Photographic Center Northwest

Mission:

The mission of the Photographic Center Northwest is to advance the study, practice and appreciation of fine art and documentary photography through education, exhibitions and public programs that convey our passion for photography.

Vision:

We continue to build Photographic Center Northwest as the photographic heart of the Northwest, through a reputation for excellence that extends across the nation and the world. Our school serves students of all levels with a full range of coursework in black and white and color film and digital media and a rigorous certificate program encompassing theory, aesthetics and technical mastery. Photographic Center Northwest provides its students and the community with resources that include darkrooms, studios a digital lab and library. Through exhibitions, lectures, scholarships and outreach projects, Photographic Center Northwest provides educational opportunities to professional and amateur photographers and to the public at large.

History:

The organization was founded in the early 1980's and was originally named the Exposure School of Photography, then later called the Northwest Center for Photography. A.K. Shethar purchased the organization in 1988, renamed it the Photographic Center Northwest and served as President of the organization from 1988 until 1999. During this period, Ms. Shethar oversaw the transformation of the organization into the non profit it is today. From its downtown location, Photographic Center Northwest expanded to a second site in the Greenlake neighborhood used just for classes. The Photographic Center became an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in 1996. In 1997, the downtown and Greenlake sites combined into a renovated building at our current Twelfth Avenue location.