USW Documentary Photography students join National Portrait Gallery education partnership

Documentary Photography students at the University of South Wales (USW) have joined a partnership with the National Portrait Gallery that will see their work featured in a new exhibition in spring 2024.

Image by David Parry

Photo Portrait Now is a national higher education programme in which undergraduate and postgraduate students work with the Gallery and professional photographers to create new work and exhibitions inspired by the Gallery’s Collection.

USW joins just four other UK universities on the programme, which runs for the 2023-24 academic year. Shaped in partnership with the universities and students themselves, the project will support an enriched learning offer that allows students to connect with curators, contemporary photographers and the photographic history of the NPG Collection through study days, practical workshops, networking, and a new display and symposium. Activity will happen both on site at the National Portrait Gallery and on the campuses of partner universities.

Funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Fund, Photo Portrait Now is part of the NPG’s transformational Inspiring People project, which includes an extensive programme of nationwide activities.

David Barnes, Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Documentary Photography at USW, said: “We are thrilled to be involved with this important project and the opportunity of engagement with the NPG collection and the support of curators is something the students are very excited about.

“The Taylor Wessing Portrait award has featured many students and alumni in the past, not least featuring three alumni including the winner, Clementine Schneidermann in 2023. As such, the award and collection at NPG is very close to our hearts.

“The opportunity of the collaboration is especially poignant this academic year as we celebrate our 50th birthday, having been started by Magnum photographer David Hurn in 1973.”