Photography, Connection, and Ecology
Symposium at MAC, Birmingham

Inspired by the values photographer Clare Hewitt observed among a circle of twelve oak trees at The Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, this symposium presents speakers concerned with creativity, connection, and ecology, whilst bringing participants together through conversation, shared making, and a communal lunch.

Curated by Clare Hewitt and produced with GRAIN Projects, UWE Bristol, and University of Birmingham.

SAVE THE DATE
Friday 19th June, 9.30am – 5pm,
Foyle Studio, MAC, Birmingham
Speakers to be announced soon.

Clare’s practice explores themes of loneliness, isolation, community, and collaboration. Her project, Everything in the forest is the forest, takes inspiration from the interconnectedness of oak trees, and explores how we, as humans, might learn from the networks of kinship and care found in the natural world around us.

Everything in the forest is the forest premiered as a solo exhibition at Impressions Gallery, Bradford as part of the UK City of Culture programme. It was shown at Peckham 24 (2025), featured in New Scientist (2025) and Photoworks+ (2025), and exhibited at Landskrona Foto Festival, Sweden (2022), before being presented at MAC, Birmingham (2026).

Clare is the co-recipient of the Pete James Collection Prize 2026, alongside art historian and curator Rodrigo Orrantia. She previously received the GRAIN Bursary Award (2019), and her wider practice has been recognised by the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition, Earth Photo’s Climate of Change Award, the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain, and the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibition.

Image credit; Clare Hewitt and participants, Lumen prints