During the Festive Season, between November 2023 and the end of January 2024, a photographic exhibition hosted by CTPS impressed the thousands of visitors to the Groot Constantia Wine Tasting Venue. The exhibition, showcasing the work of 171 Western Cape photographers from 21 clubs across the region, was so popular that it was extended by a month to the end of January. Five of the clubs were from schools.

The exhibition was CTPS’  contribution to promoting photography in the Western Cape as we offered small clubs without resources and remote rural clubs, the opportunity of showing their work to all the people from across the globe who visited this prime tourist spot. CTPS was the designated host of the annual Interclub awards event, but at a special meeting of the Western Cape Photographic Forum (WCPF) clubs voted that the competition should be replaced by a Celebration of Photography  event, organised by CTPS.

Because sixteen of the seventeen adult clubs in the region, plus five school clubs, were keen to participate, only one print per member could be selected. The number of images submitted  by each club was also limited to be accommodated on the available wall space. Due to time constraints and to ensure a professional, uniform look, CTPS offered to print, mount and hang all the selected work.

Following the success of our club exhibition at Groot Constantia at the end of last year, exhibition curator Anna Engelhardt again asked this historic wine estate to host the exhibition. They contributed to the success by easing the way in many aspects and CEO Jean Naude and his wife Mariet attended the opening function, where the renowned Gauteng photographer Martin Barber, who gave two presentations the next morning, was the official speaker .

The participating clubs are all featured in an online booklet, providing information about the exhibition and a short description and contact details of all clubs. Leaflets, produced by Anna Engelhardt and Andre Mouton, provide further information about the exhibition and clubs. Groot Constantia helped to distribute them and some of the restaurants on the estate even included a leaflet with the bill presented to patrons.

Apart from the many CTPS members who attended the opening function, other club members travelled from as far as Piketberg, Malmesbury, Hermanus and Kleinmond, as well as from across the Peninsula, to participate. Among the hundred odd guests at the opening were committee members and chairpersons from Creative Camera Club, Helderberg, Ignite, Swartland, Tafelberg and Tygerberg clubs.

Some images from the Opening function – Photos Joyce Goldschmidt and Trudi du Toit