Stills Centre for Photography based in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

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Visit

Stills is a centre for photography based in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. With over 40 years of history, we’ve got a lot of experience to share. Our exhibitions, production facilities and range of creative, educational opportunities allow anyone to discover, enjoy and understand photography.

STILLS: CENTRE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
23 Cockburn Street
Edinburgh
Scotland EH1 1BP

GALLERY
Tuesday—Saturday, 11am—5pm

PRODUCTION FACILITIES
Tuesday, 11am—5pm
Wednesday, 11am—9pm
Thursday, 11am—9pm
Friday, 11am—5pm
Saturday, 11am—5pm

Planning a visit to Stills? View our visual guide here.

Explore more and hear insights about Stills through our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects. The free arts and culture app takes you behind the scenes with exclusive audio, highlights from our archive, and more. You’ll also find must-read content to help you get the most out of Stills.

History

Stills was established in 1977. Since that time it has become a champion for the important and powerful role that the medium of photography plays in the world today. We are currently working to make our archive accessible for research, here are a few items that we’ve uncovered so far.

1976

Creative Camera was a monthly fine art and documentary photography magazine published between 1964—2001. This edition featured work from the “Recent American Still Photography” exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery in 1976. The exhibition was organised by the Scottish Photography Group, which went on to become Stills. Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Harry Callahan and Garry Winogrand were only a handful of amazing photographers included in the show.

1977

This exhibition book is from Angus McBean “A Darker Side of the Moon”, the first exhibition held at Stills in 1977 at our original location on the High Street. Angus McBean was a prolific theatrical photographer associated with the Surrealist movement. “The camera’s love of her face is entirely serious and magical, and the unreality of the composition – she rises like a goddess out of the earth, her perfection emphasised by classical sculptures on columns that recede over the sands towards a painted sky – is not just a joke. It is also a quasi-religious recognition that she is not, after all, like you and me but inhabits another, dreamlike world created by the adoring eyes of cinema-goers.” Jonathon Jones, The Guardian, June 2006

1978

In 1978, Paul Strand’s “The Hebridean Photographs” was exhibited at Stills. This body of work, created in the 1960’s, documents Hebridean life, from people, to labour, to home-life, to landscape. We have a copy of this exhibition book in Stills’ eclectic, public-access, photographic library. “It may be unusual in an exhibition […] to include a small and seemingly alien group of images. We have assumed however that Strand’s earlier work may be unfamiliar to many people and that some brief introduction may be of value. Despite the changes of style and interest apparent in Strand’s work over the years, there is also an underlying consistency, an adherence to a creed established early in his career” Richard Hough, Stills Director 1978.

1982

In 1982, Stills exhibited work by Man Ray, a famous Dada and surrealist artist. These objects display some behind the scenes happenings of how galleries operate; deciding where certain works are to be hung, and sending out press releases are still common practice today.

1987

Did you visit our Jo Spence exhibition in 2016? This flyer from our archive shows that Stills already understood the importance of Spence’s work, way back in 1987. The “Women in Photography” event organised by Stills lists Jo Spence as a speaker alongside Val Williams, Grace Robertson and Maggie Murray. Sadly Spence had to pull out due to ill health, a final draft of the flyer reveals she was replaced by Dr. Roberta McGrath, an Edinburgh based photography scholar and lecturer.

1988

This cassette is a recording of Paul Graham giving an artist talk in 1988 when Stills exhibited Graham’s Troubled Land series. In this recording he talks about his images and working practice as well as some practical tips and advice about making a living as a photographer.

1994

“A Stuggy Pren” was an exhibition in 1994 which coincided with the release of a collaborative book between photographer Katrina Lithgow and poet Ivor Cutler. Featuring fascinating portraits of Cutler, taken by Lithgow, this exhibition elaborated on the dynamic collaborative relationship between both artists.

Our Team

DIRECTOR
Vivienne Gamble
vivienne.gamble@stills.org

PROGRAMME MANAGER
Cheryl Connell
cheryl.connell@stills.org

CREATIVE LEARNING MANAGER
Claire Cochrane
claire.cochrane@stills.org

FINANCE CONTROLLER
James McKenzie
finance@stills.org

TECHNICIAN
Joseph Wilson
joseph.wilson@stills.org

MARKETING AND VISITOR COORDINATOR
Daisy Mason
daisy.mason@stills.org

PROJECT COORDINATOR (CREATIVE LEARNING)
Louise McLachlan
louise.mclachlan@stills.org

GENERAL ENQUIRIES
info@stills.org

TECHNICAL MANAGER
Evan Thomas
evan.thomas@stills.org

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (MATERNITY LEAVE)
Caitlin Serey
caitlin.serey@stills.org

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (MATERNITY COVER)
Monica Sutcliffe
monica.sutcliffe@stills.org

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE & TUTOR
David Grinly
david.grinly@stills.org

TECHNICIAN
Joseph Glover
joseph.glover@stills.org

LIBRARY COORDINATOR
Connie Leroux
connie.leroux@stills.org | library@stills.org

PRODUCTION FACILITIES ENQUIRIES
resource@stills.org

Board Members:

Andrew McNiven (Chairperson)
Jane Martin
Alicia Bruce

Residents

There are no current residency opportunities.

