Hundred Heroines is a contemporary museum and gallery dedicated to women in photography, based in Gloucestershire. We take world-class art out of the white cube and made it accessible to all. Admission to all exhibitions and participation in projects is free.
Leading women photographers (the Heroines) challenge how we see the world. They push artistic boundaries and highlight issues of social injustice. Using their work (objects and images in our collection) as a starting point, we facilitate projects and provide a space for people to come together for shared creative experiences. This is particularly empowering for young women.
- We have a vision : the universal recognition of women in photography – past, present and future.
- Our mission is to connect people with the visual arts and to share opportunities for diverse communities to celebrate women in photography.
- We are building a unique resource to shine a light on inspirational visual artists, to bring these pioneers to the foreground, and encourage diverse representation within the field of photography.
- We believe in creativity, curiosity and community.
Our Charity Aims
(i) to establish and maintain a museum for the conservation and exhibition of art, artefacts, documents and other material relating in particular (but not exclusively) to women in photography, including the collection, storage, research and conservation of all such material;
(ii) to advance art for the general public, particularly (but not exclusively) in photography and the visual arts, in particular by the exhibition and promotion of, and creating access to, women in photography; and
(iii) to advance the education of the general public, by increasing the public’s knowledge and understanding of photography and in doing so to promote the highest standards of achievement in photography in order to encourage public knowledge and appreciation of photography, in particular (but not exclusively) the contribution of women in photography.
Our History
2020 marked the re-birth of Hundred Heroines as it achieved charitable status, thus securing its independence as an organisation. Despite the challenging operating environment created by the global pandemic, the passion and drive behind Hundred Heroines have resulted in an impressive presence that delivers intrigue, education and enrichment – the first step in its transition from campaign to movement.
Pre 2020
In 2018, to mark the centenary of the women’s right to vote in the UK, the Royal Photographic Society ran a public campaign, conceived and led by its Vice President, Dr Del Barrett, to identify outstanding female photographers from around the globe. The response was overwhelming with nearly 5,000 people nominating more than 1,300 different candidates. From this, a panel of luminaries from the photographic world selected a final list: The One Hundred Heroines, representing the best of the inspiring women from across the world, whose work is transforming photography and the visual arts.
The project was so successful, it began to generate a range of new activities, and growing interest and support. To enable the project to flourish, and to provide a platform for further related initiatives, a new organisation was created by Dr Barrett with the name Hundred Heroines, and the RPS has now passed the custodianship for all future activity directly to this organisation, at the end of 2019.
