This site is part of the South West Heritage Trust.
This project and exhibition celebrates the many people who bring Weston-super-Mare to life.
Over ten days, a series of community photographic sessions captured residents from all walks of life. Participants created portraits and shared thoughts on the theme of ‘home’, reflecting also on what Weston as a place means to them.
A variety of people stood in front of the lens, including: barbers, taxi drivers, doctors, nurses, designers, dancers, schoolchildren, artists, musicians, people experiencing homelessness, people who have lived in Weston their whole lives, and those who have arrived more recently.
These portraits – combined with a short film and powerful quotes – reveal a deep sense of community, connection, and feelings of belonging in the town.
Weston-super-Mare has a rich and diverse history, providing people from all walks of life with a sense of community and belonging.
Either as a visitor or a resident, people in Weston have a lot to say about the town and its communities.
We asked: What does ‘home’ mean to you?and What does ‘Weston’ mean to you?
The responses we gathered represent a wide range of thoughts and ideas, reflecting on the town through the eyes of the people who know it best.
(Left: Artwork of Weston-super-Mare sea front, North Somerset Collection).
We held a series of photography and filming sessions across the town, meeting participants to create content for our exhibition.
Throughout this project we discovered hidden gems within the community, understood more about individuals and groups, and what they feel about the place they live.
Common themes discussed in response to our questions include safety, belonging, community, and peace. Weston is a place for all people.
(Right: Participants in the pop-up photography studio, Weston Museum, 2025)
Portrait photography creates a striking and authentically human effect, telling stories through the eyes of the subject.
Over the course of ten photography sessions at various locations around Weston, we took portraits of 120 people. These people all live in, work in, or regularly visit the town.
We were not only amazed by the number of people who wanted to be a part of our exhibition, but also by the variety of individuals that we interacted with, from all areas of the community.
(Left: Participant portrait, 2025)
To encourage deeper understanding about Weston as a place of home and belonging, we worked with Somerset Film to produce an audiovisual piece delving into the topic.
Participants generously shared their stories with us, adding a layer of closeness and humility to the exhibition, creating more depth around the topic. Some participants reminisce about their time living in Weston, some explore how it felt to go there for the first time, and all share how they feel a sense of belonging and pride in the town.
Themes of home and community can be difficult subjects to talk about, which you get a sense of in some of the interviews. This makes us even more grateful to have shared these moments with the participants.
(Right: Filming by Somerset Film at The Other Place, Weston-super-Mare, 2025)
We shared a Private View of the exhibition with participants and partner organisations on 5th December 2025, giving us all an opportunity to reflect on the project.
We also set up a series of portrait photography activities over the duration of the exhibition, to encourage visitors to engage with and reflect on the project. These portraits were added to the Community Wall, where people were able to become part of the exhibition.
(Left: Participants at the Private View, Weston Museum, 2025)
With thanks to Weston Museum, Racial Equality North Somerset at The Other Place, Refugees Welcome North Somerset at Loves Cafe, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Multicultural Friends Association, Bangladeshi Association, Arts Council England, North Somerset Council, Weston-super-Mare Town Council, and all who participated in the creation, curation, and design of this project exhibition.