Policies

As a charitable organisation Stills is committed to and conforms to various policies.

View our Privacy Policy
View our Environmental Policy
View our Fair Work Policy

Green Arts Initiative

Here at Stills we believe in our responsibility to demonstrate best practice in the environmental sustainability of all our activities. In turn, we aim to inform and influence audiences, staff, stakeholders, suppliers and partners to adopt a responsible approach toward the impact of their operations on the environment.

We are proud to be part of Creative Carbon Scotland’s Green Arts Initiative! One of many projects: In 2019 Stills library transformed into an urban green space. Members of the public were invited to learn about native wildflowers in our exhibition and participatory workshops.

Vacancies

VISITOR & MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR

Application deadline: Monday 25 May 2026, 10am

Stills is seeking a proactive, and highly organised individual who is passionate about connecting audiences with our programmes through creative marketing and engaging visitor experiences.

Type of contract: Fixed term until 31 March 2027, with possibility of extension.
Salary: £26,229 per annum
Full-time: 5 days per week (Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-6pm) with requirement to work occasional evening shifts where needed.
Start date: Immediate
Location: Working from our premises: 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BP

The Visitor & Marketing Co-ordinator will bring a strong blend of marketing insight and customer-focused service, with the ability to communicate clearly and enthusiastically to diverse local, national, and international audiences. They will thrive in a public-facing environment, confidently balancing competing priorities while contributing to the promotion of our vision and the smooth day-to-day delivery to ensure the best possible visitor experience.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Daily reception administration, fielding enquiries from the general public, directing visitors to the range of information and services available, and completing bookings.
Oversee the coordination, distribution and scheduling, in-house, externally and online, of marketing and promotion for Stills’ activities.
Act as the first point of contact for internal and external marketing enquiries and attending relevant meetings when required.
Oversee the scheduling and distribution of Stills’ printed brochures, flyers, e-newsletters, and online posts and social media.
Co-ordinate and maintain up-to-date content for Stills’ website and social media channels.
Create and edit copy for e-newsletters and social media, whilst maintaining the social media/newsletter content calendar.
Create, monitor and update marketing information within the Stills premises.
Work closely with staff across all areas of the organisation to produce and disseminate engaging content through the relevant online marketing channels. This will include regular promotion of courses, production facilities and events to increase engagement with Stills and drive overall interest and uptake of our paid offering.

This position covers a variety of public facing and back-office duties including:

Maintaining Stills’ visitor databases; regularly inputting new data and providing information for reporting purposes.
Co-ordinating Stills Front of House Volunteer Programme, including development in line with relevant guidelines, recruitment, rotas and any related events.
Engaging with visitors and communicating Stills’ activities to individuals, tour groups and workshops visiting the gallery.
Supporting set-up of the gallery, shop, including any associated events.
Supporting social media marketing, creating content, monitoring activity and answering queries relating to our services.
Maintaining gallery shop display and stock replenishment.
Contributing to and providing administrative support for internal team meetings and groups where required.

You will be expected to play an active part in the staff team and to practice and promote an exemplary level of professionalism. Duties will be undertaken at Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria

Demonstrable experience in a marketing or communications role
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interpret and convey ideas to a wide range of audiences
Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively
Experience of delivering high-quality customer service in a public-facing environment
Confidence working with digital platforms, including social media, websites, and email marketing tools
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a small team
A proactive, flexible approach with strong problem-solving skills
Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to creating a welcoming environment for all visitors
Passion for photography / visual arts

Desirable Criteria

Experience working within a relevant organisation, or arts venue
Knowledge of current trends and debates in contemporary photography and visual culture
Basic design skills (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite such as Photoshop, InDesign)
Experience with content creation, including photography or video
Understanding of accessibility best practice in a cultural or visitor experience context

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a CV and a supporting statement outlining how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role (no more than 500 words) to Cheryl Connell at: cheryl.connell@stills.org

Please also use this email if you would like to ask any specific questions about the role.

Please note if a high volume of applications are received before the deadline, we may choose to close this early. We therefore advise to make your application as soon as you can.

Applications deadline: Monday 25 May 2026, 10am

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from everyone and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or any other protected characteristics.

Stills is aware that flexible working models are crucial to accommodating disabled people in the labour market. We encourage applications from those who define themselves as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 (including deaf and neurodivergent people). If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, such as alternative application formats, please get in touch: cheryl.connell@stills.org