We Feed The UK is a major storytelling campaign, grown by The Gaia Foundation, pairing photographers and poets with the UK’s most inspiring food producers.
In a monumental moment, celebrating all ten We Feed The UK stories, the complete photographic and poetic works from the campaign are being exhibited at The Royal Photographic Society from 3 April – 22 June 2025. The exhibition also includes new work by Magnum’s Lúa Ribeira, documenting grain rebels in the southwest.
We Feed The UK is a nationwide storytelling initiative, grown by The Gaia Foundation, pairing ten photographers and ten Hot Poets with ten of the UK’s most inspiring food producers.
This unprecedented alliance between arts and agroecology is disrupting the dominance of industrial farming and fishing; so far opening 53 million pairs of eyes and ears to the positive solutions for climate change, wildlife recovery, and social justice offered by regenerative food systems.
These ten time-critical stories have been exhibited in succession over the past 12 months with regional arts and environment partners, culminating in an incredible 12-week collaborative exhibition. In a monumental moment of celebration, the complete collection of photography and poetry from the entire campaign will be displayed at RPS, Bristol.
Inspired by Gothelney Farm and Field Bakery, part of the South West Grain Network photography by Lúa Ribeira shown for the first time at RPS Gallery alongside poetry by Dizraeli documents how Fred Price and Rosy Benson are reintroducing diversity to fields and loaves.
The world has lost 75% of plant genetic diversity since 1900 (FAO), sacrificing diverse fields for increased yields. In the foothills of the Quantocks, Fred Price is rediscovering diversity’s treasure trove of tricks by growing population wheats: coalitions of genetically distinct plants that rely on variation for resilience.
Fred shares his grains with Rosy Benson for her on-site Field Bakery. These varieties of wheat, fresh stone milling, and fermentation is unearthing flavours and nutritional value missing from the refined flours extracted by industrial production. Rosy is passionate about the knowledge bakers hold in their hands. We all knead the benefits of a real British loaf, ending with the eater and beginning with varieties of wheat sprouting from the land.
Discover Seeds by Dizraeli in collaboration with Hot Poets - here
The full collection of photography and poetry celebrating all ten We Feed The UK stories, features work from ten award-winning photographers, who have documented the many faces of regenerative farming, from Black-led food justice in London, to nature-friendly flax farming in Ireland, and carbon-sequestering soil restoration in Northumberland. This includes new unseen work by Magnum’s Lúa Ribeira, exploring a tale of farmer and baker bound together by Quantocks grain.
RPS Gallery is situated in the photography hub of Bristol alongside the Martin Parr Foundation where visitors will be able to view A Fish Called Julie by Jon Tonks.
3 April - 22 June 2025
Thursday - Sunday | 10am - 5pm | Free admission
Please see our guide on how to find us here
Photographer Jon Tonks will give an artist talk at Martin Parr Foundation coinciding with the MPF exhibition of his latest work, A Fish Called Julie.
In this new body of photography, Jon is sharing stories of those trying to fish sustainably in waters off Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, made in collaboration with Martin Parr Foundation and We Feed The UK.
Jon will share an insight into the making of this work and his experiences photographing the fishing communities. He has been working with the communities for over 18 months, documenting stories of the stewards of the sea – those preserving the livelihoods, culture, and marine life supported by blue waters.
This artist talk will be set against the backdrop of the exhibition, including Jon’s exhibition prints and a fishing boat installation. Followed by a short conversation with Martin Parr and questions from the floor.
Aaron Schuman is an American photographer, writer, curator, and educator based in the UK, whose work has been exhibited at the Tate Modern, Hauser & Wirth, and Christie’s. Aaron was commissioned for We Feed The UK alongside GRAIN Projects. His photographic study of Fordhall Organic Farm formed a loose-leaf book – or ‘heft’ – expressing the immediacy of his experience in nature over the course of the commission. “The aim of this work is to offer an individualised, immersive, and interactive visual experience to each reader, who is encouraged to find their own innate sense of belonging and ‘heft’ within it, with the possibility of returning to it again and again.”
Andy Pilsbury’s thoughtful and immersive approach to storytelling aims to reveal the complexities and nuances of life in the UK. “Whether photographing tree grafting or sheep shearing or river surveys at Penpont, it was always about community. This became the real strength and focus of the work. Every time I came away from Penpont, having observed the restorative harmony that was unfolding, I felt hopeful about my daughter's future. The care and dedication to the land, nature, and community are making a real difference considering the larger issues we face.” In addition to these photographs, Andy collaborated with esteemed painter and writer Robert MacDonald, who has lived at Penpont for over forty years. Shooting with an 8x10 camera, Andy processed the film on site and invited Robert to etch the silver emulsion on the negatives which he used to make positive contact prints. Exploring the relationship between photographic image and illustrative mark making, their intergenerational work sings with the spirit of these lands, revealing the unseen beings and life cycles that animate the estate. As Hal Rhoades from our partner Action for Conservation reminds us: “we are never alone in our efforts to restore nature and our relationship with the living world. We have innumerable quiet allies in the fungi who break down dead wood, the earthworms who aerate the soil, the birds carrying seeds in their bellies, and the trees with whom we share breath.
“In the middle of concrete cities, you’d never imagine these paradises in between buildings and this beautiful community of women.” Arpita Shah examines the intersections of culture and identity, frequently through the lens of women of colour and diaspora. Her practice reflects her own migratory experience, having lived between India, Ireland, and the Middle East before settling in England. Commissioned in partnership with Photo Fringe, her collection for We Feed The UK is called ‘Sankofa’. A Twi term from the Akan tribe of Ghana, it stems from the proverb ‘se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenkyiri’, meaning, ‘it is not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind)’. Her experiences are also shaped by those she encounters on this journey. “I come from a family of farmers in India and Africa and it’s something I’ve always seen as a solo activity. My perspective on that has flipped through spending time with the incredible women growing and sharing stories in this radiant collective of sisters.”
