Disability Resource Centre (DRC)

Photography Competition

Theme

'Disability at the University of Cambridge'.

The first DRC photography competition was open to all staff and students at the University of Cambridge, Colleges and affiliated institutions. We were looking for quality images that illustrate experiences of disability at the University of Cambridge. Submitted entries may be used in the University's printed publications and online presence, as well as in external publications about the DRC and the University. The brief was deliberately wide, offering scope for originality and creativity, and was open to personal interpretation. Images could be entirely natural (unaltered/as they were taken) and we also welcomed pictures which had been artistically enhanced using photographic software.

We were keen to receive submissions that reflect the wide range of disabilities including, but not limited to:

• Specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia)
• Physical impairments and injuries (including Upper Limb Disorder - also known as RSI)
• Sensory impairments
• Mental health conditions
• Chronic illnesses
• Asperger syndrome and autism

We were delighted to have received over 40 entries in total, from which we selected a short-list of ten and three prize winners. The short-listing panel and judge were impressed with the quality of the images received and the range of experiences represented.

Prizes & Prize giving

First Prize: Andrew Aistrup The Climb (£100 of vouchers from either Jessops, Waterstones or John Lewis, and a framed print of the photograph.)

Second Prize: Cise Unluer Beautiful complications (£75 of vouchers from either Jessops, Waterstones, or John Lewis.)

Third Prize: Mun-Kit Choy Cambridge for All (£50 of vouchers from either Jessops, Waterstones, or John Lewis.)

Winners were announced and prizes awarded at the 9th Annual Disability Lecture on 24 March 2011. All shortlisted entries were printed and displayed at the Lecture, and all submitted photographs were be presented in a slide show at the Lecture, which played as guests took their seats.

Photographs

To view the photos full-screen with accompanying text, click 'play', then select the 'expand' icon and 'show info'.

Judging

The short-listing panel consisted of a local photographer plus representatives from the Disability Resource Centre, Equality and Diversity, the Disabled Students' Campaign, CUSU, CUGU, PhoCUS (University student photographic society) and diversity champion Professor Nick Bampos.

The competition judge, Nicola Martin, selected first, second and third places from the shortlisted entries.

About the judge: Nicola Martin

Nicola Martin is currently the Director of Wellbeing and Disability Services at The LSE and an Honorary Visiting Fellow at The University of Cambridge working on a project with Professor Simon Baron-Cohen. Prior to the recent LSE appointment she was a Principal Lecture at Sheffield Hallam University leading the Centre for Disability and Diversity Studies and The Autism Centre. She is also an Honorary Visiting Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University.

Nicola has a very strong commitment to disability equality as a human rights issue and important aspect of social justice. She has worked in education with disabled people across the age range continually since 1976, has 4 relevant degrees, a range of specialist qualifications and a string of publications which articulate a social model perspective on disability. Nicola is well placed to judge the competition because of her interest in disability and disablism in performing and visual arts.