THE first full scale, Olympus-sponsored photography festival will open its doors in the region at the weekend.

The event, at the Harrogate International Centre in North Yorkshire, will be bringing together hands-on professional workshops, unseen imagery and thought-provoking content with a live music social throughout the weekend.

Organisers have finalised the line up on a show that is expected to bring 5,000 people through its doors on the weekend of November 9.

Festival directo Sharon Price said: “We’ve put our heart and soul into curating unique takes on three clear themes of music, war and marginalisation to make internationally-renowned photographic art fun, exciting and accessible to all, as well as highlighting topical issues.

“We’re hoping people take the time to come and experience some brand new, unpretentious creative projects. It’s not formal, intimidating or academic, just the best stuff in the one place.”

MUSIC

The glamour of Sony award-winning photographer Tom Oldhams‘ Last of the Crooners’ gets its first ever gallery airing at Photo North, vivacious work that is in stark contrast to Northern social documentary photographer Tish Murtha’s Youth Unemployment shots which are coming home for their first ever Northern showing.

The music themed line-up includes 12 year old break-through acoustic artist, Poppy Eaglesham, currently featured on the BBC’s ‘Got What It Takes’, playing alongside Keeper of Bees and local classical pianist Karen Singleton.

Co-founder of the Global Underground movement Dean Belcher’s ‘My First Vinyl’, includes his vintage record player serenading sitters attending his 45min portrait salons with the first ever vinyl record they bought.

WAR

Hilary Roberts Imperial War Museum curator and Anne McNeill of Bradford’s Impressions Gallery consulted on artists dedicated to commemorating the centenary of the First World War through the front-line women photographers of the era’s unseen before pictures. Tom Stoddart’s haunting and poignant reportage ‘Shadows of War’, a video remembering the armistice sits alongside dedicated humanitarian and conflict photo journalist, Paula Bronstein’s World Press Photography Award-winning work on the daily effects of war on Afghan civilians.

AUSTERITY

Giving the under-represented in society a voice, Sleaford Mods, the film Maxine Peake said ‘if you’re angry about the bullying ruling bastards and you give even half a toss about…” has earned a two-hour screening each day. Undiscovered documentary photographer John Bolloten’s controversy raising ‘Nothing to See Here’, documenting two years of homelessness and addiction in Bradford, complements iconic Northerner Tish Murtha’s remarkable images on austerity and the young, which are presented posthumously and rather poignantly, by her daughter Ella.

A percentage of print sales throughout the exhibition highlighting marginalisation, social realism and austerity will be donated to homeless charity Simon On The Streets.

Reuters global photo-journalist will be on hand for free portfolio reviews. More details at photonorthfestival.co.uk