“I had never heard children get so excited about onions before!” Ayesha Jones works with photography and film in the West Midlands, and is interested in art as a catalyst for growth, healing, and social impact. Her We Feed The UK commission was created alongside community arts organisation Multistory. “Through this project, I’ve witnessed how impactful nurturing the soil can be, not just for the earth but for everyone and everything. Nurturing soil is not just about growing food; it’s about cultivating a deeper bond with nature and inspiring the next generation. My heart swelled seeing their excitement as they tasted the fruits of their labour.”
“When I met Stuart and his family I felt hope for the first time in ages. Post-pandemic, with the cost-of living crisis, and war and destruction all around us, it is impossible not to get bogged down. This has been much more than a commission: it’s felt like coming up for air.” Johannah Churchill is a portrait and documentary photographer based in the Northeast. Her work centres around social issues; care, connection, and health are frequently referenced, and often interwoven with her history as a nurse. Johannah was commissioned for We Feed The UK alongside the North East Photography Network with the work exhibited at The Sill. She observed macro and micro life at Wharmley Farm over 12 months, through two photographic series. The first, ‘Down to Earth’, documents family life: “Stuart isn’t doing this for attention, for financial gain, or for anything other than what he feels is right. And he’s achieving real change in the face of adversity. You can see the land coming to life.” The second series, ‘Constellations’, captures specimens from the soil through scanographs and microscopic images of the overlooked worms, ‘weeds’, and waste that are so crucial. “When I met Kate Fox for a coffee, we started thinking about the stars, and how positivity is often represented by the act of ‘looking up’. On the farm, I’d had to shift my focus, and told her I thought the constellations were at our feet this whole time.”
“Photography tends to either romanticise a farming landscape or to vilify it as environmental destruction. In fact, it’s neither of these exclusively.” Johannes Pretorius is a South African photographer based in Northern England. He was commissioned for We Feed The UK in partnership with Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool, and is intrigued by the relationship between people and place, which is particularly potent on farms. In his series ‘Intervention and Renewal’ he gets stuck into some of the tensions between our idealised picture of England as a green and pleasant land, and the muddier reality of an ecosystem unravelling. His photos explore the balance between intervening in a landscape to produce food, and helping nature renew by creating hedgerow, woodland, and wetland habitats. “The Robinsons embrace a new sensibility that reconciles economic viability and environmental sustainability. This is important because it mirrors a choice we all now face. Their approach is a credible example to their peers and can serve as a model to society at large.”
“I’m drawn to small towns and islands because when my decisions and options are limited, my creativity often flourishes. There are always stories around us, but this creates a microcosm that you can focus on to tell a wider tale.” Photographer Jon Tonks won the Vic Odden Award from the Royal Photographic Society for his first book, ‘Empire’, exploring four remote British Overseas Territories deep in the South Atlantic, including Tristan da Cunha, a remote island community reliant on fishing. He was commissioned for We Feed The UK in partnership with the Martin Parr Foundation. Jon spent a year with fishers along the southwest coast creating his collection, ‘A Fish Called Julie: Sustainability in the South West’, and enjoyed this long-term approach. “You have time to reflect and return. I wanted this study to be balanced, and not too biased in any direction. It’s not about saying ‘here, this is how you should be fishing’. It gives a real insight into the industry as it stands.”
“It is very revealing to see what they do on the farm. Rosy with the bread and Fred with the land. They both experience it constantly throughout the year. And the way they work it almost feels like the farm runs itself and is its own ecosystem.” Lúa Ribeira is a Galician photographer, now based in Bristol. She was commissioned for We Feed The UK alongside The Royal Photographic Society. Her methods are steeped in extensive research and a love for going deeper and forging relationships through her encounters. “It was important for me to experience the process from picking up the grain, going to the mill, mixing the flour with the water, measuring everything, the temperature of the water... And then seeing how the flour comes out, how you let it grow for the day after, really early, starting to put the bread in the oven, packing it, then coming to Bristol for the delivery.”
“You’re wrestling with the title of ‘Farmer’s Wife’. There aren’t many industries where you’re so quickly demoted.” Sophie Gerrard is an award-winning photographer based in Edinburgh, commissioned for We Feed The UK in collaboration with Glasgow’s Street Level Photoworks. Her practice is characterised by a sensitive exploration of the environment and our relationship to it. “I’ve been visualising our landscape through the eyes of those who are under-represented for a long time. Our landscape is part of our identity in Scotland. Yet, that’s a story predominantly told by men. Where are the women’s viewpoints? These photographs focus on their contribution. There is so much scope for positivity in these landscapes, with new opportunities constantly opening. This is a movement.”
“In her visionary book Hope in the Dark, Rebecca Solnit reminds us that hope is the catalyst for progressive action. Mallon Farm is a testament to taking ownership of hope and a commitment to transformative action.” Yvette Monahan is an Irish photographer and artist. Her art practice delves into the intangible aspects of external and internal landscapes, and reflects on the delicate balance between nature and human impact. Yvette’s photography collection ‘The Clean Blue of Linen’ was commissioned for We Feed The UK alongside Belfast Exposed. “For me, the most vital lesson from this project has been the undeniable power of personal passion in creating change. Helen and Charlie have transformed the land from a dairy farm into a biodiverse flax, food, and wildlife ecosystem. They have inspired a new generation of artists, designers, and makers, and instilled in them a deep appreciation for flax as a natural resource, giving us hope for a sustainable future.”
