By Tracey Thorne, how one photograph taken in Kingston in 2017 sparked a journey and led to the development of my international project work in Jamaica.
Photograph: Channel One Recording Studio in Kingston, Jamaica, is one of the most iconic and influential studios in the history of reggae music, founded in 1972. Today the building lies abandoned and only its hand-painted sign provides a visual link to what it once was. Maxfield Avenue, Kingston, Jamaica, Tracey Thorne.
Introduction: A Photo in Kingston Sparked a Journey
It all began with a photograph I took in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2017 while on holiday. That image, capturing the cultural significance of a place that truly resonated with me, lit a spark that led me to spend months back in the UK developing the project and seeking funding from Arts Council England. More significantly, it gave me the courage to leave my job in the NHS after 25 years in the public sector and fully commit to this path.
In this post, I’ll share how I navigated international projects and offer guidance on starting your planned international project, with a particular focus on securing grant funding. There are other options that you can also explore to start to find ways to work abroad which aren't explored here but worthy of a mention; such as artist residencies, sponsorships, and simply pursuing personal travel or volunteering to explore and create.
Why International Projects?
For me, international travel itself shouldn’t be the end goal. It’s about using these experiences to connect with different places and communities and gain new perspectives. Important to my practice is a personal aim for me to use this work to reflect on historical legacies and their impact today. These projects should bridge cultural gaps, enrich our lives, and contribute towards driving meaningful change. My journey in Jamaica, far from just palm trees and sunshine, involved visual storytelling and documenting post-colonial Jamaica. It has always been about more than just taking photos—it is about using my camera as a tool for preserving cultural history and fostering dialogue between communities.
Photograph: Beyond the picturesque view towards the eighteenth-century windmill on what was Green Park Sugar Plantation a site of historic enslavement in Trelawney, Jamaica. From the series Intended for Jamaica, 2024 by Tracey Thorne.
The Beginnings: Why Jamaica?
I began my journey in Jamaica because, from the moment I captured my first photograph there, I felt a deep connection to the island. The image resonated with the ways Jamaican culture and close family ties have shaped my life, despite my initial limited knowledge of the island itself. Before this, I had spent over six years in Birmingham photographing and researching visual culture in urban spaces across the UK, focusing on signs, murals and graffiti. In 2015, I even discussed this work in an interview with the BBC. Although I almost pursued a PhD, I realised that my true passion was in photography, not academia.
The idea to document Jamaica's walls emerged naturally from this foundation, evolving into a fully funded art project. It's important to remember that you don’t need to start with a fully formed idea. The key is to choose a place and project that resonates with you—whether culturally, historically, or emotionally. That single photograph I took in Jamaica opened a door to a world of possibilities, demonstrating how travel and keen observation can lead to the organic development of meaningful projects.
Step 1: Develop a Bespoke International Project
Here’s the thing — if you’re serious about starting an international project, and you’re looking for funding or sponsorship, you need to craft a proposal that stands out. Here's how you can start:
1. Identify a Focus:
What inspires you? Is it a cultural tradition, a social issue, or a historical connection? For me, it was documenting the disappearing art of hand-painted signs in Jamaica. Choose something that’s meaningful to you and aligns with your skills or interests.
Photograph: Gapps Sign Shop in Handover, Jamaica. From the series, Hand-painted Jamaica, 2019 by Tracey Thorne.
2. Research Potential Funding Sources:
Arts organisations, such as Arts Council England, offer grants to artists working on projects that have a cultural impact. Look for similar opportunities in your niche, whether it’s the arts, history, or community-driven initiatives.
3. Build a Strong Narrative:
Funders and sponsors are looking for projects with purpose. Explain why your project matters and how it will add value — both locally and globally. My Hand-painted Jamaica project wasn’t just about documenting signs; it was about preserving a piece of visual culture and sparking conversations about places. These signs provide an alternative way to navigate the country and reimagine Jamaica. It's vital that when you think about making work abroad, you consider how this can be done collaboratively and in a socially engaged way. Unfortunately, there is a legacy in photography of extraction and exploitation that comes with being a storyteller. I worked on the photo ethics of the project and planned how I might, after the work was made, go back to Jamaica and share the work. So search online as part of your research for relevant standards of ethical and socially engaged photography projects and think about any training that may be needed. I did a workshop with Photovoice in the past.
Photograph: After the project and exhibition in the UK I returned to Jamaica and ran a sign painting workshop with a local youth project and sign painter. We gave away copies of the photo zine I had made, displayed the images on the wall and let the young people try to make a sign on the MDF board. Workshop in Boston, Portland, Jamaica. From the series, Hand-painted Jamaica. Photograph taken in late 2019 by Tracey Thorne.
4. Collaborate and Network:
Building relationships with local communities, artists, or institutions can provide invaluable support. In Jamaica, I learned that collaboration was key. It deepened my project and made it more impactful.
