Alan Raw Presents

Whatever I like goes on here. See my website for links to my other stuff like music: http://www.alanraw.com These are my own views and not necisarily those of the BBC. Hope you find something you like too

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EURO BOOK TREK – 3rd Leg

TOULOUSE TO LOURDES & BIELSA – Stars, Sacred Sites & a Road Between Worlds Jun 23, 2025 Some chapters unfold like stories. Others feel like visions. This leg of the Euro Book Trek was a bit of both. From the vibrant streets of Toulouse to the mountain shadows of Bielsa, this stretch was soaked in the surreal, the sacred, and the speculative. Along with my wife Sara and my son Harrison, I went…

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EURO BOOK TREK – 2nd Leg

(A literary and climate-themed journey through Europe, one bookshop at a time). NORMANDY TO TOULOUSE – Memory, Resistance & Storytelling by Sea and Stone After crossing beneath the Channel via Le Shuttle — a slightly unnerving experience for a claustrophobe — I emerged into France and rolled south along the coast to Boulogne-sur-Mer. A windswept town with echoes of ancient tides and wartime…

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EURO BOOK TREK – 1st Leg

CAMBRIDGE & ELY – Lowlands, Legacy & Literary Soil The Euro Book Trek began not with a bang, but with the soft, persistent lapping of water under a fenland sky — and a punt ride down the river past ancient libraries. As I stood beneath the tower of Ely Cathedral, it struck me: if Salt & Seeds is a story of regeneration and resistance, then this land, once an island in marsh and sea, was the…

EURO BOOK TREK – 1st Leg

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EURO BOOK TREK – 1st Leg

CAMBRIDGE & ELY – Lowlands, Legacy & Literary Soil The Euro Book Trek began not with a bang, but with the soft, persistent lapping of water under a fenland sky — and a punt ride down the river past ancient libraries. As I stood beneath the tower of Ely Cathedral, it struck me: if Salt & Seeds is a story of regeneration and resistance, then this land, once an island in marsh and sea, was the…

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Featured in Denon DJ blog

I have the honour of being featured in DenonDJ blog this month. With great photos by Rob Bentley. I was able to talk about #360RAW. See you at the next one 😉

https://blog.denondj.com/meet-alan-raw-dj-drummer-photographer-broadcaster-and-new-talent-renaissance-man/

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MARILYN STAFFORD, A Fashion Retrospective, From Haute Couture to the Birth of Prêt-à-Porter.

MARILYN STAFFORD, A Fashion Retrospective, From Haute Couture to the Birth of Prêt-à-Porter.

This month I have had the honour of curating an exhibition of work by the incredible Marilyn Stafford.

Marilyn’s incredible photographic body of work spans five decades from 1948 to the 1980’s.  It covers a variety of subjects including refugees, tribal peoples, international fashion and historical figures. Her portraits include cultural icons Einstein, Edith Piaf and Henri Cartier-Bresson, and…

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The UK’s biggest annual photography festival is on in Hull this month 5th to 28th, with a world premiere exhibition from legendary fashion photographer, Marilyn Stafford (as featured on ITN this week) and collections from Brian Griffin, Peter Dench and Celine Marchbank.

Condiments on the table at Little Chef. Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Now in its fifth year, Hull International Photography (HIP) Festival is hosted by The Creative and Cultural Company within the city’s largest shopping centre, running until Saturday 28th October. With 12 major exhibitions showcased in converted gallery spaces supported by East Street Arts, the unique venue attracted a massive 86,000 visitors in 2017.

The festival boasts the world premiere exhibition of fashion portraits by 93 year old #MarilynStafford , A Fashion Retrospective – Haute Couture to the Birth of Prêt-à-Porter. Having famously photographed Albert Einstein with her first shot on a 35mm camera, Stafford’s career has since spanned 70 years, with many major fashion brands, including Biba and Chanel, as well as for international publications like the Observer. The exhibition covers her career in Paris in the 1950s and Britain during the 1960s and 70s.

Marilyn attended the opening of the exhibition and visitors had the opportunity to hear her discussing her incredible work with me on 6th October in the HIP Fest Knowledge Space. An event that was very well attended and inspiring to all.

Festival-goers are also able to experience POP from Brian Griffin, featuring his music photography and album covers from the UK’s pop-punk and new wave music scene as well as A1: Britain on the Verge from World Press award-winning, Peter Dench. A homage to the UK’s longest road, Dench visited truck stops, cafes, temples, homes, businesses and bars exploring a period of immense change for Britain, all captured with his typical sense of humour and humanity ahead of Brexit.

Another highlight of the festival is the premiere of A Strange in My Mother’s Kitchen. An intense and personal exhibition from Celine Marchbank. As Marchbank packed up her mother’s home, who had recently lost her battle with cancer – she found recipe cards. As a way of dealing with her grief, she began to cook. The exhibition is a journey through her memories, her mother’s life and the process of learning about living life as a daughter without a mother.

Festival partners, Fujiholics and Redeye joined in by facilitating masterclasses and photo-walks on the opening weekend. Enabling the festival to offer over 50 events this month – including a masterclass by YouTube sensation, Sean Tucker and talks from Elke Vogelsang from Germany & British legend Tom Stoddart.

