Stephen Burke (b.1989) is a photographer, artist and creative producer living and working in Birmingham, UK. He makes projects with people about things that are important to them.
His work explores the relationship between people and place, and how our social and physical environments can have a determining effect on who we are and how we live our lives. Conversation, chance and collaboration are key themes in his approach to creating work.
Stephen studied BA Photography at Falmouth University graduating in 2012 and completed an MA in Documentary Photography & Photojournalism at Westminster University in 2017. He has been commissioned by The Guardian, The Observer, The FT Weekend, Sunday Times, The Telegraph Magazine, WERK, Some Cities, Ampersand Projects, Living Memory and Multistory.
He is the Project Producer for GRAIN Projects, an arts organisation based in the West Midlands specialising in commissioning and delivering photography projects.
CV
2024
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include SEE ME by Ming de Nasty, New Narratives in Photography international partnership with Tasweerghar (Lahore, Pakistan), REFLECTOR Artist Development Programme.
Lecturer - BA Photography Covenrty University
2023
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - Modern Muse by Arpita Shah, Construct by Anthony Luvera, The State of Photography National Symposium
Lecturer - BA Photography Birmingham City University
2022
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - GENERATIONS by Julian Germain and Our People Our Places collaborative project with residents of North Staffordshire.
Lecturer - BA Photography Coventry University, BA Photography Birmingham City University
2021
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - The Rural Gaze, Alannah Cooper, Emily Graham, Guy Martin, Leah Gordon, Matthew Broadhead, Murray Ballard, Nabvi Kaur, Oliver Udy & Colin Robins, Polly Braden, Sam Laughlin, Marco Kesseler. What Photography & Incarceration have in Common with an Empty Vase by Edgar Martins.
Lecturer - BA Photography Coventry University
2020
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - New Narratives Nilupa Yasmin, Thanya Mavish, Samsul Helal Alam, and Waleed Zafar. Covid - 19 Response Programme Andrea G Artz, Lydia Goldblatt, Chris Hoare, Daniel Dale, Freddy Griffiths, Jemima Yong, Ngadi Smart, Shaista Chishty, Anneka French, Anna Souter, Jamila Prowse , Lewis Bush, Jaskirt Boora, Andrew Roberts, Barnaby Kent, Chris Neophytou, Joanna Fursman, Olivier Jamin , Yas Lime, Robyn Clark, Sarah Peart and Holly Johnson.
2019
The Lord’s My Shepherd - Solo Exhibition, part of Blast! Photography Festival by Multistory, The Vine, West Bromwich, UK
BLAST!, Artist residency, commissioned by Multistory, West Bromwich, UK
Living Memory, Artist residency, commissioned by Living Memory & Ampersand Projects, Oldbury, UK
Yoo-TOH-Pee-a - Group Exhibition, curated by Wes Foster, FIIK Studios, Leeds, UK
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - The Face of Suffrage by Helen Marshal. SIXTEEN Touring Exhibition. When The Golden Sun is Sinking by Indre Serpytyte. State of Photography’ Symposium. Too Rich a Soil group exhibition - Arpita Shah, Maryam Wahid and Nilupa Yasmin. Celebrating Age by Kate Peters.
2018
BLAST, Artist residency, commissioned by Multistory, West Bromiwch, UK
Built to Last: Austin Village at 100 - Artist residency, commissioned by Ampersand Projects, Birmingham, UK
Built to Last: Austin Village at 100 - Solo exhibition, Northfield Conservative Club, Austin Village, Birmingham, UK
Grassroots - Documenting Britain’s Game - Group Exhibition, curated by Joshua T Gibbons, Rolling Stock Gallery, London, UK
GRAIN Project Producer, projects include - The Face of Suffrage by Helen Marshal
2017
Out of Dust - Group Exhibition, Ambika P3 Gallery, London, UK
Built to Last: Austin Village at 100 - Artist residency, commissioned by Ampersand Projects, Birmingham, UK
Longbridge Public Art Project - Artist residency, commissioned by WERK, Birmingham, UK
MA Documentary Photography & Photojournalism, University of Westminster, 2015 - 2017
WERK Project Coordinator
2016
Longbridge Public Art Project - Artist residency, commissioned by WERK, Birmingham, UK
MA Documentary Photography & Photojournalism, University of Westminster, 2015 - 2017
WERK Project Coordinator
2015
Longbridge Public Art Project - Artist residency, commissioned by WERK, Birmingham, UK
Women of Longbridge - Exhibition collaboration with Hannah Hull, part of Longbridge Public Art Project by WERK, Unit 5, Birmingham, UK
Where I Live - Online group exhibition, F-Stop Magazine, curated by Christy Karpinski
F*cked Up - Online group exhibition, Humble Arts Foundation, curated by Jon Feinstein
Urban Life - RBSA photographic prize group exhibition, curated by Jon Tonks & Sean Rorke, RBSA gallery, Birmingham, UK
MA Documentary Photography & Photojournalism, University of Westminster, 2015 - 2017
WERK Project Coordinator
2014
Longbridge Public Art Project - Artist residency, commissioned by WERK, Birmingham, UK
The Photographer's Wall - Group exhibition, curated by GRAIN, Birmingham Library, Birmingham, UK
Everything is Different - Joint exhibition with Attilio Fiumarella, The Old Print Works, Birmingham, UK
Some Cities Bursary Award
WERK Project Coordinator
2013
This is Dines Green - Artist residency, commissioned by WERK, Worcester, UK
2012
Le Show - Group exhibition, Old Truman Brewery, London, UK
BA (Hons) Photography Degree Show - Group exhibition, Tremough campus, Falmouth, UK
An Evening Untitled - Group exhibition, curated by Untitled, The Poly, Falmouth. UK
BA Photography, Falmouth University, 2009 - 2012