<h2>Hi</h2>

Where do I belong? – photo competition

11 Nov 2013 12:51 PM

The ESRC is pleased to announce the launch of its 2013/14 photographic competition – Where do I belong?

The competition is open to all young people aged between 14-18, who are invited to take a picture of where they feel they belong - whether it’s a place, what they do, who they are with, or where they want to be in the future.

On the judging panel are:

  • Sophie Batterbury, Head of Pictures, The Independent
  • Ellie Crisell, BBC newsreader
  • Ollie Smallwood, Freelance Photographer
  • Professor Paul Boyle, Chief Executive for the ESRC

An awards ceremony for the winning photographers will take place in The Strand Gallery, London on 20 March 2014.

All winning and shortlisted images will also be displayed in a 'Where do I belong?' exhibition which will run from 17-23 March 2014.

The six categories are:

  • family and friends
  • my community
  • interests and hobbies
  • opinions and beliefs
  • my country
  • my future

Entrants can enter up to three photographs in the competition, across any of the six categories. The winner of each of the six categories will receive £100 in vouchers to buy photographic equipment.

Four regional winners for the regions of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England will each also receive £150 in vouchers to buy photographic equipment. Finally one judge’s favourite image winner will receive £200 in vouchers to buy photographic equipment.

Schools can also win an equal value if their students list them in their application.

The competition is an ideal opportunity to bring social sciences to the classroom, engaging young people creatively and encouraging them to explore the relevance of social sciences to their lives.

Chief Executive Professor Paul Boyle says:

"I am looking forward to seeing the submissions, which I hope will reflect a diverse range of views from young people about what 'society' means to them."

"We hope this competition will inspire them to reflect on where they belong, be that in terms of their friends and families, or their beliefs and opinions".

ESRC Press Office:

Notes for editors

  1. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. It supports independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC's total budget for 2012/13 is £205 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes.