Deadline: 23 January 2026
Bursary: £500 + mentorship + paid work experience
Requirement: Fellows must be based in Wigan Borough.
About Open Eye Hub Wigan & Leigh
Open Eye Hub (Wigan PhotoHub project) is a bold initiative to establish Wigan as a regional photography hub and build an inclusive photography movement that enables communities to authentically document and share their own narratives.
Developed in partnership with Open Eye Gallery and Wigan Council, the Hub champions socially engaged photography as a tool for creative learning, collaboration, and visibility for local talent – while connecting Wigan & Leigh’s stories with national and international conversations.
The programme includes:
- Two major socially engaged photography commissions exploring identity, place, and social change.
- Public exhibitions in unexpected spaces across the borough and in the new PhotoHub space at Leigh Town Hall.
- Talks, workshops, and portfolio reviews co-curated with the community to inspire and develop local photographers.
- A Career Accelerator Fellowship providing mentorship and hands-on experience for emerging talent.
Open Eye Hub builds on Open Eye Gallery’s national leadership in socially engaged photography. We work collaboratively with local people, artists, and communities to co-create projects that challenge stereotypes and celebrate authentic stories.
Through this work, Wigan PhotoHub aims to create a vibrant, connected photography ecosystem – one that empowers underrepresented voices, nurtures creative careers, and positions Wigan as a pioneering cultural destination in the North.
About the Fellowship
Join Open Eye Hub, a growing creative community in partnership with Open Eye Gallery. We’re building an inclusive photography movement that helps communities tell their own stories. As a Fellow, you’ll:
- Get mentorship from professional photographers.
- Receive financial support to help you focus on your practice.
- Gain hands-on experience by shadowing projects like Humans of Wigan and Eye to Eye.
- Help shape and develop the future of the PhotoHub.
This is a chance to learn, grow, and connect with a network of creatives while contributing to exciting socially engaged photography projects.
How to Apply
Send the following to jobs@openeye.org.uk with email subject Open Eye Hub Wigan & Leigh Career Accelerator Fellowship:
- A cover letter with answers to the questions (written or video/voice note, 2–3 mins max each):
- What interests you about this opportunity?
- Tell us more about your work.
- Attach up to 5 images that best represent your photography.
- Your contact details.
- Please also complete an anonymous online equal opportunities form.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from people of colour, those living with disabilities and from the Wigan area.
