WFTUK Open House

On Saturday 10 May, the Martin Parr Foundation and The Royal Photographic Society will open their doors for a festival of events served up from collaborators across We Feed The UK.

Set amongst the complete collection of photography and poetry from the project, expect panel discussions featuring the photographers, poets, and farmers from each of the ten stories, exclusive gallery tours, and delicious food fayre.

We Feed The UK is a national agroecology storytelling campaign, grown by The Gaia Foundation, who have been reviving bicultural diversity for nearly 40 years, alongside Earth's best custodians.

AT A GLANCE 

MARTIN PARR ARCHIVE // MPF GALLERY // 11:00-11:45 // Martin Parr

AGRARIAN LOCALISM // RPS AUDITORIUM // 11:00 – 11:45 // Helen Keys, Chris Smaje

FISHING: IN DEEP WATER // RPS AUDITORIUM // 12:00 – 12:45 // Phil Haughton, Caroline Bennett, Joff Hicks

ARTIST TALK // RPS GALLERY // 12:00 - 12:45 // Andy Pilsbury, Yvette Monahan

A FISH CALLED JULIE TOUR // MPF GALLERY // 13:45 - 14:15 // Louis Little

GRAIN REBELS // RPS AUDITORIUM // 13:45– 14:45 // Fred Price, Rosy Benson, Katie Hastings, Gerald Miles, Nick Saltmarsh

ARTIST TALK // RPS GALLERY // 14:45 – 15:30 // Johannah Churchill, Johannes Pretorius

SEED DIVERSITY FOR RESILIENCE // RPS AUDITORIUM // 15:30 – 17:00 // Dan Saladino, Dr Debal Deb

PANELS (limited seating - reserve your free spot now) 

AGRARIAN LOCALISM // RPS AUDITORIUM // 11:00 - 11:45

A small farm future featuring diversification into fibre production. We Feed The UK protagonist Helen Keys is reweaving ultra-local supply chains in Northern Ireland. She has transformed Mallon Farm into a patchwork of nature-friendly food and flax for linen. Joined by Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future, this discussion will explore how agrarian localism can accelerate our journey towards a climate-friendly food system.

FISHING: IN DEEP WATER // RPS AUDITORIUM // 12:00 - 12:45

Exploring the pathway to sustainable fishing and coastal livelihoods. Phil Haughton, Founder of Better Food and author of Food for Thought, is joined by Caroline Bennett from Sole of Discretion to untangle the knotty subject of sustainable fishing. Joff Hicks, who features in Jon Tonks’ exhibition for We Feed The UK, A Fish Called Julie, shares his experience of making traditional withy lobster pots as part of his commitment to reducing plastics in our oceans.

GRAIN REBELS  // RPS AUDITORIUM // 13:45 - 14:45

Stories from the farmers reinventing the grain chain. Farmer Fred Price and baker Rosy Benson were photographed for We Feed The UK by Magnum photographer Lúa Ribeira. Together, they’ll share their story of monoculture defiance: growing diverse wheat populations for resilience, as well as how the South West Grain Network is turning the grain chain on its head. Joining them is Katie Hastings from The Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Programme and Gerald Miles of the Llafur Ni network, sharing the revival of an ancient Welsh grain from the brink of extinction. Hodmedods’ Nick Saltmarsh will add to the discussion with his tale of a UK beans and pulses revolution.

SEED DIVERSITY FOR RESILIENCE // RPS AUDITORIUM // 15:30 - 17:00 (£5.00 donation) 

Dan Saladino, author of Eating to Extinction and much-loved presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme, will join Indian ‘Rice Warrior’ Dr Debal Deb. Hailed as a seed hero internationally for his work preserving over 1400 varieties of rice from the hands of corporations, Debal works with farmers to protect their agricultural diversity and local resilience. Their talk marks the launch of a new short film featuring Dan meeting Debal on his farm in Orissa, with plenty of time for questions following its premiere.

