For 50 years, Four Corners has been a renowned centre for film and photography where people form the local community can take part in learning programmes and creative exhibitions. They offer specialist programmes which support around 500 people each year from their base in Bethnal Green.
Four Corners works towards making film and photography more inclusive by championing creative expression, education, and empowerment. Through a wide range of inspiring and creative courses, many young people are encouraged to engage more with the social and cultural world around them.
Although access to the arts is not yet equal, we’re proud to join Four Corners and London Borough of Tower Hamlets Local Community Fund to help change this. Through the Into Focus project, we were happy to see more people to express their creativity through photography.
Since 2019, the project Into Focus brought people aged 14-25 and over 50 together to learn about photography in Tower Hamlets. As it was an inter-generational project, it allows the group to learn from each other’s experiences and build positive relationships with people in their local community.
Throughout the course, the group was given lessons covering a wide range of topics including lighting, exposure, composition, focus, and depth of field. These skills were then put to the test when they were tasked with walking around the local area and producing their own photographic images.
An exciting aspect of the project was the opportunity for the group to develop photographic film in the dark room with specialised equipment. Becoming familiar with this complex process has encouraged many young people to buy their own film camera so they can continue using the darkroom after the project has ended.
One of the many advantages young people gain from learning photography is their enhanced ability to find employment or further education in the creative industries. This can be attributed to the support and guidance given by the dedicated team of tutors and co-ordinators on the project.
Even though the educational benefits of the programme cannot be overstated, the act of taking and producing photographs is a valuable act in and of itself. Undertaking any creative project is a great way for young people to gain self-confidence and interact with important social and cultural issues.
At the end of the Into Focus project, the groups were asked to produce a collaborative project that was displayed in the Four Corners gallery for a week. Having their work shown in a public exhibition boosts participants confidence as an artist alongside showcasing their new photographic skills.
I feel so lucky to have had the chance to learn about the intricacies of the world of analogue photography alongside a group of people with such diverse creative backgrounds and ideas. – ‘Into Focus’ Participant
At the centre of the Into Focus project was the local community as it encouraged two different generations to learn from each other’s experiences and creative ideas.
We’re delighted to continue our support for Four Corners though the “Cameraworks” programme which will give young people the opportunity to express themselves and develop their skills through photography over the next three years.
Want to find out more? Visit their website.