< Artists

Tom Williams

Tom Williams is a documentary photographer, artist and educator based in Sydney, Australia. His primary focus has always been on telling the human side of a visual story, often working and collaborating with people or communities that are not frequently considered in mainstream media. In 2019 Tom was the inaugural recipient of the NSW Minister for the Arts' Award for Visual Storytelling, culminating in an exhibition at the State Library of NSW.

Tom's photographic work has been featured in festivals and galleries in Australia, South East Asia and Latin America. These include the Reportage Festival of Photojournalism, Foto Freo, The Angkor Photography Festival in Cambodia, Head On Photo Festival, The CCP Documentary Photography Award, Elizabeth Street Gallery and Sydney Theatre Company. He has worked for a number of publications, including The Bulletin Magazine, Fairfax newspapers and magazines, Monocle Magazine, Corpus Magazine and Neighbourhood Paper.  His photographic series have also been published in New Philosopher Magazine, Take Magazine, Good Weekend and The Big Issue.

In 2009 Tom was awarded the 7th CCP Documentary Photography Award for his series 'Neighbourhood'. His work has also been exhibited in solo exhibitions at The Colour Factory Gallery (Melbourne), Photospace Gallery, School of Art, Australian National University, and Wollongong City Gallery. 

www.tomwilliamsphotos.com

EXHIBITIONS

2021
‘2020 Vision’, featured group exhibition of the Head On Photo Festival, Sydney and Regional NSW.

2019
‘Family Album’ (solo exhibition), State Library of NSW (Winner of the NSW Arts Minister’s Award for Visual Storytelling).

2017
Here, There and Everywhere, Ambush Gallery (public art installation with Stephen Dupont, Wollongong Central).

2015
Battle of Waterloo, Program and exhibition, Wharf Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company.

2014
Portside  Solo Exhibition, The Colour Factory, Melbourne.
Portside  Photo Space Gallery, School of Art, ANU,  Canberra.

2014
Elizabeth Street Gallery  Major permanent group public exhibition, commissioned by City of Sydney installed in the external building facades of Elizabeth Street.

2013
Cross Projections Tusculum House, Sydney.

2012
Twelve Months  Group show, The Photography Room, Canberra.

2011
Head On Portrait Prize finalist, Australian Centre for  Photography, Sydney.

2010
Sydney Life, Art and about Festival, Hyde Park, Sydney.
Angkor Photography Festival, Siem Reap, Cambodia (Projections section).
Reportage Festival Retrospective, National Art School, Sydney.

2009
Winner, 7th CCP Documentary Photography Award -‘Neighbourhood’ series.
Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne; travelling exhibition.

2008
Reportage Festival of Photojournalism, Sydney.
Foto Freo Photography Festival, Fremantle, Western Australia.

2007
Cross Projections Festival of Photography, Sydney.
Pathway and Highway,  Solo Exhibition, Wollongong City Gallery.

EMPLOYMENT
2011 – current
Sessional Lecturer, Photography, University of Wollongong.
Teaching into the Visual Arts core program and Bachelor of Arts (Photography) elective program.

2001 – Current
Documentary Photographer and Artist.

2000-2017
Fairfax Media, Bulletin Magazine, Neighbourhood Paper contributor, 2000 – 2017.  Additional contributions to New Philosopher, Australian Photo Review and Take Magazine.

ART FESTIVALS
2004-10
Foto Freo

2004-2010
Reportage Festival of Photography

2006-21
Head On Photo Festival

2006-14
Art & About

2008-2010
Angkor Photography Festival 

COLLECTIONS
Centre for Contemporary Photography (Melbourne), Elizabeth Street Gallery (Sydney) The State Library of New South Wales (Sydney), Sydney Theatre Company, and The Colour Factory (Melbourne), The National Health and Medical Research Council (Canberra) and private collections.