Darkroom facilities and booking

Facilities

• 10 enlargers including black and white and colour heads.
• 35mm to large format.
• Black and white film development facilities.
• Daylight finishing area.
• Technical support and chemicals.
• Availability to members during evenings and weekends.
• Spacious and fully accessible.

All users of the darkroom facility are requested to attend a short, free induction session prior to use. This must be booked in advance with the technician.

Making a booking

• It is advisable to book all darkroom sessions in advance to ensure access to the equipment.
• Late bookings and drop-in sessional hire for black and white processing and printing will be accommodated if space is available.
• Darkroom users are expected to share workspace and to use the booked enlarger.

Call the Learning and Family Centre on 0117 914 5470 for more information or to book a session. Please specify any specialist equipment required.

Please note - payment is by cash or cheque only.

Membership

Become a darkroom member for greater flexibility and the following benefits:

• Seven days per week availability – evening and weekends are exclusively for members.
• Discounted rates – low sessional hire rates for members.

Membership fees

12 months £42 / £21 concessions.

6 months £32 / £16 concessions.

Concessionary rates are available for full time students, those on benefits, state pensioners and disabled people. Proof must be shown.

Session times and fees

Darkroom session times

Monday to Thursday
10.30am to 1.45pm and 2pm to 5.15pm.
5.30pm to 8.45pm (members only in the evening).

Please note - during school holidays the centre will close at 7pm. Therefore, evening sessions will not be available during holidays.

Friday
10am to 1.15pm and 1.30pm to 4.45pm.

Weekends (members only)
Saturday 10am to 1.15pm and 1.30pm to 4.45pm.
Sunday 11.15am to 2.45pm.

Black and white darkroom fees per session

Members £10.
Non-members £16 / £13 concessions.
Plus £6 for prints larger than 12 inches by 16 inches.

Cancellations

There's a £5 per session fee for a cancellation with less than 24 hours notice.

Group bookings

Do you want to:

• Get a group of people into the darkroom?
• Run a photography course?
• Set up a photography project?

How it works:

One or both darkrooms can be booked by groups who want to run their own projects, by tutors who want to organise their own courses, or professional photographers who want to offer training. In fact any enterprising individuals could complement the adult education provision.

• Bookings are made per darkroom, not per enlarger.
• Groups will have exclusive use of the darkroom once they have booked, regardless of how many people actually turn up on the day.
• Once a group booking is taken, no other user will be booked into the darkroom at that time.
• Therefore it will not be possible to book part of a session, as that session cannot be used by anyone else.

Black and white darkroom only (seven enlargers - black and white printing only).
£125 per session - commercial rates.
£67 per session - concession.
£52 per session - for Bristol City Council groups, community groups and local charities.

Black and white film processing only with a small group
£47 per session - commercial rates.
£37 per session - concession.
£26 per session - for Bristol City Council groups, community groups and charities.

Black and white printing and film processing, with a max of 10 enlargers (using both darkrooms).
£155 per session - commercial rates.
£93 per session - concession.
£72.50 per session - for Bristol City Council groups, community groups and local charities.

Concessions include: full-time students, people receiving benefits, state pensioners and disabled people. Proof must be shown.

How to make a booking:
Please contact Wendy Leocque, photography technician to discuss making a group booking:
Email: wendy.leocque@bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 914 5470.

• Bookings can be made for a one off session, short courses, or on a regular basis for long term projects. We will do our best to accommodate your requirements and ensure availability.
• Concessions include: full-time students, people on benefits, state pensioners and disabled people. Proof must be shown.
• Prices include darkroom set up and all chemicals.
• Prices do not include film, photographic paper and other consumables.
• Please note - payment is by cash or cheque only.

Darkroom session times:
Please see darkroom session times for booking availability.

Please note:

• With ten enlargers the maximum number of people should not exceed this number.
• There should be a tutor, co-ordinator or someone who knows about photography with the group at all times.
• The group leader should have an induction session before using the darkroom.
• Bookings are made per darkroom, not per enlarger and groups will have exclusive use of the darkroom(s) once they have booked, regardless of how many people actually turn up on the day.
• Please stick to session times when a booking is made, as it ensures availability for other darkroom users.