Community focus in the Downtown Eastside

Vancouver, October 9, 2008 - Winners announced in annual contest

Valerie Fielding captured the bond of friendship in her winning photograph, which was awarded first place in this year's annual Downtown Eastside Photography Contest run by Pivot Legal Society.

Robert Bonner and the young boy in the photo became friends at Carnegie Community Action Project meetings. This year's theme; "What I value in my community," focused contestants on images of friends and family, gardening and public space, and public art and culture, and reveals a rich and vibrant community in the Downtown Eastside.

"The photos and stories that describe them are how the contestants want to portray themselves," says Hope in Shadows Director Paul Ryan. "The community theme is accentuated by many hopeful images taken by residents." While there are many images that are light-hearted, there is also a more serious side to the images. "More than any contest before, the issue of housing shortage comes through as a recurring theme."

In June, 200 cameras were distributed to low-income residents of the Downtown Eastside. The more than 4,000 resulting images were shortlisted down to 40 by a volunteer panel of professional photographers and artists. Those top 40 were then voted on by more than 700 community members over a week in July on the street outside Carnegie Centre.

The images captured by the participants are raw and real, yet unfailing in their hope and spirit.

The Hope in Shadows exhibition hangs at the Pendulum Gallery (885 West Georgia Street) until October 18, 2008. A selection of winning photographs will be featured in the 2009 Hope in Shadows, Portraits of the Downtown Eastside calendar, which will be sold on the streets of Vancouver by licensed sellers.