A dedicated group of volunteers from Chilli Studios, a mental health and art charity based in Newcastle, are building a community and peer-led darkroom & processing studio with a mission to keep film alive, accessible and good for our mental health. As well as photography resources they plan to run workshops, talks, events, field trips and more.
Our motto is "A safe place to develop", and this project aims to provide its users with exactly that: somewhere that will be a learning resource for all who attend sessions there, in an environment that will be accessible, inclusive and nurturing.
We hope to inspire everyone who comes to the darkroom, and we are excited at the prospect of sharing our skills and enthusiasm for this art form with the community. This will be a peer-led facility, member based, with an emphasis on promoting well-being through the medium of film photography.
This campaign and your donation no matter how big or small will help us with:
- Finish constructing the basic studio & resources.
- Fill in gaps in our equipment needs (both analog & digital).
- Ensure the darkroom can be maintained over the coming years.
- Provide ongoing photography and mental health first aid training to our peer-led and voluntary team.
- Offer resources and programs to our members like workshops, classes, community hours, trips, talks and artist-in-residence programs etc
- Build-in and maintain safe, supportive systems and resources for all abilities
We are Chilli Light Painters, a group of photographers, who meet at Chilli Studios, an arts-based Charity in Newcastle Upon Tyne, with an aim to creatively improve mental health.
Collectively, we have many years experience of using film and digital cameras, and with our love of photography and a desire to share the knowledge, experience and passion we have for the subject, we are in the process of setting up a community darkroom in the centre of Newcastle Upon Tyne.
I'd like to regain the magical feeling of watching paper go from white to a full photo
Ernie P, Founder member of Chilli Light Painters 2022
This is a Chilli Studios project. We are a mental health and arts Charity providing creative services and opportunities for people who are experiencing mental health issues or other factors that may lead to social exclusion. We aim to engage people creatively to promote inclusion & interaction; develop skills & expression; build resilience & ultimately improve wellbeing.
[cover photo by Rob Halliburton]
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
