This year's Summer School will run July 27-31st 2026, hosted by Ingrid Christie, Lela Harris, Sarah Galloway and Alan Morris. We are also delighted to welcome Simon Hill CPhot FRGS HonFRPS, the President of the Royal Photographic Society, for a special evening talk on Tuesday 28 July.
Join us for a five-day immersive Summer School hosted by Assembly Arts in the beautiful historic city of Lancaster on the edge of the Lake District. This focused week offers an opportunity for you to step away from everyday routines and take a deep dive into your creative practice, guided by respected artists and teachers working at the forefront of their fields.
Designed for those with some previous art experience or anyone considering further study, the course places a strong emphasis on personal creative development. Through thoughtful discussion and practical workshops, you will explore what motivates you as an artist and begin to solidify your unique artistic voice and direction.
Throughout the week you will work across a range of disciplines including abstract painting, portrait drawing, life drawing and darkroom photography. Sessions are led by highly experienced artists and teachers who will support you in developing your ideas while encouraging experimentation, curiosity and confidence in your own creative instincts.
With access to Assembly Arts’ purpose-built studios as well as opportunities to work on location, this summer school offers both structured learning and valuable time for reflection. A programme of informal evening gatherings provides an opportunity for stimulating conversation, exchange of ideas and lasting creative connections between students and tutors.
All lunches, along with teas, coffees and cakes from local artisan suppliers, are included throughout the week. The course begins with a special welcome meal on the first evening — a chance to meet fellow participants and start our dynamic creative week together.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT £250 will be applied at checkout if you reserve your space before 15th June, with a further £400 off a second ticket if you bring a friend. To enable this offer please add each participant into your trolley separately, and the website will do the rest.
For all enquiries and for information about local accommodation please contact the Summer School Coordinator Dr Alan Morris at alan@assemblyarts.co.uk
Day One
After an initial session outlining the aims of the week and including an opportunity to get to know one another, the main focus of the day will be black and white analogue photography. After an introduction (or refresher) to the operation of a 35mm single lens reflex camera we will then undertake a short walking photo tour of Lancaster's historic city centre guided by Dr Alan Morris. Locations will include the medieval castle, Lancaster Priory, the Judges Lodgings and quay. You will have the opportunity to take photographs with a 35mm camera that we can supply or you may bring your own. In the evening we will meet for an informal and relaxed meal in Lancaster city centre.
Day Two
The second day of the course will be based in the fully equipped darkroom at Assembly Arts where you will process and print the black and white photographs shot during the photo walk on the first day. Led by Dr Alan Morris you will be fully instructed in all aspects of analogue photography and learn about the creative potential and possibilities of the darkroom including how it might relate to your current and future practice as an artist.
In the evening join Simon Hill CPhot FRGS HonFRPS for a special presentation covering his career as a photographer and his latest project The North Revisited
Day Three
Under the expert guidance of artist Lela Harris you will have the opportunity to develop your portrait drawing skills during this supportive mixed media drawing workshop. You will explore a range of different techniques to capture personality and expression, with an opportunity to try out a range of different mediums and surfaces. As well as giving an overview of her practice Lela will also share her portrait drawing tips and tricks on light, composition and narrative storytelling. Guidance will also be provided on selecting good photo references to work from and how to develop your drawings further. By the end of the workshop, participants will have learnt some new techniques and feel more confident and excited about drawing portraits.
In the evening Sarah Galloway will lead a very relaxed and fun Life Drawing session with a nude model from 7-9pm. Aimed at all abilities, using a range of media the session will be a great opportunity to enhance your observation and drawing skills.
Day Four
After being picked up by coach you will travel to the edges of Morecambe Bay to spend the morning working on location with artist Ingrid Christie. With Ingrid's expert guidance you will undertake observational drawing prior to returning to the studio at Assembly Arts in the afternoon. Here you will have the opportunity to translate your ideas into paintings, with discussion around abstract painting, self development, psychology and your influences taking centre stage.
At the end of the day will be free to enjoy the evening as you wish whilst Sarah Galloway, Alan Morris and Summer School Assistant Tilly Turner will meet at a city centre venue near Assembly Arts at 7pm if you would like to join them.
Day Five
The final day of the Summer School will begin with an informal crit of the work that you have produced during the week. All the tutors will attend this relaxed morning session providing both summative and formative feedback about your work and practice. After lunch Dr Alan Morris will lead a final seminar with Sarah Galloway reflecting on the week's activities and your future plans as an artist. Along with your completed work and using your sketchbooks created during the week as a guide, support and advice about your practice will be offered, with particular emphasis placed on your future plans and ambitions as an artist.
After saying goodbye the session will end at 2.30pm allowing those who have travelled from further afield to return home.
