Community focused photography project in Salford awarded funding

A community focused photography project hosted at RHS Garden Bridgewater Salford has been awarded funding to develop creative activity in nature. 

The project led by University of Salford in partnership with RHS Garden Bridgewater Salford and Open Eye Gallery Liverpool was given funding by the Arts Council England.

The awarded funding will allow the costs for three photographers to work at RHS Bridgewater with local communities.

The photography project will see the artists develop creative activities relating to nature, wellbeing and climate change.

Lindsay Taylor, Curator of the University of Salford Art Collection said: “The news that we were successful applying for Arts Council funding is wonderful.

“It will enable us to deepen the work that Yan has begun at RHS Garden Bridgewater by employing socially engaged photography to develop ideas with and for our local communities.”

Lindsay continued: “We are committed to enriching lives and enabling healthier living, and I can’t imagine a better way of putting this into action by welcoming people from Salford and across our region to explore the wonderful gardens at Bridgewater and exploring their activities through photography.”

Throughout the partnership, guests will work alongside internationally renowned photographic artist Yan Wang Preston, who was announced in November as RHS Garden Bridgewater’s first ever artist in residence.

As well as inviting two photographers Anoosh Ariamehr and Fiona Robinson, with a third photographer (yet to be appointed) who will work with young people from the city through Salford Youth Service.

Anoosh Ariamehr, is an Afghan refugee who recently received settled status and will use his expertise as a journalist to work with communities in the RHS Bridgewater’s Community Grow Garden.

While health specialist Fiona Robinson, who completed an MA in socially engaged photography at the University of Salford in 2022 and will focus her time with communities in the Wellbeing Garden.

Dan Atherton at RHS Garden Bridgewater added: “We already have strong community engagement activities at the garden, welcoming groups in to cultivate and grow flowers, fruit and vegetables and we can’t wait to see how Anoosh and Fiona use their skills with community groups to document and explore this activity.

“It’s great that they will be able to link in with a photographer of Yan’s standing, to share creative ideas and new ways of thinking about how to use photography in our spaces.”

For the project ten digital SLR cameras will be purchased as part of the project to use across the community groups to give everyone the chance to co-design and develop their own content.

Sarah Fisher from Open Eye said: “1.8 billion photographs are uploaded to social media every day and we now share our lives using photography.

“But we are often sharing very similar images so we are excited that this collaboration brings the expertise of photographers together with people as part of their gardening experience.”

The work from the photography project will be displayed at Open Eye Gallery early next year, followed by an outdoor presentation at RHS Garden Bridgewater in summer 2026.

And the whole programme will be celebrated with an exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery and the University in autumn 2026.

More information about the project and funding can be found here.