BPE was formed in late 80's
by a group of exhibitions wishing to help one another with promoting
the interests of Photographic Exhibitions within a British national
catchment area and learn from each others experiences. This cooperation
produced some immediate advantages, the most obvious being an increase
in entries. In 1991 the Crown Award Scheme of accruing points for acceptances
in its member exhibitions leading to awards similar to the one FIAP
ran in the international exhibition world was launched. At a later date
BPE distinctions were added to the scheme. This proved to be a way of
not only encouraging entry but also of further emphasising the cooperation
between exhibitions.
BPE did not wish
to dictate how each exhibition was run with the exception of a few basic
rules which included the provision of a catalogue for the purpose of recording
acceptances, having usually a panel of 3 selectors, a maximum of 4 entries
per section and that exhibitions should endeavour to attract entries from
all over the United Kingdom and not just from a particular region.
The founding exhibitions
in 1991 were: - Solihull, Southport, Clay Cross, Wellingborough, Leicester
Forest, Rushden, Dingwall, Romsey, Nottingham, Sheffield and Handsworth.
Other exhibitions
joined later as follows:-
1993 Ashfield, Bromsgrove, Guernsey
1995 Shrewsbury
1998 Cotswold, Wirral
1999 Vale of Evesham
2003 Bebington
2007 Great Barr, Beyond
2008 GDPU, Havant
To date in 2009
of the above the following remain:-
Bebington, Beyond, Bromsgrove, Cotswold, Dingwall, GDPU, Great Barr, Guernsey,
Havant, Rushden, Shrewsbury, Solihull, Southport, Vale of Evesham, Wirral
FIRST CROWN AWARDS TOTALS
One Crown March 1991 Up to Aug 2008 454
Two Crown March 1991 Up to Aug 2008 343
Three Crown Jan 1992 Up to Aug 2008 202
Four Crown Feb 1993 Up to Aug 2008 85
Five Crown Feb 1994 Up to Aug 2008 47
ABPE May 1997 Up to Aug 2008 17
FBPE Dec 1998 Up to Aug 2008 7
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