Chair

Seeking an ambitious cultural leader to chair Photofusion, a registered charity and London’s leading photography resource centre, at an exciting moment as we expand our work and create impact and strategic reach.

Who we are

Photofusion is South London’s most established independent photography resource centre, maintaining a unique dual mission as a professional lab and a registered charity.

Our journey began in 1979 as the “Photo Co-op,” a radical collective in Wandsworth that used photography as a tool for social change and to challenge media stereotypes. In 1991, we rebranded and moved to the heart of Brixton, where we spent over three decades building a reputation for championing underrepresented voices and launching the careers of many celebrated UK photographers.

Today, we operate out of our state of the art home at Beehive Place, providing professional darkrooms, studios, film processing, outreach, courses and digital production services all under one roof. Our core mission is to bridge the gap between high end technical production and community empowerment. We are fiercely dedicated to diversifying the industry; currently, only 4% of the photography workforce comes from a Global Majority background and only 16% from a working-class background. By providing facilities, expertise and extensive outreach, we act as a crucial site for visual arts and a home for those whose voices are often unheard in traditional art spaces.

About the role

The Chair of the Board of Trustees will provide strategic leadership during a moment of significant institutional evolution and growth. Working in a close, collaborative partnership with the Director, you will be responsible for driving the organisation’s strategic vision and artistic excellence and safeguarding our financial sustainability.

This is an active governance role rather than a symbolic one; you will lead a working board in which individual trustees take accountability for various workstreams to support the small staff team.

A central component of the role is acting as a high level advocate for Photofusion within cultural, civic and political networks. You will be instrumental in positioning the organisation at the intersection of the visual arts and photography sectors, ensuring we are recognised for our unique contribution to the national cultural ecosystem. Key responsibilities include preparing for the next Arts Council portfolio round and maintaining robust relationships with funders.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual who wishes to develop a high-profile role as our Chair, someone with deep influence within the cultural sector and a professional standing that carries weight with major institutions and public funders.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with a background in the creative industries. This could be in a commercial or public sector setting. They will have significant board experience, although not necessarily at the Chair level.

While a specific background in photography is not strictly required, a comprehensive understanding of the broader visual arts or cultural landscape is essential. We need someone who is well-connected and willing to take an active role in supporting an organisation that is currently expanding its impact.

You should have a proven track record of navigating public funding environments and understanding the politics behind cultural investment, as well as having experience in fundraising, partnerships or income generation. Furthermore, Photofusion is committed to diversifying leadership, and we warmly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are currently underrepresented in the arts and cultural sector, including but not limited to women, people from Black, Asian and other ethnically diverse backgrounds, disabled people and those with different socio-economic experiences. Candidates must be London-based (or within easy access) and able to maintain a regular, active presence at our Brixton premises to engage with the team. Your ability to connect with philanthropic networks would be a secondary but valuable benefit to our long-term growth.

Time commitment: approximately 1-2 days a month to include two strategic touch points per month (plus follow up) with the Director and two formal committee and board meetings per quarter.