Photograph: Rushane Drummond aka Bug Art Sav in his studio with Tracey Thorne during a studio visit in 2022 in Westmoreland, Jamaica. Bug was featured Jamaican sign artist from the series, Hand-painted Jamaica, first interviewed and photographed by Tracey Thorne in 2018.
Jamaicans and tourists from all over the world buy Bug Art Sav's Jamaican folk art and commission him for work. Follow him on Instagram here
Step 2: Overcome the Fears and Barriers
Many people hesitate when it comes to starting international projects because of practical fears:
- Fear of Failure: What if no one is interested in your project?
- Funding Challenges: Will you be able to secure financial backing?
- Logistical Concerns: How will you manage travel, accommodation, and local logistics?
The truth is, these barriers are real, but they’re not insurmountable. For example, I didn’t have a fully formed plan when I began in Jamaica, but by starting small, learning on the ground, and adapting my project based on local realities, I was able to navigate these challenges.
Photograph: Using public transport and taxis is one way to get around you need to plan this into any project, photograph taken in Kingston, the busy capital of Jamaica, Tracey Thorne, 2021.
Step 3: Travel with Intent, Let the Place Guide You
If you don’t have funding yet, don’t let that stop you. Just start traveling, observing, and exploring. When I first arrived in Kingston, I didn’t know that my international projects would end up spanning nearly six years. I simply let my curiosity and learning guide me.
- Engage with the Place: Spend time understanding the culture, history, and context of where you are. Every place has its own stories to tell, and often those stories will shape the direction of your project.
Photograph: Mural We Are Jamaicans painted as part of the Kingston Creative initiative to use art and culture to help people connect and use spaces in downtown Kingston, Jamaica, Tracey Thorne, 2020.
- Be Open to Organic Growth: Projects evolve naturally when you're on the ground. Hand-painted Jamaica was the starting point, leading me to undertake four international projects in Jamaica, forming a substantial body of work for my photographic practice. Initially focused on Jamaica's painted walls, my work expanded to include a survey of Jamaican Dancehall signs - in 2020 I made a series called Lots of Sign. But, then the pandemic came along changing our lives and, this gave me space for new ways of seeing, and the space to shift my focus to the land, exploring issues relating to colonial legacies and environmental issues.
Photograph: Jamaican Dancehall signs photographed in 2021 in Portland, Jamaica. The sign for a party that never took place when the pandemic bought an historic pause to the islands dancehall and party scene from the series, Lots of Sign by Tracey Thorne.
Photograph: Coastal erosion photographed at Hellshire beach in Portmore, Jamaica during research for a project called Fieldnotes Jamaica by Tracey Thorne, 2021.
Documenting Jamaica's visual culture has compelled me to delve deeper into the island's rich history, particularly the legacy of British Jamaica and the colonial period, which is evident everywhere I go. Working in Jamaica has become a significant and ongoing journey in my career as a photographer, one that may very well become my life's work. I am profoundly humbled by the opportunity to create in Jamaica, and I feel a deep responsibility to ensure that my projects contribute meaningfully. This drive comes from a place of reflection, learning, and empathy, with the hope of fostering unity and helping us build a better world together.
Step 4: Add Value Through Your Work
One of the most important aspects of doing an international project is to create something that has lasting value. Photography, for me, isn’t just a way to capture a moment; it’s a tool for activism and historical documentation. It helps people learn from each other, understand different perspectives, and preserve legacies that might otherwise be forgotten.
Photograph: People gathered on National Windrush Day by the statute of the Golden Boys near to the Library of Birmingham where my exhibition Intended for Jamaica was open. The exhibition explored and attempted to recover the sale of steam engines by the company of Boulton & Watt to sugar plantations in Jamaica during the nineteenth century. This was an artist research project using archives found in the library collections and based on fieldwork in Jamaica. This project was supported by Arts Council England, photograph by Tracey Thorne, 2024.
So, as you start your journey, think about the impact your work can have. Are you helping to preserve history? Are you fostering cultural exchange? Your project should be more than just about you — it should add value to the communities and cultures you engage with.
Intended for Jamaica exhibition opened at the Library for Birmingham on the 10 May and was extended to 14 December, free entry on the 3rd Floor in the galley - details here.
Conclusion: What’s Your Next Step?
Starting an international project can feel overwhelming, but remember: you don’t need to have it all figured out from the start. Begin with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Whether it’s through securing funding, like I did with Hand-Painted Jamaica, or simply travelling and exploring with intent, the opportunities are there.
So, what’s your next step? What inspires you? What might you discover by stepping beyond borders?
Tracey Thorne is a Birmingham-based photographer and photographic artist who has been undertaking international projects for over six years. Her work focuses on cultural preservation and documenting the stories that shape our world. Read More here
Photograph: Always travel with your camera and a notebook as you never know where and when a project might be sparked. Street scene in the former colonial town of Valladolid, Mexico by Tracey Thorne, 2024.
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