Democracy in Action – winners of the Assembly’s inaugural photographic competition announced

02 October 2012

The two winners of the National Assembly for Wales’s inaugural photographic competition will be announced at a ceremony in the Senedd, on Wednesday (3 October), at 18.00

The “Democracy in Action” competition was launched at Newport’s School of Film, Photography and Digital Media by the National Assembly’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, in May.

Its aim has been to get people in Wales to see how individuals, their families and their communities have the ability to effect changes, and to capture that moment on their camera or phone.

Almost 200 images were submitted and the judges’ winner and people’s choice winner will be announced on Wednesday at the Senedd, in a ceremony which begins at 6pm.

The competition was run in conjunction with Ffotogallery, Wales’s champions of lens-based media and the University of Wales Newport’s School of Film, Photography and Digital Media.

All entries have been displayed on the www.democracyinactionwales.org website with the images of the shortlisted finalists displayed in the Senedd for the last month.

“We have had some fantastic images submitted from people across Wales,” said the Assembly’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM.

“It’s clear that the competition has been a great success because it has got people thinking about politics and the democratic process.

“One person taking a stance can make a big difference; change can happen when people from a town or village join forces to make improvements; while demonstrations and protest give democracy a voice.

“These images have illustrated this and prove that people across Wales are concerned about issues in their communities. Our message is that the National Assembly can help you effect change over these matters.

“We have the petitions system that individuals can use. The Assembly is regularly out and about visiting community groups, schools and event. These are levers that can be used to address the issues raised in these images.”

The winners will each receive a digital SLR camera (donated by the University of Wales Newport’s School of Film, Photography and Digital Media) and a photography course run by Ffotogallery.