In association with Sidmouth School of Art we were thrilled to welcome JJ Waller as Artist Photographer in Residence during the 2024 festival. During JJ’s Sidmouth Residency he captured a set of images that conjure a sense of place when the town plays host for our week of music, dance and song, in his inimitable style of street photography. This is JJ’s personalised snapshot in time. In the autumn, JJ returned to Sidmouth to review and select images for the exhibition. A variety of sites feature images including bus shelters, telephone boxes and the Wall Space billboard by the Ham.
View a selection of the final photographs
Watch the film of the project – and look out for more news coming soon for the 2025 festival
Watch the Sidmouth School of Art’s timelapse of the billboard being created:
‘A superb first ever visit to Sidmouth that certainly won’t be my last. A unique can do town full of can do people. I was massively impressed by the professionalism and scale of the Folk festival it was a great time to experience Sidmouth. For a photographer being here was like striking photographic gold. What really was the icing on the cake was the superb efforts my hosts Sidmouth School of Art made to introduce me to so many amazing community groups and organisations who invited me to make their portrait. I’m definitely going to return and show my pictures that I hope locals will enjoy as an original, colourful, quirky and affectionate portrayal of your dynamic sometimes eccentric ‘Small Quiet English Seaside Town.’
JJ Waller, August ’24
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From Street Performer to Street Photographer
Photographer JJ Waller will visit Sidmouth and the Folk Festival for the very first time in August 2024. His journey here has been eclectic and exciting, beginning during his years performing on the cobbles of London’s Covent Garden and spots as a regular at the newly established clubs in the early days of Alternative comedy. JJ won an Edinburgh Perrier Award with comedy pioneers Pookiesnackenburger (The originators of STOMP) before joining the groundbreaking Anarchic French Cirque Archaos. Whilst at Archaos he once again partnered with ringmaster the late Ian Smith, an early influence on Sidmouth Festival’s collaborator David Shrigley. Whilst touring with the circus JJ began his very first photo documentation project, which led to him being offered a place on a new editorial photography degree course that was being set up by Magnum photographer Mark Power. JJ has produced over ten photography books and sold over 14,000 books. He is currently working on a new book of his Benidorm work. In May 2025 he will be partnering with photographer Martin Parr on a major public show.
JJ’s images regularly appear internationally in print and online publications, billboards, books,tour posters and programmes. See some of his work in these videos: Lockdown film and Seafront show.
JJ’s residency at Sidmouth Folk Festival is in collaboration with Sidmouth School of Art a visual arts charity whose aim is to make Sidmouth the artwork. Through a kaleidoscope of creative opportunities SSA is inspiring new artworks, creative confidence and new collaborations.
‘Your Town My Town’ is kindly supported by
The Sidmouth Folk Festival
Sidmouth School of Art
The Royal Glen Hotel
Cllr Stuart Hughes Locality Fund – Devon County Council
If you would like to sponsor the project please contact info@sidmouthart.org
