In 2025, the name of the Marilyn Stafford award recipient for photojournalists has been declared!
In a bid to support local advocacy and public education, FotoDocument, a renowned organisation partnering with housing justice organisations, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for POST, an artist-led cultural space in Brighton & Hove. This innovative project, housed in a 1960s post-industrial building, aims to provide affordable studios, a community darkroom, gallery, and workshops for artists and photographers.
Simon Roberts, the director of FotoDocument, and Nina Emett, one of its founders and curators, are spearheading this exciting initiative. The award-winning Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award 2025, facilitated by FotoDocument and supported by Nikon, has recently been granted to Jodi Windvogel, a member of the African Photojournalism Database (APJD) and African Women Photograph.
Jodi Windvogel's winning photo essay, titled "LIFE UNDER OCCUPATION: INSIDE CISSIE GOOL HOUSE & CAPE TOWN'S HOUSING CRISIS," documents life inside a self-organized community that has occupied a former public hospital in Cape Town since 2017. The essay sheds light on the harsh realities faced by residents living under conditions of occupation and precarious housing, offering a compelling portrayal of marginalised communities grappling with housing instability and the socio-political implications of occupation within the city.
The significance of this work lies in its intimate portrayal of the lived experiences inside this communal home, bringing visibility to urgent urban issues and humanising the crisis through personal and communal narratives. This commitment to in-depth reportage earned Windvogel the prestigious Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, recognising the importance of visual storytelling in revealing social injustices.
The submissions for the award come from a wide range of countries, reflecting FotoDocument's commitment to promoting global perspectives. As part of the Festival of Photography, FotoDocument has booked top speakers and secured the 1960s post-industrial building in Hove for POST. Festival of Photography tickets can be saved on money, making it an accessible event for all photography enthusiasts.
Back the Kickstarter campaign for POST to help get the space up and running. More information about the POST Kickstarter campaign can be found online. By supporting POST, you are contributing to the creation of a vibrant cultural hub that will foster creativity, collaboration, and social change.
The upcoming POST cultural space in Brighton & Hove, a project led by FotoDocument, will feature a home-and-garden section, adding to its array of studios, darkroom, gallery, and workshops (lifestyle). Jodi Windvogel, the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award 2025 winner, brings attention to urgent urban issues by documenting life within a self-organized community, offering a glimpse into their housing crisis through her home-and-garden photo essay.
