality, informality and mutual support for each other. There is a genuine audience engagement with the guest artists. a strong community is forming around the festival. Everyone who attended seemed to morph into a participant rather than an observer.
Photo North Festival is fresh and very much needed in todays creative landscape.” - Simon Peter Green, Photographer & Filmmaker
“Photo North 4 was an incredibly inspiring, collaborative and heart warming experience for Channel 4 to be a part of, offering portfolio reviews to Photographers Young and Old alike was a fantastic experience, meeting and discussing photographic work with an incredible bredth of talented photographers based outside of the M25 was a real pleasure. Empowering people to push their creative visions, explore their career progression and continue to explore a personal and professional interest in photographic art was nothing short of magical.
Being a judge for the student photography awards was a real pleasure, meeting and hearing the stories behind the creative vision of the next generation of photographers was a joy t behold. Not only that, but the festival allowed us to bring a couple of our own apprentices who hadn’t been through the route of higher education to meet and inspire a few of the students and to promote the incredible scheme’s that C4 offer for creative people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Long live PhotoNorthFest!” - Carl Palmer, Senior Picture Commissioner, Channel 4.
“For RRB Photobooks the benefits of Photo North were many. Firstly, the community aspect. We have found connecting with the photographic community fairly difficult with the legacy of lockdown and so having a festival that was accessible in terms of cost of table and location was a great opportunity for us. While we are Bristol based, a lot of the work we publish is made in North England and having this festival allowed us to connect with photographers and photography fans from this region in a way we have not managed previously. We feel we’ve made some valuable contacts and developed a better sense of how to engage with this area of the photo-community. Secondly, the opportunity to learn. Photo North brought together a range of professionals from across the creative industries, all dealing with photography but in varying ways. From attendees such as BIPP & Channel 4, the festival really broadened my knowledge about our industry and the variety of professional roles within. Thirdly, the festival was also successful for us from a sales point of view. The weekend was financially worthwhile for us, even considering travel and accommodation costs. I am sure too that it will continue to be beneficial as the majority of our year-round business comes from repeat customers, and through the festival I have now met face to face a number of these customers, which will allow me to more easily cultivate personalised customer service and ongoing customer relationships. The opportunity to speak to customers and get feedback had given us ideas about new products and ways to present our work in future. Overall a fantastic experience, the venue was fab, everyone was so friendly and welcoming, Sharon and Pete should be very proud of what was achieved.” - Josie, RRB Photobooks
”Photo North Festival for me has been fantastic. Entering last year I was a runner up in the student competition. This year I was a guest speaker and had part of my recent project 'Return, O Backsliding Children' exhibited. This event has enabled me to branch out further with networking opportunities and I even received a portfolio review from Channel 4 Leeds which could benefit my future career.
The venue this year was perfect as it allowed everyone to connect. I feel the whole experience is invaluable and the support from Sharon and Pete, sponsors Alumno and visitors has been amazing.” - Sofia Conti, Photographer
“Peter and Sharon have a vision, passion and commitment to the photography industry and the professionals working in it. Getty Images Gallery have worked on many satisfying collaborations with them and we hope to work on many more.” - Anthony Gammal, Getty Images Gallery
“Chester Cathedral welcomed Extraordinary Women: Images of Courage, Endurance, and Defiance as a moving and thought-provoking exhibition in the summer of 2022, shortly after Tom Stoddart’s untimely passing. Sharon’s personal drive and passion for the project rivalled our own and meant that thousands of visitors were able to encounter the exhibition of Tom’s images and his story in the quiet, unique setting of Chester Cathedral. Tom had mentioned his ambition to have his work shown in spaces other than art galleries and we were honoured that he felt Chester Cathedral a fitting space for this incredible body of his work. Sharon and Peter worked tirelessly with us to ensure that every detail of the exhibition was catered for. They made sure that this - the first showing of Tom’s work post his death - was the start of a great legacy. The sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which this was carried out reflected the dignity and respect Tom showed everyone he met.” - Sarah Kirkup & Emily Lanigan‑Palotai, Archivist / Communications & Grants Officer
“Sharon and Peter were an absolute joy to work with on the launch of Purple (Changing the conversation is about unleashing the Purple Pound for the benefit of disabled people, their communities and businesses) from devising the launch exhibition concept and theme to curating some fantastic pieces that totally captured the themes we wanted to convey. It made for a stand out event and a highly visual and engaging way to attract prospects and stimulate conversation on the night.” Louise Vaughan, Managing Director, Definition PR.