GALLERY TOURS 

MARTIN PARR ARCHIVE // MPF GALLERY // 11:00 - 11:45

A tour of the MPF collection with Martin Parr. Join renowned photographer Martin Parr as he delves into the Foundation's archive to bring you photographic prints and portfolios relating to farming and food production. Featuring cider makers, allotmenteers, and The Book of Bread, highlights include works by photographers Robert Darch, Tessa Bunny and Chris Killip.

ARTIST TALK // RPS GALLERY

12:00 - 12:45

Andy Pilsbury photographed The Penpont Project, an intergenerational nature restoration initiative in Wales for his We Feed The UK commission. Across the water, on Mallon Farm in County Tyrone, Yvette Monahan documented the work of Helen Keys and Charlie Mallon, who are reviving the Irish tradition of growing flax for linen. Here, the photographers will tour the work they produced, sharing more from beyond the lens.

A FISH CALLED JULIE TOUR // MPF GALLERY // 13:45 - 14:15

Join Louis Little, Head of Production at Martin Parr Foundation, on a journey through Jon Tonks’ commission for We Feed The UK, A Fish Called Julie, now showing at the Martin Parr Foundation. Hear from Louis on the editing and production process, and witness stories of the fisherfolk preserving livelihoods, culture, and marine life; all nourished by our shared waters. For over 18 months, Jon Tonks has documented his encounters with the fishing world, and those trying to act more sustainably in waters off Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

ARTIST TALK // RPS GALLERY // 14:45 - 15:30

James Robinson’s family have been tending to the ancient hedgerows on Strickley Farm in Cumbria for generations. A short journey north, on Wharmley Farm in Northumberland, dung beetles and earthworms are writhing in newly restored, fertiliser-free soil thanks to Stuart Johnson’s transition to gentler methods. Photographers Johannes Pretorius and Johannah Churchill discuss their experiences documenting life on these farms for We Feed The UK.

ACTIVITIES & MORE 

LIVE POETRY

Expect appearances and live performances from the incredible Hot Poets, whose verses bring the ten We Feed The UK stories to life, occurring throughout the day.

PLANTING WORMS

Among community beds in Walsall, Neville Portas, of our third We Feed The UK story, has kindled organic, zero-waste allotments tended with no-dig gardening. He will share the joys of planting food and worms in new community planters between the two exhibition venues. We’ll be using recycled bean cans to create mini worm starter kits, complete with live composting worms, ready to start eating your kitchen scraps and turning them into rich, garden-loving compost. A great way to learn about how our food is produced, reduce food waste, and help the planet — one wriggly worm at a time. 

WILDFLOWER SEED BOMBS

Get your hands dirty and learn what pollinators mean for us and our food system. Join us for a fun, free session where you’ll make your own wildflower seed bombs to take home and plant — or toss into an unloved patch of ground to bring it to life! These little balls of soil, clay, and seeds are an easy way to grow beautiful, pollinator-friendly wildflowers — helping support a wide range of important insects like moths, flies, wasps, bees, and butterflies.

POP-UP PORTRAITS EXHIBITION

To find our ten flagship We Feed The UK stories we went foraging for ideas throughout 2023. With the help of photographer Louis Little, we assembled a pop-up portrait studio at agroecology stomping grounds. The results paint a picture of an inspiring grassroots movement, deep-rooted and radical-minded.

SEED SAVING

Seed detective Adam Alexander joins Gaia’s Seed Sovereignty team for a workshop on seed saving. Get to grips with how to save seed in your own garden to improve the genetic diversity, local adaptation, resilience and deliciousness of your bounties. 

STALLS

Plant-based street food from Stoked // Beer from Lost and Grounded // Bread and bakes from Field Bakery // Fine art paper from Hahnemühle

KIDS ACTIVITIES

Photo activity trail // Bird colouring // Worm planting & more