SOCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Fotonow CIC enables people’s voices to be heard. We work with participants and communities to nurture possibility and ambition; aiming to create positive change and tangible outcomes for everyone we engage with.

WE USE CREATIVE MEDIA TO SHAPE A BETTER WORLD

  • Through the delivery of participatory media projects in Plymouth (and the South West region) where we support individuals to develop new skills and build their confidence
  • by utilising the power of media to showcase and empower underrepresented communities to tell their stories in an authentic way
  • in reinvesting our profits to further support these aims and commit to a inclusive and circular economy with focus on sustainable practices and procurement to respond to the climate emergency and reach NetZero by 2030.

EDUCATE

Our approach to learning is nurturing and participatory. We deliver workshops and educational projects from both our studio and within communities. We often work in partnership and are supportive to the diverse levels of experience and ambition of our participants. We have a degree pathway on BA(Hons) Journalism with Photography at Marjon University. We offer aspirational learning opportunities for work-placement students and annually invest in a work experience week.

ADVOCATE

We believe in socially engaged media practice and are part of the Socially Engaged Photography Network. We get people behind the camera to make their own photographs, films and share authentic stories. Media can mis-represent the views of people, our more conscientious approach supports communities to take control of their own stories and be more discerning in the media they digest. This applies to our client outcomes, enhancing social impact through photographs and films.

CREATE

We like to collaborate with a diverse range of partners to make culture accessible and enjoyable. Our photography and films are developed professionally and to be relevant. We commission other creatives as a way of growing positive change. Our mobile outreach project, the Camper Obscura, entertains and engages the public through sharing the fundamentals of photography.

PRESENT

We present highly visible outcomes from projects in the form of public exhibitions where we encourage people to both contribute to and experience visual culture outside of traditional gallery spaces. Our annual South West Graduate Photography Prize (in its 15th year) showcases the best emerging talent from photography courses across the region.

SUSTAIN

We produce work to commission to sustain our business and support our community work. In buying from a social enterprise those that work with us help make a difference. We are a Living Wage Foundation and Disability Confident employer. We deliver our professional work while putting the environment first – having declared a Climate Emergency in 2019.