Photo: Dunja Opalko
Lela Harris
Creatively curious by nature, Lela's work is inspired by her imagination, historical research, documentary photography and the possibilities of different mediums, techniques and surfaces; resulting in an eclectic mix of work with a strong focus on portraiture. Harris’ creative practice is driven by a desire to uncover the stories of those often overlooked and marginalised by history. Adding humanity and a full inner life to the characters she depicts, each subject is an exploration of identity and belonging. Through sensitively observed figurative paintings and drawings her work seeks to explore and expand our understanding of the everyday lives, hopes dreams and fears of ordinary people in a bid to close gaps in representation. Receiving nationwide recognition of her work Harris was recently a finalist for the Museums Association Decolonisation Award 2023 for her ‘Black Lancastrians’ Exhibition at Judges’ Lodgings Museum in Lancaster and awarded Runner Up in the V&A Illustration Awards 2022 Book Cover Category for her work on the first illustrated edition of ‘The Color Purple’ by Alice Walker, published by the Folio Society. Harris’ work resides in private collections around the world and has been acquired by several public collections including Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal; Judges’ Lodgings Museum, Lancaster and Lancaster University
Ingrid Christie
With a background in psychology and psychoanalysis, since graduating with a first class honours in Fine Art in 2007 Ingrid Christie has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally and has been shortlisted twice for the John Moores Painting prize in 2020 and 2025. Her work is held in the public collection at The Peter Scott Gallery, Lancaster University and in numerous private collections including those of David Sedaris and Dr Spencer Rowell. Ingrid was artist-in-residence at Summerhall in Edinburgh for two years, culminating in two solo shows in 2012 and 2013. In 2015 Ingrid studied traditional ink and brush painting in China on a one-to-one residency with master painter ‘Fuzi’ in Beijing. In 2016 Fuzi and Ingrid exhibited a two person show at The John Ruskin Museum, Brantwood, in the Lake District. An accomplished painter and photographer, in addition to being a member of the Assembly Photographic Collective Ingrid is a member of The Pearls, a collective of 20 female painters based in the northwest and who featured at The Manchester Contemporary in 2025. In 2025 Ingrid completed a six-month analogue photography residency at Assembly culminating in a solo exhibition in March 2026. As an artist Ingrid is passionate about the topography, people and light of Morecambe Bay, a place in which she especially drawn and is proud to call home.
Sarah Galloway
Born in Devon in 1963 artist Sarah Galloway is renowned for her contemporary architectural and stained glass. In addition to making and exhibiting her drawings and prints, Sarah has undertaken many important and groundbreaking commissions in glass, employing experimental and innovative techniques. The exploration of light is an important aspect of her abstract and conceptual work, whilst she continues to push back the boundaries of her practice, re-defining the possibilities of glass through the adoption of contemporary methodologies. Sarah's numerous commissions across the UK include artworks for the Lady Chapel at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, windows for the Church of the Sacred Heart in Edinburgh, Muswell Hill United Reformed Church, Sunfields Methodist Church in Blackheath and Silverdale Church, Lancashire. She has created permanent public artworks for Blackburn town centre ands Oban harbourside amongst others in addition to installations and site specific artworks. Throughout her career Sarah has collaborated with architects and designers on numerous award winning projects in both the public and private domain. After spending her early years travelling extensively, living in many parts of the United Kingdom in addition to time spent in Malta, her family settled in Cornwall. After attending Falmouth College of Art, with early influences including the St Ives Painters and artists Patrick Heron and John Piper, interested in surface pattern and design Sarah went onto to study at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. It was during her MA that Sarah developed her love of glass. A passionate and enthusiastic teacher, Sarah continues to share her practice and ideas. She is a co-founder of Assembly Arts where she has her own studio in addition to running courses and workshops throughout the year.
Dr Alan Morris BA(Hons) MA PGCE
With a background in photography and pedagogy Alan Morris has taught in a number of art colleges and institutions, including as Course Leader BA(Hons) Fine Art Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, Course Leader for the MA Entrepreneurship for Creative Practice programme at Arts University Plymouth and Curriculum Leader for the BA(Hons) Photography programme at Blackpool School of Arts. He has a PhD in Digital Technologies and Photographic Archives, along with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Alan has a particular interest in social documentary and landscape photography and continues to produce personal work exploring places and contemporary issues whilst his work is held in public collections at the Birmingham Library and Worcester Art Gallery. Alan is currently undertaking research into creativity and the role of art schools and is a keen advocate of providing opportunities for creative expression. He has a particular interest in encouraging and supporting individual's practice, helping them to understand their motivations whilst developing their own creative voice. Having founded Assembly Arts in 2023 Alan set up the Assembly Photographic Collective (APC). With over thirty members, the APC provides a supportive and collaborative space in which photographers in the Lancaster region can share their practice. The focus is on photography that embraces social, cultural, experimental and alternative techniques, catering to a diverse range of perspectives on work.
Photo: Ruth Emily Hanson
Simon Hill CPhot FRGS HonFRPS
Simon Hill is an award-winning editorial photographer living in the north of England and working internationally. His work embraces a range of genres including portrait, heritage, landscape, and documentary. He has publication credits in over 300 periodicals including National Geographic Magazine, The Observer Magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine; and almost all UK newspapers including The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Sunday Times. Simon's work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, the National Media Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum, Photo North Festival, the Council of Europe, UNESCO (Paris) and UNICEF (New York). His portrait photography is held in the RPS New Collection and his documentary work is held in the collection of the Martin Parr Foundation. Simon is a previous winner of Kodak Professional Photographer of the Year, BIPP Professional Photographer of the Year, and is the only British winner of the International Art Portrait Award. He is an experienced BA/MA/MFA lecturer and assessor; Simon also devotes time to tutoring and mentoring young and emerging photographers, particularly those living with mental health issues. In 1986 Simon became one of the youngest elected Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and 1991 he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). In January 2021, he was elected President and an Honorary Fellow (HonFRPS) of the Society. Simon is the longest serving President of the Society since it was granted its 'Royal' title by Queen Victoria, in 1874. In February 2025 Simon was confirmed as the first ever Chartered Photographer (CPhot) in the UK.