PhotoCity also landed in the festival atrium as part of the opening weekend, following on from the phenomenal PhotoCity London exhibition and trade show in Paternoster Square, close to St Paul’s Cathedral in 2017. This year brought the likes of Fujifilm & Lee Filters to show their latest tech. PhotoCity’s iconic Blade Walls showed work by #SeanTucker #TomSdoddart #MattHart #NatashaJBella #ClaireArmitage #MattWalkley #WarrenMiller #TraceyLund #RobertBentley #DavidNeve #AmiStrachan #NinaEmett #DavidYeoman #ElkeVogelsang #LindaWisdom #KeithBritton #LeeGlasgow #MarkLittlejohn #MichellSzpak #NigelWalker #VerityMulligan #GeorgeNorris #LeeGale #RichWiles #SteveCheetham #SteveWalton #KeithBritton and more.

In just five years, HIP Fest has established its credentials as one of the most significant photography events in Europe.  Thanks to our fabulous volunteers we have put together a stunning celebration of photography for 2018. I am particularly impressed by how Celine Marchbank and Marilyn Stafford have been received at HIPFest, with great footfall to the galleries. Their work highlights the contribution female photographers have made, and are making, to this most democratic of art forms. There is something for everyone and plenty to learn, do and enjoy at #HIPfest2018

A £5 entry ticket (wristband) gives access to all exhibitions, discussions, the HIPfest Prize Draw, onsite discounts and access to the workshops. Premiere workshops, masterclasses and portfolio reviews required individual additional tickets, earlier in the month, but the remaining opportunities are all within the wristband entry.

For further details of the festival visit www.HIPfest.co.uk or email: [email protected]

HIP Gallery, Hull International Photography Festival, PhotoCity & Creative & Cultural Company can be contacted through Creative & Cultural Space1, Unit LG12, Level1, Princess Quay, Hull, HU1 2PQ

The festival is independent and uses no public funding. Costs are covered by local donations, art sales and in-kind sponsors: G F Smith, ArtsPromoters.com, East Street Arts, Princes Quay, Hammonds Associates, FujiFilm, Jessops, Scribes and Picture Frames & Art.

 International photography festival returns for fifth year #HIPfest2018 The UK’s biggest annual photography festival is on in Hull this month 5th to 28th, with a world premiere exhibition from legendary fashion photographer, Marilyn Stafford (as featured on ITN this week) and collections from Brian Griffin, Peter Dench and Celine Marchbank.

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HIP Juniors visit the Changing Face Exhibition

HIP Juniors visit the Changing Face Exhibition.

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Business and the Arts (Article 3, The Creative & Cultural Column, in HullMag)

Business and the Arts (Article 3, The Creative & Cultural Column, in HullMag)

The Creative & Cultural Column

Business and the Arts

What are the disadvantages of businesses getting involved in supporting the arts? One well-founded worry is that businesses will play it safe and only want to support non-controversial subject matter. After all, no business wants to be associated with frightening, disgusting or confusing their customers. Also, those deciding on where to put…

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Fire Up The Incubators (The Creative & Cultural Column in HullMag 2nd Article)

Fire Up The Incubators (The Creative & Cultural Column in HullMag 2nd Article)

The Creative & Cultural Column in HullMag 2nd Article

Fire Up The Incubators

Winning the City of Culture for 2017 may well be the most significant thing to happen to Hull this decade, which is saying something after the scare Hull City gave Arsenal in the  2014 FA cup final. For one year, Hull will be the UK centre for arts and culture, giving the city a much greater international profile. People…

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#HumberBridge #Hull Home of #HIPclub

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Lovin my new little #Leica Great lens and nice manual controls. It's a peach!

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My new Creative and Cultural Column in HullMag I am writing a new column with support from The Creative & Cultural Company Team in Hull.

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'Good Times...' on the BBC

‘Good Times…’ on the BBC

Alan Raw:

Recently featured artist on BBC introducing West Yorkshire: Captain Wilberforce has “Good Times…”

Originally posted on News:

Thanks once again to Tom Robinson for featuring another song from the Distance EP – Good Times, You Said on the BBC Introducing Mixtape on BBC 6 Music. Only 2 more to complete the set!

If you haven’t seen it already here’s the video for Good Times, You Said.  As…

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#Driving under an awesome #sky down the M62 into a #Yorkshire sunset this evening. Expecting a funnel #cloud to descend at any moment. (at M62)

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Great Gigs at reCOGnition Festival Check this video of The Hut People. Amazing talent

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Dogfinger Steve at reCOGnition

Dogfinger Steve at reCOGnition

Alan Raw:

This is set to be a great night of music

Originally posted on The Creative & Cultural Company:

At our Creative & Cultural Artspace in Princess Quay Hull TONIGHT: Another reCOGnition concert; Dogfinger Steve’s new album launch plus Sweet Lady Grace, Dec Suddaby, Robert Nicklas and The Crash Blossoms. There’s a bar and It’s FREE ENTRY!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XsAZD4ucgs&w=5…

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