Diffusion 2013
For its inaugural festival in 2013, Diffusion focused on the state of photography and lens-based media in a digital age, and its role in documenting people’s lives and experiences and in articulating local, national and international identities.
Diffusion 2013 attracted 56,500 visitors from Wales and beyond and offered a rich programme of exhibitions, events and participatory creative activities in virtual and real spaces.
Between 1 and 31 May 2013 Diffusion presented:
20 exhibitions across 15 venues within the city, from the National Museum Cardiff to Chapter Arts, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to St. David’s Hall. Diffusion also transformed the Tramshed, a recently vacated 19th Century industrial building, bringing it into cultural use for the very first time.
5 satellite exhibitions at 3 venues in Swansea, Caerphilly and Aberystwyth
A one-day symposium at the National Museum attended by 200 speakers and delegates from international galleries, museums and the commercial art world, including a keynote address by world-renowned artist Richard Wentworth.
A two-day Independent Publishing Weekend at Chapter attended by 635 exhibitors and visitors including a photo book fair, symposium, workshops, book launches and events.
Presentation of photographic and lens-based work by 120 artists and publishers from Wales, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, Colombia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Latvia, and the Czech Republic.
An online Diffusion Experience in which artist interviews, slideshows, reviews, videos and other content were uploaded to the festival website throughout the month offering live documentation of events, an immersive experience for viewers around the world and a comprehensive archive of Diffusion 2013.
New participatory artworks in public spaces including Ffotohive, Camper Obscura, Cardiff Pop-Up Portrait Studio and Cardiff Encounters and the Cardiff PhotoMarathon.
A family friendly programme of participatory activities including exhibition tours, artist walks and talks, four Platform debates, iPhoneography, Gif Gathering, Book Binding, Cardiff Chronicles and Embroidered Portraits workshops, and Tea and Cake Tuesdays.