The Collective
Community Photography Program
By April M. Frazier
Reemergence of a photography program to The Collective’s artistic repertoire came from a catch-up conversation with Michelle (Barnes) since the beginning of the pandemic. We discussed plans for The Collective as it approaches its 35th year and reflected on the programs that were an integral part of those formative years.
Michelle shared that the Community Photography program of the early 90s engaged students of all ages and exposed them to different photographic methods and practices led by professional photographers from the community. Participants received hands-on instruction and access to photography and made contributions toward an exhibition held at the end of the program.
Mention of this program immediately sparked my attention. As a photographer, I recognized the current void in Houston of the ability to develop and print photographs. My last access to a dark room was 10 years ago while a student at Rice University, so I missed the ability to work in a communal space and create.
The idea of bringing back the Community Photography program at The Collective was an exciting one as it would bring together tenets I am passionate about in community and photography. Michelle and I set off to action some plans to reestablish the program by reflecting on historical components while also envisioning what a photography program could be in the near future.
I am currently visiting The Collective archives which are housed at Rice University’s Woodson Research Center. The archive is a treasure trove of history which includes pictures of programs and participants dating back 30 years. Finding those participants and connecting with them today would help The Collective to learn if their exposure to the arts enriched their lives and careers.
We also have shared our initial ideas with others in Houston and received immediate appreciation and support. Many are willing to donate supplies for a dark room, and others have volunteered to teach classes. The response has been humbling and makes us hopeful that that reemergence of a Community Photography program is necessary and will fill an artistic void observed in our community. In the role of photographic education coordinator, I am striving to recreate and promote the program to local schools and community centers and to bring together elements from past successes with practices that will carry this program and others at The Collective into a bright future of continued artistic connection in Houston.
April M. Frazier is an internationally exhibited documentary and lifestyle photographer from Houston, Texas. She received a BA from Prairie View A&M University and an MBA from Rice University. While at Rice, April took classes in black and white film photography and production and furthered her interest in the art. April’s ongoing photography project is a documentary about her ancestral roots in Texas, creating visuals on lands with an identified familial connection from the time of enslavement to present day. April also consults with several nonprofit and small businesses in Houston and abroad, offering insight and strategy to further their reach and business goals.
