England
Sophie Green’s maximalist, technicolour vision of Britain’s fringes
Tangerine Dreams — The photographer has spent over a decade documenting the rituals, subcultures and social gatherings that form the collaged fabric of the UK’s society. A new exhibition at the Martin Parr Foundation celebrates her work and the communities she captures.
Written by: Roxana Diba
War & Pieces: The race to become the world’s fastest jigsaw puzzler
The Obsessives — The UK Jigsaw Puzzle Championships see contestants turn a cosy pastime into a high stakes battleground, as they race to complete 500-piece puzzles in as little time as possible. It’s as much a feat of athleticism as cognitive quickness, reports Ginnia Cheng.
Written by: Ginnia Cheng
New documentary spotlights UK Right to Roam movement
OUR LAND — Directed by Orban Wallace, it asks questions about the meaning of land ownership, environmental protection and access to nature.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The future of greyhound racing is murky. Can it survive?
A night at the dogs — With roots in ancient civilisations, the sport has traditionally been a pastime of Britain’s working classes. But falling betting revenues, changing habits and animal welfare concerns is seeing it face an existential battle for survival.
Written by: Nick Harland
Dredging and drifting with the last wild oyster fishermen of the River Fal
Cornish pearls — Using only the power of the wind and centuries-old traditional techniques, harvesting oysters in the last wild fishery in England is a sustainable, yet dying, practice. Jack Burke goes trawling with Jason, one of the few keeping it alive, to find out more.
Written by: Jack Burke
The story of World Headquarters, the beating heart of Newcastle’s underground
Refuge & ruckus — Sprouting from free party roots, the nightclub institution has been an inclusive pillar of the North East’s music scene since the early ’90s. Olivia Fee dives into its long history, evolution, and ongoing importance.
Written by: Olivia Fee
The enduring transgression of Sophy Rickett’s infamous ‘Pissing Women’
Doing the business — Conceived while working a 9-to-5 office job at the Financial Times, the photographer’s work challenged the gendered codes of corporate London. Now, three decades later, she revisits the series in a new book and exhibitions.
Written by: Zoe Whitfield
Don McCullin’s painterly still life photographs
The Stillness of Life — While known predominantly for his war photography and depictions of urban life, the legendary photographer also crafted quieter scenes and captured them with his camera. A new photobook explores his archive.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Resilience and resistance during The Thatcher Years
The iron reign — Photojournalist Paul Pickard’s new book revisits English Midlands life during ’80s, when he was on the frontlines recording news and key events, as tensions between people and authority came to a head.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Inside the UK Bus Driver of the Year Competition
Terminating here — The annual tournament takes place in Blackpool, where over 100 bus drivers from around the UK are invited to show off their proficiency behind the wheel, from bus stop manoeuvres and the dreaded ‘tailswing test’, to a notoriously hard theory quiz. George Francis Lee reports.
Written by: George Francis Lee
JA Mortram’s harsh, bleak portrait of life on the UK’s fringes
Small Town Inertia 2 — Almost two decades since he first began documenting marginalised people in his local town of Dereham in Norfolk, the photographer is set to return with an expansive, personal second volume of his life-long project.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Vibrations and victories at the World Worm Charming Championships
The magic below — Every year, the small town of Nantwich in Cheshire turns the quiet art of coaxing worms from the earth into an internationally known sport, as competitors shake, stomp, and strum their way to glory.
Written by: Ella Glossop
