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Photography: AF CORTES | Nominee of Live Music Award 2024
Welcome to the Music Photography Accelerator: a platform for music photographers & their art.
We elevate photography, open up new opportunities & support our global community.
SUPPORTING
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES & ACCESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Our self-led learning platform for music photographers is designed to empower emerging talent through expert insights, real world creative development & inspiring content. Hone & develop your skills in a supportive environment, learning at your own pace.
Celebrating & spotlighting the nominees and winners of the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards is at the core of what we do. We’re curious about discovering new spaces & platforms to showcase the immense talent within the music photography community.
Exhibitions not only highlight this incredible work, they also give visitors the chance to see music photography up close and personal, reinforcing our commitment to gain widespread recognition of the art of music photography and the photographers behind the lens.
Exhibitions have taken place in London, Birmingham & New York. Our aim is to expand into more locations and communities as we continue to grow.
You spoke; we listened. One of the areas we are often asked about is the opportunity to meet other photographers. MPA Lates was designed to fulfil that need.
MPA Lates is our series of networking events which we created to give photographers the opportunity to grow their knowledge and meet fellow photographers, share experiences, building connections and friendships beyond the boundaries of the frame.
Our Lates combine panel talks and Q&As together with portfolio reviews with established photographers. Past events have featured renowned music photographers including Jill Furmanovsky, Charlotte Patmore, Katy Cummings, Ashley Verse, Tom Pallant, Jennifer McCord, Joe Puxley & more.
Whether you're a pro or starting your journey in music photography, don’t miss your chance to be in the mix. Sign up to our newsletter for details. We can’t wait to meet you.
We create a year-round programme of talks designed to inspire. Our latest talk Stories Behind The Shot, at the Leica Gallery in New York...
... was an unmissable evening with legendary music photographer and film director Danny Clinch, alongside Rolling Stone Deputy Photo Editor Sacha Lecca. Danny took us behind the scenes of some of his most iconic images, sharing the stories behind photographs that have shaped the world of music.
To ensure the wider community can enjoy our talks they are available online after the event.
We have been collaborating with our friends from The UK Black Female Photographers Group community (UKBFTOG) to support and celebrate the incredible talent within their community.
The award-winning network celebrates, supports, and promotes the work of Black women photographers across the UK. The group provides a platform for visibility, community, and creative development, empowering members through networking, showcasing opportunities, and industry collaborations.
We hosted a joint MPA Lates event at Abbey Road, inviting members to be part of MPA experiences, while founder Jemella Ukaegbu will be hosting a talk at this year’s SXSW London with Rankin & Gered Mankowitz.
B:Music is a Birmingham-based music charity with a mission to inspire a love of live music through performance, participation and learning.
They believe that music is essential to everyone and has the power to transform and change lives, to entertain and uplift, to create shared experiences and to educate. We couldn’t agree more and that’s why it is a natural partnership and collaboration from two like-minded brands.
The month-long Residency takes place from 10 June to 7 July and is centred around two exhibitions across Symphony Hall, both with a shared vision of celebrating music photography, culture & community.
Exhibition one features the winners and nominees from the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2024, offering an opportunity to view the photographs in a distinctive setting. The second exhibition shines a light on music photography & culture in Birmingham – the photographers, the artists, the spaces, and the community. The Photography of Birmingham exhibition is curated by Jason Sheldon (Abbey Road MPA finalist) and B: Music. Storytelling sits at the heart of both exhibitions through visual imagery creating a vibrant and reflective space to celebrate music photography and the photographers behind the lens.
Throughout the month-long residency, B:Music will be presenting free lunchtime performances from local and emerging talent from across the West Midlands immersed in the MPA exhibition in the B:Eats café at Symphony Hall, with artists covering one iconic song recorded at Abbey Road Studios, reinterpreted in their own unique way. The B:Music Talent Development Showcase takes over the regular Free Jazz Fridays slot at Symphony Hall, and will see up and coming photographers hone their skills and capture the performances – a chance to show the next generation of musical and creative talent both on and off stage. Alongside this a masterclass for the photographers will take place led by local, established music photographer & Abbey Road MPA alumni Jason Sheldon.
From panel talks, exhibitions, music, knowledge & learning the partnership is a collaboration which champions talent both in front and behind the lens. The next generation of music photographers and musicians will have the chance to swap and exchange experiences at Symphony Hall. It's a testament to our joint desire to celebrate creativity and culture throughout the UK and witness the fusion of music and visual art in this dynamic city. To find out more about the programme of activities and how to get involved visit: bmusic.co.uk/abbey-road-studios
Photo: Kate Green & Johnathan Williams at the 2024 panel talk, Symphony Hall.
Photographer: Ibi Keita
We are excited to support the Noods Levels PROCESS programme and set this year’s brief - capturing the essence of music culture in Bristol. Their 8-week photography course is in partnership with the Martin Parr Foundation.
The course will see six emerging photographers (18-25) based in Bristol / South West develop their artistic identity, industry knowledge, and networks – culminating in a city-wide poster campaign and a series of exhibitions celebrating music photography, paving the way for the next generation of imagemakers. The MPA will showcase the work of the emerging photographers in a series of interviews, blogs and features.
Our first Abbey Road Music Photography Awards podcast launched in early 2025. Presented by acclaimed music photographers Charlotte Patmore & Katy Cummings, it was created to further our commitment towards the artistic and photographic community.
The podcast celebrates and showcases the craft and imagination in music photography. Listeners are invited to step beyond the image and explore the process behind music iconography, shining a light on the creative techniques, stories and the photographers behind the lens. Check out the podcast series now.