Rowan Collinson is a photographic artist and printmaker based in East Anglia, UK. Her practice focuses on natural spaces and the connections between people and place, particularly within the rural landscape of her local area. Through slow, immersive observation, she documents subtle changes within the natural world and human impact on the environment through a range of reflective visual outcomes. Sustainability is an important aspect of her practice, and she uses alternative processes with collected natural materials to reduce the environmental impact and create work which directly engages with and responds to the land.
Rowan graduated from Norwich University of the Arts with a first class BA (Hons) in Photography in 2024, receiving the Vice Chancellor's Commendation. As the first Canon Student Representative, she worked with her university and Canon to support and provide opportunities for young people. Her work has been exhibited across the UK, and she has been published in a number of books, zines and online platforms. Rowan was the featured cover artist for The Unfold Project 2025 and a finalist in the Association of Photographers Student Awards 2022. Her first solo exhibition, A Field Study, will open in June 2026 at Mill Tye Gallery.
Rowan works as a Print Workshop Technician at Gainsborough's House, the national centre for Thomas Gainsborough. As a freelance photographer, designer and illustrator, she has worked with a range of clients creating book and album covers, and promotional and documentary imagery. Rowan is an experienced arts educator and has led and facilitated workshops for adults, children and young people at festivals, galleries, schools and higher education settings.Rowan is also a folk musician and fiddle player, and an alumnus of the National Youth Folk Ensemble. She has performed at venues and festivals across the country including The Royal Albert Hall, Cecil Sharp House, Shrewsbury Folk Festival and Sidmouth Folk Week. She has recorded at Rockfield Studios and toured as a musician with the Akenfield play. Rowan regularly works with FolkEast festival as a workshop leader for their youth programme.
Upcoming exhibitions
14th March - 6th April 2026: Pulling Prints: An Exhibition of Emerging Printmakers, Mill Tye Gallery, Sudbury
6th June - 28th June 2026: SOLO EXHIBITION: Rowan Collinson: A field study, Mill Tye Gallery, Sudbury
Past exhibitions
2025: Symbiosis IV: Liquid, London Alternative Photography Collective, Bristol Folk House
2024: Free Range, The Truman Brewery, London
2024: GradFest24, Norwich University of the Arts
2022: Free Range, AOP Student Awards, The Truman Brewery
2020: Anna Airy Awards, online exhibition
2019: Anna Airy Awards, University of Suffolk
2013: Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh
WORK WITH GALLERIES
2025 - present: Pulling Prints member, Gainsborough's House
2025: Artist speaker, Symbiosis IV closing event, Bristol Folk House
2025 - 2026: Gallery assistant, Gainsborough's House
2024: Assistant exhibition curator, guest speaker and panel member, Beyond the Frame, East Gallery, Norwich
2023/24: Festival ambassador, GradFest, Norwich University of the Arts
Work within education
2026 - present: Print workshop technician, Gainsborough's House
2025: Guest lecturer and workshop leader, Norwich University of the Arts
2024: Workshop assistant, Canon Student Development Programme
2023-24: Canon Student Representative (education, outreach, photography and content creation)
2023: Workshop leader and guest speaker, Ipswich High School
2022-24: Student ambassador and content creator, Norwich University of the Arts
2022 - present: Workshop leader, Youth Moot, FolkEast
2022: Guest speaker, Ipswich School
Selected publication
2026: Pulling Prints exhibition featured in Suffolk News, Suffolk Free Press and Box River News
2026: Byway, Finn Collinson (album artwork)
2025: The Unfold Project, Lonely Stone Press (featured cover artist)
2025: Exposure Zine Vol 3, Illuminate Studios
2025: Exposure online gallery, Illuminate Studios
2025: Instagram takeover, Bristol Folk House Darkroom
2024: Graduate online showcase, Norwich University of the Arts
2024: Graduates Magazine Vol 2, AOP Accredited Courses
2023: 38th AOP Awards Book
2023/24: Highlights Brochure, The Early Music Shop (cover photography)
2023/24/25: Recorder Yearbook, The Early Music Shop (cover photography)
2022: The Threshold, Finn Collinson (album artwork)
2020: Covid 19 Compositions, Elye Cuthbertson (album artwork)
2019-23: EDS magazine, English Folk Dance & Song Society (photography, illustration, writing)
2019: Call To Mind, Finn Collinson (album artwork)
Awards
2024: Vice-Chancellor's Commendation, Norwich University of the Arts
2024: Photo London x Hahnemühle Student Award longlist nominee
2022: AOP Student Awards finalist, Places category
2020: Anna Airy Awards winner
2019: Anna Airy Awards finalist
2025: Akenfield theatre tour, Shake Festival (musician)
2025: Suntou Susso: Path of a Griot, Recorded at Rockfield Studios (musician)
2022 - present: Workshop leader, Youth Moot, FolkEast
2019 - 2022: Duo with Elye Cuthbertson, New Roots Finalists 2020 - performed at Royal Albert Hall, Cecil Sharp House, Broadstairs Folk Week
2017-2023: English Folk Dance & Song Society Youth Forum member
2016-2021: National Youth Folk Ensemble member - performed at Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Derby Folk Festival, Whitby Folk Week, Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, Cecil Sharp House, Liverpool Philharmonic, The Bury Met.
Photo credits: Image 3 - Denisa Ilie, Image 5 - Emma Denby