Photographers invited to ‘capture the essence of Bolton’ for town of culture exhibition

Photographers in Bolton are being asked to submit pictures depicting the borough for an exhibition hoping to show ‘the essence’ of the town. Opening in March, Bolton Museum will host ‘Documenting Your Community’, as part of the Bolton Town of Culture celebrations.

The show will be a collaboration with the British Culture Archive and renowned photographer, Don Tonge, 74, from Halliwell who has documented his home town, shooting spectacular images of everyday life for more than 60 years The project is inviting amateur and professional photographers alike to capture the essence of Bolton through their lenses.

They are looking for images which ‘reflect the vibrant life, people and places of Bolton’. The exhibition will showcase selected photographs alongside Don Tonge’s iconic images from the 1970s.

Submissions are now open and will close on January 31. Photographers are allowed to submit one image, which must be taken in Bolton, capturing its community life.

Picture can be taken on mobile phones. Those wishing to participate are asked to send a JPEG (no more than 7MB) of the photograph to ingrid@britishculturearchive.co.uk.

The archive also need a description of the photo, how it should be credited if selected and the date the photo was taken. Don Tonge, the exhibition lead, said: “I am so pleased to be part of this project.

“This photo competition is a perfect collaboration between Bolton Library & Museum and the British Culture Archive. I have documented Bolton and surrounding areas over many decades, starting in the late 1960s up to the present day.

“It’s an honour to be part of the exhibition showcasing images of our Bolton with other photographers.” Paul Wright, founder of British Culture Archive added: “Documenting