| I always convince myself that each issue is better than the last, building on experience, better planning and increasing contacts with photographers. This progress has finally been complemented through financial backing by Proteus under the EU special support programme for peace and reconciliation. This provides us with two part-time salaries and allows me to finally relinquish my status as sometimes willing volunteer. The funding has also allowed us to invest in our own computer for the design of the magazine and to pay our designer. Staffing the magazine on a volunteer basis for the last three years has been a very unsatisfactory and challenging arrangement. This funding in combination with that continued by the Northern Ireland Arts Council and awarded for the first time by the Southern Ireland Arts council will provide us with increased opportunity and hope. The student work that forms the basis of this issue has been selected from seven different third level courses, located in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The contact established with the various colleges and their students is another key to our growth. The strength of the work speaks for itself. My hope is to follow the progress of these students as image makers well into the future. To what extent the various courses have equipped them to succeed in this will be the ultimate test of these varying educational environments. |
