If I were fortunate enough to receive the £10,000 bursary from The Dover Prize, it would be a crucial investment in continuing and expanding The Journey Home—a deeply personal, long-term project that explores the lives of young people in Cape Flats, Cape Town. This work blends photography, poetry, and mixed media to tell stories of resilience, identity, and hope within a community often misunderstood or overlooked.
I would use the funding to cover the costs of high-quality materials essential for the cyanotype process, including speciality papers, chemicals, and archival supplies, so I can produce tactile, lasting prints that bring the voices and artwork of the youth to life. This is more than just photography; it’s a collaboration where their poetry and drawings are integral to the final pieces.
Additionally, the bursary would fund dedicated studio time and access to professional printing facilities here in London, allowing me to refine and develop exhibition-ready work that reflects the emotional depth and complexity of the community’s stories. I would also invest in hiring local collaborators and translators in Cape Flats to deepen my engagement, ensuring the work remains authentic and that the participants are truly involved in shaping the project.
The funding would enable me to run workshops with the young people, teaching creative techniques and fostering ownership of the work, making it a genuine co-creation. I would also invest in digital archiving equipment and software to preserve this growing body of work, as well as develop a multimedia online platform to extend The Journey Home beyond gallery walls and reach a global audience.
This bursary would provide the resources and freedom to push The Journey Home further, evolving it into a bold, multi-dimensional project that challenges traditional photographic storytelling and amplifies the voices of a community that deserves to be seen and heard.
My ongoing project, The Journey Home, deeply explores themes of identity, resilience, and community through intimate portraits and stories. I believe this work can bring a fresh, empathetic lens to Darlington’s creative arts scene by highlighting universal human experiences grounded in specific, real-life narratives. By sharing these stories locally and beyond, I aim to connect Darlington to a wider global conversation about belonging and change, elevating the town’s profile as a place that values meaningful, socially engaged art.
I’m excited by the possibility of premiering new work in Darlington, creating an event that not only showcases the project but also sparks dialogue and collaboration within the local arts community. This bursary will allow me to deepen my practice here, involving local voices and creating spaces for shared experiences. Through exhibitions, talks, or workshops, I want to contribute actively to Darlington’s vibrant creative ecosystem, inspiring others while building bridges between diverse communities.
Ultimately, I see this as a chance to make Darlington a hub for thoughtful, ambitious visual storytelling that resonates both locally and globally.
I’m a documentary photographer who’s all about capturing honest, raw stories that reveal the depth of human experience. My work focuses on communities going through change, drawn to moments that show resilience, vulnerability, and the real everyday lives people lead. I don’t just take pictures—I create connections between the subject and the viewer that stick long after they look away.
I’ve been fortunate to exhibit internationally, with my work shown in galleries across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Highlights include being part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery and having my images included in the Portrait of Humanity exhibition, which brought together some of the most powerful global stories told through portraiture. These opportunities have pushed me to keep evolving my visual language and storytelling approach.
Recently, I exhibited at Somerset House as part of the Sony World Photography Awards, which was a huge milestone. Being surrounded by incredible talent gave me fresh energy and new ways to think about my work. Alongside exhibitions, I run workshops and creative projects designed to involve communities directly, because empowering others to tell their own stories is something I’m deeply passionate about.
My practice balances documentary authenticity with experimental approaches, always seeking new ways to engage audiences and deepen the emotional impact of my images. Each project is an opportunity to evolve creatively and personally, and I’m hungry to keep pushing boundaries.
BA Hons Photography at Brighton university
I’m a documentary photographer who’s all about capturing honest, raw stories that reveal the depth of human experience. My work focuses on communities going through change, drawn to moments that show resilience, vulnerability, and the real everyday lives people lead. I don’t just take pictures—I create connections between the subject and the viewer that stick long after they look away.
I’ve been fortunate to exhibit internationally, with my work shown in galleries across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Highlights include being part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery and having my images included in the Portrait of Humanity exhibition, which brought together some of the most powerful global stories told through portraiture. These opportunities have pushed me to keep evolving my visual language and storytelling approach.
Recently, I exhibited at Somerset House as part of the Sony World Photography Awards, which was a huge milestone. Being surrounded by incredible talent gave me fresh energy and new ways to think about my work. Alongside exhibitions, I run workshops and creative projects designed to involve communities directly, because empowering others to tell their own stories is something I’m deeply passionate about.
My practice balances documentary authenticity with experimental approaches, always seeking new ways to engage audiences and deepen the emotional impact of my images. Each project is an opportunity to evolve creatively and personally, and I’m hungry to keep pushing boundaries.
I mentor 10 students one to one and have been teaching workshops for people of all ages , abilities and backgrounds for the past 10 years
I have been commissioned by Cortona on the Move to work with the local tourist council to capture creative responses to the local municipalities in Rome . I worked with local groups and communities to collaborate in making a range of images that show the history and stories of Tuscany
The National Portrait Gallery has aquired one of my works
The British Center of photography has 3 of my works
The ICP has one work
Hotshoe Magazine
British journal of Photography
Professional Photographer
SOURCE
Creative review
Aperature
The Sunday Times
TIME
The FT Weekend
The Saturday Telegraph
Wall St Journal
Yes
Passage Residency -Germany
A4 Arts foundation -Cape Town
Email: laura.pannack@gmail.com
Address: 69 Beck Square, London, Waltham Forest, E10 7FW, GB, London, Greater London, E10 7FW, GB
Local Authority: waltham forest
