B:Music, the Birmingham-based music charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall, has announced details of its second collaboration with Abbey Road Studios and its Music Photography Accelerator programme.
The month-long programme of activity up to 7th July includes two exhibitions across Symphony Hall, both with a shared vision of celebrating music photography, culture and community.
There is an exhibition of the winning and shortlisted images from Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2024, offering an opportunity to view the photographs in a distinctive setting, alongside a Birmingham-specific exhibition curated by Jason Sheldon – former Abbey Road MPA finalist and Music Republic Magazine’s chief photographer.
Storytelling sits at the heart of both exhibitions through visual imagery creating a vibrant and reflective space to celebrate music photography, and the photographers behind the lens.
Formed in 2022, the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards champion emerging and undiscovered young photographers, and celebrate the unforgettable, unique, and unsung musical moments from the previous year across nine categories including ‘Live Music’ and ‘Underground Scenes’, as well as ‘Making Music’ and ‘Music Moment of the Year.
Throughout the month-long residency, B:Music present free lunchtime performances from local and emerging talent from across the West Midlands, with performances from artists including Holly Rolfe (24th June), Nashville Sounds in the Round (25th June), The Lost Notes (26th June), and Matt Ratcliffe & Helen Gayle (27th June) immersed in the exhibition in the B:Eats café at Symphony Hall, with all artists covering at least one iconic song orgionally recorded at Abbey Road Studios, reinterpreted in their own unique way.
Pinnacle
The pinnacle will be on Friday 20th June when the B:Music Talent Development Showcase takes over the regular Free Jazz Fridays slot at Symphony Hall, and the up-and-coming photographers will be in attendance to capture the performances – a real chance to show the next generation of musical and creative talent both on and off stage.
A masterclass for the photographers will also be given on the same afternoon, led by local, established music photographer and Abbey Road MPA alumni Jason Sheldon. The Abbey Road photographers will capture live shots of the B:Music young musicians, editing the photos in ‘real-time’, as if on a press call.
Jacquie Lindsay, Programme Manager at Abbey Road Music Photography Accelerator said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be partnering with B:Music once again this year to extend the reach of our Music Photography Accelerator programme and Music Photography Awards beyond the doors of Abbey Road Studios and into the heart of Birmingham. It’s a testament to our desire to celebrate creativity and culture throughout the UK and I’m excited to witness the fusion of music and visual art in this dynamic city. If last year’s collaboration was anything to go by, we’re all in for a real treat.”
Iconic
Chris Proctor, Head of Programming at B:Music added: “This is the second year of the relationship between B:Music and Abbey Road Studios, and I’m delighted that we are workingtogether again to bring the Music Photography Awards exhibition back to Birmingham. This year we are adding even more to the programme of activity and offering a second exhibition which shines a light on music photography and culture in Birmingham – the photographers, the artists, the spaces, and the community.
Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for two iconic organisations to work together to champion talent both on and off stage, but it’s also particularly exciting that the next generation of music photographers and musicians will have the chance to swap and exchange experiences at Symphony Hall. We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences to free music performances which will all include a little sprinkle of Abbey Road magic, and I already can’t wait to get to work on next year’s collaboration!”
- The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, now in its fourth year, is open for entries. Entry for the MPAs 2025 is free and is open until 28th July: abbeyroadmusicphotographyawards.com
Photo by Steve Best
