Joan Wakelin Bursary
The Bursary was established in 2005 in memory of distinguished documentary photographer and Honorary Fellow of The Society, Joan Wakelin. The Bursary funds new projects only. We do not support on-going projects. The Bursary does not support projects requiring travel to or within war zones.
2024 Recipient: Myah Asha Jeffers
Project: EXCLUSION ZONE
In 1997, a seismic volcanic eruption destroyed the Caribbean island of Montserrat.
With now only 20% of the island deemed habitable and a current population of just over 5000 people – Montserrat is one of the least populus countries in the world.
The uninhabitable 80% of the island is known as the “Exclusion Zone” - a site of buried infrastructure. It is a graveyard for relics of the past.
Through this series, I’m interested in creating a living archive of sorts, photographing the void of the past through a present-day lens.
The work will focus on both the younger generation who only know Montserrat post-eruption, and the elders who still hold onto a deep nostalgia of what Montserrat was.
This story will offer a rare insight into one of the few remaining British colonies, interrogating the intersection between the legacy of natural disasters and the legacy of colonialism.
Explore more:
Previous Recipients
Explore the previous recipients of the Joan Wakelin bursary going back to 2005, read more out their projects and on going work.
Submissions Closed for 2024
Full details of how to apply for the Joan Wakelin bursary will be available when entries open.
Applications are currently closed and will be reopening in 2025.
Partners and supported by:
In Partnership with the Guardian and supported by Metro Imaging. On completion of the projects, each recipient will also have the opportunity to have your portfolio printed by Metro Imaging and receive remote mentoring from its director Steve Macleod.