Newsletter - 05/26
New issue - new look
I'm pleased to share the new printed issue of Offline Journal is available to order now online, and appearing next weekend at The EYE International Photography Festival in Newport.
ARCHIVE is the theme for issue #015 – the biggest issue to date with 108 pages of photography and writing on photography in and beyond Wales. This ARCHIVE issue has 26 articles, many of which explore the approach and thinking by established photographers on preparing their work with a view to leaving it safe somewhere, somehow.
Three special articles delve into photography in music album art – likely a form of photography, consciously or unconsciously, residing in many of our own private collections and has real emotional value and, perhaps, will be handed down to a new generation.
And lots - too much - more!
Full content listing for the new issue can be viewed on the online store (button below)
Copies of the new issue #015 will make their first appearance at next weekend's EYE Festival in Newport. Copies ordered online from today will start shipping from Monday 18 May. However, if you have a current Subscription to the printed issue and will be attending the David Hurn PATTERNS show opening at Clwb Ffoto in Newport next Friday 15th May, or going along to the festival on either Saturday or Sunday (see below), drop me an email and I'll bring your copy along with me.
Offline Journal issue #015 costs £18.00 plus P&P and is available to order now.
New subscription bundles will be available from 22 May 2026.
Ron McCormick: New Photobook & Exhibition
Ron McCormick explores the gritty Newport street scene focussing on the mundane, the ordinary, and the overlooked with unusual detail and surprising, serendipitous juxtapositions that confront us as we navigate the urban scene. It embraces perspectives on the architectural fabric and patina of the city's ‘roughscape', and documents the fleeting social interactions and micro dramas that can often erupt in the blink of an eye and disappear just as quickly.
Ron McCormick returns to his roots with a set of new photographs compiled over the last twenty years and previously unseen. NEWPORT ZOOPORT is published in a signed and numbered limited edition of 100 copies and will be available in mid-May 2026.
A selection of the work will also form an exhibition titled Newport Streets to be shown in Newport's Market Arcade as part of The EYE Festival.
Some of the ongoing NEWPORT ZOOPORT work. © Ron McCormick
You can pre-order a copy of the new photobook by emailing [email protected] - with 'ZOOPORT Limited Edition' in the subject line.
EYE FESTIVAL – SUNDAY 17 May EXHIBITIONS
(Free: No ticket required)
Clwb Ffoto:
DAVID HURN – PATTERNS
Gallery 57:
PAUL REAS – Fables of Faubus, Made in Newport,
NEIL BENNETT – Australia from Above
The Place:
SI JUBB – Documentary
Market Arcade:
RON McCORMICK – Newport Streets (Ongoing Project)
ELERI GRIFFITHS – Appleby Fair Portraits
ROB NORMAN – Welsh Politics
ROGER TILEY – Modern America: Travelling from East to West
NICK TREHARNE – Wales and its people
ADAM DAVIES – The last cattle market in Cardigan
EYE FESTIVAL - Message from the festival Director
Today is Friday 8th May, just 7 days until the The Eye International Photography Festival opening on the 15th at Clwb Ffoto in Newport with their ‘Patterns’ exhibition by David Hurn (all welcome), followed by world renowned speakers on Saturday at The Riverfront theatre, and a day of events and numerous exhibitions in different venues on Sunday. A weekend full of class photography that, you would think draw an interested audience.
The festival was originally conceived in Aberystwyth and for seven biennial events, took place in the internationally-regarded Arts Centre. In recent years, it seemed photography wasn't capturing the interest or passion of the public – or photographers – and the audience numbers in mid Wales were not able to sustain such a world-class event.
The festival was brought to Newport after many people asked for the move – thinking the photographic history of the city and much larger photography community would support the weekend, but, alas with 7 days to go, that doesn't appear to be the case.
Maybe we are competing with YouTube and social media platforms, or maybe it's simply the financial climate at this moment, but it seems events such as this are in a fragile state, and without support from the public and wider photography community, they will quickly disappear.
The weekend is a perfect event for working photographers, students and their teachers. Listening to renowned professional photographers can only enhance their education and ignite enthusiasm. Where else can we have face-to-face conversations with practitioners of this standard in Wales?
From portraits to photojournalism, from theatre to film, The Eye Festival strives to give a variety of the best we can offer from all genres, from all over the country, indeed, all over the world.
Three of our four speakers on Saturday 16th May studied on the Newport Documentary Photography course founded by David Hurn and have come to be much respected by their peers, demonstrating the importance of the course.
The promise made at the first festival in 2012 was, "we will only bring the world’s best image makers to Wales", and I believe we have kept that promise – especially with next weekend's festival. If you have decided not to attend this year we would love to know the reasons why - feedback via the festival website will help us with future planning.
Glenn Edwards, EYE Festival Founder
Full festival programme and information – www.theeyefestival.com
Festival tickets can be purchased here:
'PATTERNS' SHOW & CATALOG
Copies of the new Patterns catalog, published to accompany the David Hurn exhibition opening at CLWB FFOTO 6pm on Friday 15 May 2026, are available to order from the gallery.
This new catalog will be #007 in Offline Journal's series of printed exhibition catalogs. At 210 x 210mm with 48-pages plus cover, it features Hurn's own selection of 42 images fitting his theme of patterns.
Note that this catalog is currently not available for shipping via Royal Mail - all pre-orders can be collected on or after 15 May from the gallery in Newport Arcade.
PATTERNS
David Hurn
Opening event for The EYE International Photography Festival
15 May - 12 June 2026 (Public Preview: Friday 15 May, 6 -8pm)
Clwb Ffoto, Newport Arcade, Newport NP20 1GD
@clwb_ffoto on Instagram
CHAOTIC #2
With the first CHAOTIC collaboration publication complete, myself and the members of the first cohort of seven photographers are now inviting interest from photographers with a new project in its early stage or about to begin, to take part in CHAOTIC #2.
I will be in THE PLACE Art community space from 1.30 - 3pm along with others, if anyone would like to discuss their project informally.
Information on this and other events happening on the Sunday can be viewed on The EYE Festival website (select SUNDAY 17th MAY dropdown)
(The Place is located at 9, 10 Bridge Street, Newport NP20 4AL)
News, articles, interviews & more.
Choose a SubscriptionSubscribe to continue reading
