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The changing face of British Society & Culture. 20th Century Documentary Photography.

Cain’s Amusement Arcade, Herne Bay, Kent, 1982–1984.George Wilson photographed Cain’s amusement arcade in Herne Bay duri...
30/05/2026

Cain’s Amusement Arcade, Herne Bay, Kent, 1982–1984.

George Wilson photographed Cain’s amusement arcade in Herne Bay during the early 1980s, while working there as a bingo caller.

Wilson studied documentary photography at Newport under David Hurn, and the series remains one of the few substantial bodies of work focused on life inside a British amusement arcade.

Works from the series are currently included in the exhibition Video Games & Music at the Philharmonie de Paris, France.

George Wilson prints from the series are available online from BCA.

Photos © George Wilson / BCA. All rights reserved.

Nottingham, 1977.Photo submitted to The People’s Archive by Ian Bates.Ian: “May 1977, posing with my first car after pas...
28/05/2026

Nottingham, 1977.

Photo submitted to The People’s Archive by Ian Bates.

Ian: “May 1977, posing with my first car after passing my test at 17. An Austin 1300 MK3 costing £795. The photo was taken outside our house in the shadow of the John Players factory, where my dad worked. And what a pair of (Oxford) bags!”

The People’s Archive is BCA’s crowdsourced archive of more than 50,000 photographs documenting everyday life in 20th-century Britain.

Photo © Ian Bates / The People’s Archive.

Bleech 9:3.Five photographs by BCA photographer Nick Wynne have been licensed for use across artwork by the emerging Dub...
28/05/2026

Bleech 9:3.

Five photographs by BCA photographer Nick Wynne have been licensed for use across artwork by the emerging Dublin-formed, London-based band, including the group’s debut singles and self-titled EP released through Polydor

Read more via BCA News:
https://britishculturearchive.co.uk/bleech-93-cover-artwork-nick-wynne-bca/

Photo © Nick Wynne / British Culture Archive.

London, 1976.A man feeds birds along the Thames as smoke rises from Bankside Power Station, before the building was tran...
17/05/2026

London, 1976.

A man feeds birds along the Thames as smoke rises from Bankside Power Station, before the building was transformed into Tate Modern.

Photographed by Luis Bustamante as part of his documentation of the UK during the 1970s.

Photo © Luis Bustamante / BCA. All rights reserved.

Sheffield United Fans, 1989-1990. Bill Stephenson’s photographs capture Blades’ fans and match-day atmosphere during the...
09/05/2026

Sheffield United Fans, 1989-1990.

Bill Stephenson’s photographs capture Blades’ fans and match-day atmosphere during the 1989-1990 season, which signalled Sheffield United’s return to the top tier of English football.

“As an outsider, I admired the sense of identity and purpose Blades supporters had and could appreciate the rewards of belonging to a wider community of like minded people.” - Bill Stephenson.

Feature online at BCA: https://britishculturearchive.co.uk/sheffield-united-1980s-photographs-by-bill-stephenson-british-culture-archive/

Hull, 1970s by Sean Plunkett.Part of Sean Plunkett’s body of work documenting life in his home city of Hull during the 1...
07/05/2026

Hull, 1970s by Sean Plunkett.

Part of Sean Plunkett’s body of work documenting life in his home city of Hull during the 1970s.

Gallery online at BCA. Prints

Photos © Estate of Sean Plunkett / BCA. All rights reserved.

Manchester city centre, 1976.From David Chadwick’s wider Manchester archive. Fly posters in the background include the S...
29/04/2026

Manchester city centre, 1976.

From David Chadwick’s wider Manchester archive. Fly posters in the background include the S*x Pistols Lesser Free Trade Hall return gig with Buzzcocks and Slaughter and the Dogs. The Lesser Free Trade Hall shows in June and July 1976 are regarded among the most influential gigs of the punk era.

Also visible are posters for Bob Marley & The Wailers at King’s Hall, Belle Vue, and Electric Light Orchestra.

Photo © David Chadwick / BCA. All rights reserved.

Oasis fans, Maine Road, Manchester, 1996.30 years ago today.Taken during the band’s sold-out hometown shows on 27–28 Apr...
27/04/2026

Oasis fans, Maine Road, Manchester, 1996.
30 years ago today.

Taken during the band’s sold-out hometown shows on 27–28 April 1996.

A selection of photographs by Amelia Troubridge from the BCA exhibition Oasis Fans 1994–1997 (2025).

Exhibition gallery online at BCA.

LIMITED PRE-ORDER COPIES AVAILABLE Published by BCA in collaboration with the Tish Murtha Archive, the book presents Tis...
19/04/2026

LIMITED PRE-ORDER COPIES AVAILABLE

Published by BCA in collaboration with the Tish Murtha Archive, the book presents Tish Murtha’s seminal Youth Unemployment body of work in a bold new form, under a title drawn from her powerful accompanying essay.

This hardback book brings one of the most important bodies of work in British documentary photography to a new generation.

Available exclusively through BCA.

Find out more and Pre-Order Here: https://britishculturearchive.co.uk/product/vandalism-on-a-grand-scale/

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