SPE Faces Focus

SPE 47 - Philadelphia, March 4-7, 2010. Keynote speaker: Kip Fulbreck

This is a tremendous time for diversity. The United States has seen her first president of color sworn into office, and Iceland has just elected the world’s first openly gay prime minister. Yet ask a photography student for the names of five photographers of diverse backgrounds and they will probably fumble. Just as in political life, the demographics of diversity are also shifting in the photographic arts, but this diversity is slow to make its way into galleries, textbooks, and the awareness of those in the industry.

SPE’s 47th National Conference in Philadelphia, “Facing Diversity: Leveling the Playing Field in the Photographic Arts,” will examine how photographers of diverse backgrounds participate in the art world today and how these artists are being received. The conference will look at inclusivity, diversity within diversity, and the various perspectives on the changing cultural dynamics of this country. It strives to bring together curious minds in celebration of the achievements by artists of all backgrounds.

The Philadelphia conference marks a unique partnership between SPE and EnFoco to better address issues of diversity within the field of photography. En Foco is a non-profit photography organization dedicated to nurturing and supporting photographers of diverse cultures, primarily those of Latino, African and Asian heritage, and Native Peoples of the Americas and Pacific. www.enfoco.org 2010 Conference Co-Chairs: Hannah Frieser Miriam Romais

Get more info about Philadelphia at www.gophila.com and www.philadelphiausa.travel