T-S-003 / Eight Ball

Test-Shoots brings its distinctive “social party with a photographic theme” to SET Social! As with previous events, you can expect an exhibition from Test-Shoots' Partners in Photography, along with a community-exhibition and the opportunity to connect across the creative community, all soundtracked by excellent DJs.

Test-Shoots is an emerging cooperative of image-makers with the stated mission of democratising creative labour. Primarily, we connect under-established photographers with rewarding creative opportunities, and bring photographic expertise to individuals and organisations lying within the arts and non-profit sectors. Test-Shoots works on the understanding that photography can go beyond serving as a valuable asset, towards fulfilling a genuine social and cultural good. This is possible when purpose-driven individuals and organisations leverage the humanistic, documentary and aesthetic qualities inherent in the photograph to give greater meaning, value and visibility to their work.

As a non-profit, all of Test-Shoots’s surplus revenue is invested in working with other non-profits and individuals/organisations that deliver social impact. This is in recognition of the fact that for many such organisations, their ability to capitalise on the value of photography is significantly affected by financial limitations.

At the same time as working towards providing photography to parties who deliver social/cultural impact, we are also trying to expand our community footprint in order to become connected to more photographers and organisations who we might be able to support in a variety of ways. We recognise the fact that, for cultural and systemic reasons, many photographers (and creatives in general) don’t feel part of a community despite the ostensible potential for this. At the very least, our events look to provide community to such photographers, but also bring exposure to their work and practice.

Host or Publisher Test-Shoots