Format was an agency set up in 1983 to represent women photographers, with the aim of documenting the world from a different perspective."Women Photographers", Woman's Hour, Visual Arts Archive, BBC Radio 4, 24 February 2003. The agency operated for two decades, and its end, in 2003, was marked by an exhibition."Ultimate Format | Format Women Photographers 1983 – 2003" , Photofusion. In 2010, the National Portrait Gallery, London, showed a range of work by Format photographers."Format Women's Picture Agency at NPG - January - July 2010" , Roshini Kempadoo.
The idea of an all-women photo agency was the conception of Maggie Murray and Val Wilmer,"Art, photography & architecture: Wilmer, Val (12 of 13). Oral History of British Photography", British Library, Sounds. and Format's membership over the years also included Jackie Chapman, Anita Corbin, Sue Darlow, Melanie Friend, Sheila Gray, Paula Glassman, Judy Harrison, Pam Isherwood, Roshini Kempadoo, Jenny Matthews, Joanne O'Brien, Raissa Page, Brenda Prince, Ulrike Preuss, Miriam Reik, Karen Robinson, Paula Solloway, Mo Wilson and Lisa Woollett."Format Photographers Agency 1983–2003".
An archive of Format's papers and photographs is held at Bishopsgate Institute, London.
Exhibitions Format Photography Agency 1983 – 2003, National Portrait Gallery, London, January–August 2010
References