Autograph ABP
{{Short description|British-based photographic arts agency}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Autograph ABP
| image = 230px
| logo =
| caption = Rivington Place, home of Autograph ABP
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| established = {{Start date and age|1988}}
| founders =
| type = Photographic arts agency
| status =
| purpose =
| headquarters = Rivington Place, Shoreditch, London.
| location =
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| website ={{website|www.autograph.org.uk}}
| former name = Association of Black Photographers
}}
Autograph ABP, previously known as the Association of Black Photographers, is a British-based international, non-profit-making, photographic arts agency.
History
Autograph was originally established in London in 1988.{{cite book|author=Pauline de Souza|editor=Alison Donnell|editor-link=Alison Donnell|title=Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VfdpdZ9DwH0C&pg=PA95|year=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-70025-7|pages=95|chapter=Autograph: the Association of Black Photographers}} Founders included the photographers Sunil Gupta, Monika Baker, Merle Van den Bosch, Pratibha Parmar, Ingrid Pollard, Roshini Kempadoo, Armet Francis and Rotimi Fani-Kayode,[http://autograph-abp.co.uk/multimedia/video/autograph-sees-light-of-day "Autograph Sees Light of Day"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208193604/http://autograph-abp.co.uk/multimedia/video/autograph-sees-light-of-day |date=2015-12-08 }}, Autograph. as the Association of Black Photographers. Through a programme of advocacy, exhibitions and publication, Autograph went on to assist in the career development of a number of black and "culturally diverse" photographers, including Faisal Abdu'Allah, Gayle Chong Kwan, Roshini Kempadoo and Yinka Shonibare.{{cite web|url=http://carlagirl.net/writing/rbp.html |title=Recent Black Photographers. Carlagirl Photo |publisher=Carlagirl.net |date=17 January 2001 |accessdate=19 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205235557/http://carlagirl.net/writing/rbp.html |archivedate=5 February 2012 }}
In 1991 Mark Sealy became the director of the organisation.[http://www.africultures.com/php/?nav=personne&no=14457 Mark Sealy biography], Africultures. In 2002, the board changed the name to "Autograph ABP".{{cite web|url=http://www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/cgi-bin/fullrecord.pl?handle=artifact141 |title=Full record - Autograph ABP |publisher=Intute |date= |accessdate=19 September 2012}} In 2007, the organisation moved into its new home Rivington Place, which it shared with Iniva. Renowned Cultural Studies theorist Stuart Hall served as chair on the boards of both organisations.[http://www.iniva.org/library/archive/people/h/hall_stuart "Stuart Hall"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208095830/http://www.iniva.org/library/archive/people/h/hall_stuart |date=2015-12-08 }}, Iniva. Currently, the honorary patrons of Autograph ABP are David Lammy MP, Professor Catherine Hall, Lola Young (Baroness Young of Hornsey) OBE, and Henry Louis Gates Jr.[http://autograph-abp.co.uk/who-we-are/ "Who We Are"], Autograph ABP.
In 2008, Autograph received a grant of £660,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to "preserve the history of culturally diverse Britain through photography".{{cite web|url=http://www.ephotozine.com/article/autograph-abp-receive-grant-from-heritage-lottery-fund-8761 |title=Autograph ABP receive grant from Heritage Lottery Fund
|publisher=Ephotozine.com |date=30 April 2008 |accessdate=19 September 2012}}
Role
Today, Autograph continues to develop, exhibit and publish the work of photographers and artists from culturally diverse backgrounds and to act as an advocate for their inclusion in mainstream areas of exhibition, publishing, training, education and commerce. Autograph produces its own programme of activities, as well as collaborating with other arts organisations nationally and internationally, such as the Liverpool Biennial. It also sees itself as playing a role in the advocacy of human rights worldwide, hosting exhibitions on the subjects of Roma/Gypsy peoples in Europe, as well as the photographic legacy of lynching in the US.[http://www.rivingtonplace.org/WithoutSanctuary "Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227080500/http://www.rivingtonplace.org/WithoutSanctuary |date=2015-02-27 }}. Rivington Place - Art, debate & diversity. Regular (annual) funding for Autograph is provided by Arts Council England.{{cite web|url=http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/browse-regularly-funded-organisations/npo/autograph-abp/ |title=Arts Council Funding of Autograph ABP |publisher=Artscouncil.org.uk |accessdate=19 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109180501/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/browse-regularly-funded-organisations/npo/autograph-abp/ |archivedate=9 January 2013 }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.autograph.org.uk}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Arts in the United Kingdom
Category:Black British history
Category:British photography organisations
Category:Black British photographers
Category:Black British culture in London