Barnsley is a market town, located inside the triangle Manchester-Sheffield-Leeds, in South Yorkshire. Barnsley is a post-mining economy, with a small but emerging creative community. Our focus in Barnsley is to champion grassroots photography and image makers through strengthening our network and expanding our reach. We’re passionate about reaching young people, through schools programmes, removing financial barriers, and increasing accessibility to equipment and opportunities that artists need for their practice to thrive.
Our Photography Champion in Barnsley is Emily Ryalls, who is focused on creating opportunities for Barnsley’s creative network to grow and for individuals to connect. Emily has supported the community to launch ‘Contact’ as a regular photo social, hosted at Spiral City Bar, which has become a wonderful melting pot for people interested in photography, in any form. Emily’s aim is that these socials can underpin a programme full of artist talks, workshops that can include zine making, darkroom practices, photobook sequencing, which can lead to exhibitions, and the creation of bodies of work. Local collaborators include Barnsley Civic, and Spiral City.
About Emily Ryalls
Emily Ryalls is a Wakefield based artist, using an expanded approach to photography to create points of connection with communities and individuals. Within Emily’s practice she facilitates spaces and works on the themes of lived experience and women’s embodied knowledge.
The darkroom is central to Emily’s creative process. In 2021, she designed and built the Art House’s community darkroom in Wakefield, which she now manages – supporting members and teaching in the space. She looks forward to working with Barnsley’s photographers to create spaces like this in the local area, that can grow and evolve with the community’s needs.
Growing up between Barnsley and Wakefield, Emily has always felt a strong connection to the town and the Photography Champions Network has provided the opportunity to build deeper relationships with creatives who share a passion for celebrating photography in the local area.