“It was a pleasure to work with Sharon and Peter on our Student Photography competition. The competition was launched for all students in Sheffield to coincide with the opening of our new student accommodation at Beton House, Park Hill, Sheffield. It was great to see the students engaging in the project which ran during possibly the strangest year in their lives 2020. Sharon and Peter were professional and enthusiastic throughout the competition and judging process. We are looking forward to working with them in the future when we launch further student photography competitions around the UK”. - Rebecca Dean, Alumno Group
“I was so pleased to find the team of Sharon and Peter who could deliver exactly what I wanted based on a very niche brief. Their help with events, film screenings and exhibitions as part of the wider Tour de France festival definitely helped us create something special that will live long in people’s memories.” - Ian Cleverly, Editor, Rouleur Magazine
“Working alongside Sharon [and Peter] at Photo North Fest really helped us as a property to forge links with the universities in Sheffield, therefore targeting our student demographic. Hosting a photography competition opened up the possibility of approaching design students, photography students as well as the lecturers who led these courses to help create an 'in' with the institutions in the City. Although our exhibition was affected by covid-19, the competition drummed up engagement and excitement for students across the city and in neighbouring cities too, helping target those coming from a bit further afield. Hosting the competition also provided student experience for the property and created a 'buzz' which engaged students with the property in a creative way, helping to develop a sense of community with the site - something which was definitely needed during 2020!” - Lauren Barker, Homes For Students
“Opera North enjoyed planning our Behind The Curtain exhibition with Sharon and the team and look forward to collaborating again in the future.” - Dominic Gray, Projects Director, Opera North
"I'm very excited to be collaborating on exhibition projects with The Curators, Sharon and Peter. To me personally it's very important that my work is accessible to as many people as possible, especially students, teachers, NGO's, politicians and others who can effect positive change in a turbulent world. During the summer of 2012 my 'Perspectives' retrospective was displayed at a free open-air exhibition at More London Riverside and was visited by 220,000 people, many of whom expressed their appreciation about the educational and thought provoking content of the show.
Sharon Price and Peter Dench are passionate and knowledgeable about the arts and I truly believe that their commitment will help artists and photographers bring their creativity to a much wider audience in the UK and Europe." - Tom Stoddart
“I love working with Sharon. Her energy, astute business sense and effervescent flair match her drive and ambition for exciting and unique projects. Her firm belief and passion for her work, as well as her vast portfolio of skills, make any project possible.” - Isabelle Stead, Managing Director, Human Film
“Following a successful pitch to be part of Yorkshire Festival, the first ever Cultural Festival in the 111-year history of the Tour de France, Sharon and Peter conceptualised a commercially astute cycling centrepiece for an evening that catered for those with a genuine passion in the sport, as well as those with a passing interest. They develop events people are happy to be seen at and conversation flows – they just have a great eye for what’s appropriate and deliver to a very high standard.” - Jenny Higgins, Senior Campaigns Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire
“We were delighted Sharon and Peter saw fit to offer such wholehearted support to our festival that uses art as a vehicle to explore some really complex mental health issues. We particularly appreciate that balancing community spirit and a commitment to issues that matter with a relentless programme of arts events is no easy task, but we were freely gifted space, ideas and time.” - Linda Boyles, Arts & Minds Development Manager, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
"After visiting the many shows that Sharon and Peter curated for their previous venture, White Cloth Gallery, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them, and collaborate on an exhibition together. The Curators are absolutely committed to bringing rarely seen highly acclaimed art to the public, with a focus on spaces which are not necessarily galleries, and which therefore reach a variety of different audiences who may not otherwise have access. Sharon approached us to collaborate because we are a space that shares the same values as The Curators - to bring highly acclaimed, quality art to spaces and make it easily accessible to the public. Our collaboration with The Curators was successful in its process and outcome. The Curators are incredibly professional and reliable, and we hope to collaborate with them again in the future." - Ellie Andrews, Gallery Manager, Leeds Gallery