Join photographic artist Daniel Regan in this course that sensitively explores how we identify and visualise our lived experiences using photography, delivered online over 5 weeks.
What is lived experience? What is the value of communicating what it feels like to experience something?
Through a series of informative and collaborative sessions you will be supported and encouraged to produce photographs that explore the complexity of your own lived experiences. This includes learning about other photographers who explore illness, disability and lived experience, as well as practical support from both Daniel and other peers in the group.
Some of the topics covered throughout the course are:
What is lived experience?
How do we begin to understand our own lived experiences?
What is the value of lived experience (for ourselves & others)?
How do we visualise our lived experiences?
How do we work with archives such as our own visual archives, medical records and what is left behind by others?
What ethics should we consider when working with others?
What are others saying about this course?
“Attending Daniel’s Lens of Lived Experience online course was beneficial for multiple reasons, it allowed me to delve deeper into my working methods and the themes of my practice while exploring my own and others’ lived experience. The course was thoughtfully constructed to allow room for conversation and discussion. Daniel created a safe space to be able to ask any sensitive questions and discuss personal subject matter confidentiality. Each session was an ideal balance of information, inspiration, listening to others and room to talk.”
“This course had me thinking outside of my comfort zone and opened up my creative thinking. I love the way Daniel holds the group, makes you feel unique, encouraged and safe to explore.
Since this group - I now see all of my past photos differently, noticing patterns and seeing themes, it truly makes you open up to emotional exploration through your lens.”
“I cannot recommend this course enough!
Daniel’s openness and knowledge he shares in each session really helped me to pinpoint my ideas, and goals for my practice. The insight into setting boundaries within your own work and tuning in to what feels comfortable sharing publicly was really useful. I now have a better understanding of why I make work and the value it holds for me as an individual.
By doing this I feel more confident to explore different themes and be more free with my approach to my practice. Being able to connect to others making work about their lived experience felt extremely special too.”
About Daniel Regan.
For 20 years artist Daniel Regan has been using photography to navigate and process his lived experiences of mental distress. From photographs that explore his mental health struggles as a teenager, through to documentations of his mental health hospitalisations, commissions on self-injury and his experiences of racism, Daniel has not shied away from creating and sharing images that express deep vulnerability. His work has been shared in The Guardian, The Lancet Psychiatry, BBC News and shown in both UK and international exhibitions that champion the voice of lived experience.
For 15 years Daniel has worked as a creative facilitator supporting other people to visualise and process their own experiences through participatory arts projects that focus on health and wellbeing. In 2015 Daniel founded the Arts & Health Hub, a not-for-profit organisation that supports artists exploring health in their practice. Since its inception Daniel has facilitated over 80 peer groups for artists to develop their practice, including at The Photographers’ Gallery and The Southbank Centre. Daniel is currently the Lived Experience Representative for the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Arts Special Interest Group. Daniel lectures on both fine art and clinical courses exploring the intersections of arts and health.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for people who already have a grasp of the technical aspect of photography and their style and are ready to seek support in:
Understanding what their lived experiences mean to them, and how they’d like to work with them through photography. This includes developing their ideas around how to visualise elements of their lived experiences, whether that be illness, particular elements of their identity or experiences of trauma.
Pushing the boundaries of their practice by actively trying new ideas and receiving peer to peer feedback in sessions.
What this course isn’t:
This is not a technical skills course where you will be explicitly taught photographic practices;
This is not a crit group where you share images weekly, although you do share ideas and in sessions 1 and 5 there is space to talk more deeply about what you are hoping to achieve and share some work.
Note: participants should understand that whilst this course may be therapeutic in its nature, it is not therapy — if you are in crisis please seek support from your GP.
About the Sessions.
Sessions take place weekly on Wednesdays from 7pm - 9pm (UK) on the following dates. You should attend all sessions:
19th February 2025
26th February 2025
5th March 2025
12th March 2025
19th March 2025
The sessions are run online using Zoom. Participants have access to recordings of the sessions until the end of September 2024. The course is open worldwide and delivered in English. Places are limited to 12 participants.
Cost.
£210
Refund Policy
Tickets to this event are non-refundable. Arts & Health Hub is a small non-profit organisation without on-going support for core costs / staff. We have to calculate costs for each event to make it financially viable for the organisation and those delivering the work, meaning that if each space isn't filled we may not be able to run some events or make it financially viable to deliver the event.
Q&A.
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This course is for people attending in person (virtually). Recordings will be made to those who sign up and may not be able to make the odd session, but are not available entirely to those who can’t make any sessions.
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We offer 2 subsidised places (50% off) to artists with a track record of exploring health & wellbeing in their practice, and can evidence how this course will be a vital development to their work. Please email info@artsandhealthhub.org for more details.
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The course is aimed at people who have a good technical grasp of photography. Daniel and the group may be able to advise on techniques, but this isn’t a technical course where you’ll explicitly be taught new photography skills.
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These sessions encourage us to think about aspects of our lived experience and how we visualise them through photography. This could be difficult for some people and we encourage you to think about what support you have in place during and after sessions.
This course is not a form of therapy - you are responsible for your own care during and after sessions. If you are in crisis please contact your GP, crisis team or Samaritans.
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Yes. The course is open internationally. The session times are in UK time zone.