b. 1983, Whitehaven, England
Stephen Kelly is a photographer whose work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in various collections. The most recent is an acquisition by Fotostiftung Schweiz of seventeen prints from his series ‘Crest’. The corresponding book of this work was published in 2025, and is part of a number of public archives and libraries.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, grants and fellowships, including a creation grant in the visual arts, awarded by the canton of Ticino, to develop a research project titled ‘Il Sentiero’, on the history of cross-border smuggling between Switzerland and Italy.
He is currently working on a long-term project along the West Cumbrian coast in England.
Education
MFA in Photography (Distinction), Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2021
BA (Hons) in Documentary Photography, University of Wales, Newport, Wales, 2006
Foundation studies in art & design, London College of Printing, England, 2003
Collections
Fotostiftung Schweiz, Winterthur, Switzerland
Fondazione Archivio Roberto Donetta, Corzoneso, Switzerland
Museo Onsernonese, Loco, Switzerland
Private collections
Books
Crest. XYZ Books, 2025
Libraries & Archives
State Archives of Ticino, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Fotostiftung Schweiz Library, Winterthur, Switzerland
Centre de la photographie Genève library, Geneva, Switzerland
Artphilein Foundation Library, Paradiso, Switzerland
GCBC Photobook Collection, San Telmo Museoa, San Sebastian, Spain
Selected Awards
Reflexions 2.0 Masterclass Selected Artist, 2023-2025
Creation grant in the visual arts, awarded by the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, 2022-2023
Fabrica Artist Scholarship, Treviso, Italy, 2010-2011
Gareth Jones Memorial Travelling Scholarship, Wales, UK, 2008
Observer David Hodge Award, London, UK, 2006
Reginald Salisbury Award, Wales, UK, 2006
Selected Exhibitions & Residencies
Crest, Museo Onsernonese, Loco, Switzerland, 2024
Nuit des images, Photo Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2024
Reflexions, Incadaqués Photo Festival, Cadaqués, Spain, 2024
XYZ Books Artist-in-Residency Program, Lisbon, Portugal, 2023
due valli, due visioni: a conversation with the archive of Roberto Donetta, Fondazione Archivio Donetta, Corzoneso, Switzerland, 2023
Tra le ombre delle montagne, Casa Azul, Verzasca Foto Festival, Gordola, Switzerland, 2023
Du Nil au Léman. Regards Contemporains, Musée d'art de Pully, Pully, Switzerland, 2023
Breathing Houses, Verzasca Foto Festival, Brione, Switzerland, 2022
Photographer-in-residence, FABRICA, Benetton Communication Research Centre, Treviso, Italy, 2010 – 2011
Associations
near. swiss association for contemporary photography