Outdoor media owner Clear Channel has today announced the launch of My Town, the UK’s largest exhibition of street photography [1]. The competition, which celebrates local towns and cities, showcases the work of photographers across the UK, and is free to enter.
My Town encourages the public to snap photos of their town and submit them as a celebration of their local streets, and will see the best photos shared on social media and Clear Channel’s nationwide network of over 5,000 digital screens. In addition to national exposure, the winning entry will receive state-of-the-art camera equipment and a weekend city break.
Justin Cochrane, CEO, Clear Channel UK told us “Outdoor advertising has a long and proud history of improving public spaces in towns and cities, both through the creative itself and through providing valuable infrastructure such as bus shelters, telephone kiosks, interactive area maps and free Wi-Fi.
We’re launching My Town because we love cities, and the people who make them great. This will be the UK’s largest outdoor exhibition of street photography and a truly nationwide celebration of fantastic towns and cities right across the UK.
Our digital screens are perfectly positioned to reach the nation, and I’m delighted that we’re able to showcase the work of photographers – amateur and pro – across our screens and social media. My Town is officially open for entries, and I’m looking forward to seeing the work that best captures what makes our towns so special!”
The competition, which will close on September 29, 2017, with winners announced in October, will be judged by world-class photographers including Dougie Wallace.
Dougie Wallace is an award-winning British Street Photographer famed for his ‘Harrodsburg’ series, which won the Magnum Photographer Award in 2016. In addition, Wallace’s photos have been published in Dazed, GQ, The Guardian, New York Times and more, and he is internationally recognised for his long-term social documentary projects and distinct style of expressive street photography.
Dougie Wallace added “Capturing a great street photo isn’t easy. It takes a good eye for spotting the humour and drama in everyday life, plus a knack for spotting the unique moment to press the button. We can all be street photographers, the subjects are all around us every day, but not everyone can be a great street photographer. I’m really looking forward to seeing the images as they come in and to seeing some great new talent emerge.”
The winner will be announced at Clear Channel’s annual Upfronts event in October.