Portraits captured by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) students are currently featured as part of a major new display at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London.
A cohort of BA (Hons) Commercial Photography students from AUB are among those showcasing their work as part of Photo Portrait Now, an initiative delivered in partnership with the NPG (sponsored by The Bentley Foundation), alongside six leading UK universities.
The Photo Portrait Now project connects emerging photographers directly with the NPG collection, curatorial teams, and prominent contemporary photographers. The students were challenged to create original photographic portraits responding to key themes from the 2025 Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize.
Their final works will be on display in the NPG’s Spotlight Gallery until 18 September 2026.
Alongside having their work exhibited, participating AUB students attended a special symposium in London, gaining direct feedback from industry leaders and taking part in student-led panel discussions facilitated by the NPG’s Curator of Photographs, Clare Freestone.
“Taking part in the Photo Portrait Now programme has been an extraordinary opportunity for our students,” says Richard Lloyd Lewis, Senior Lecture on the BA (Hons) Commercial Photography at AUB. “To see their work hung on the walls of such an iconic national institution is a very proud moment.
“Connecting directly with industry leaders and curatorial staff gives our students a real taste of life as professional visual artists. Projects like this build confidence, sharpen professional practice, and highlight the power of photography to tell deeply personal and socially resonant stories.”
AUB's proud to be featured in the 2025–26 edition of the scheme alongside partner institutions including the University of Plymouth, University of Sunderland, University for the Creative Arts Farnham, University of South Wales and University of the Arts London's London College of Communication.
For more information on the Photo Portrait Now display, visit the National Portrait Gallery's website.
