A display of photographs and films from the Amber Film & Photography Collective.

World-renowned for documenting the North East of England, the Amber Film & Photography Collective began in London in 1968. The following year they relocated to Newcastle, driven by the founding members’ vision to reconnect with the working-class culture that shaped them. 

Whilst there work was initially rooted in film, photography was introduced by Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen and expanded the Collective’s capacity for intimate, nuanced storytelling. Together, Amber wove a narrative tapestry documenting the full spectrum of experience in the North East’s communities. 

For Amber, portraying place was about more than spaces; it was about nurturing connection, empathy, and belonging.  At its heart, their human-centred approach considered the essence of locations and the communities who lived and worked there - capturing everyday life with sensitivity, dignity, and pride. 

With images from the AmberSide Collection, and select films from Amber, Documenting Place looks at how locations can be captured through a focus on the people and communities who live there.