The Halide Project is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the continued practice and appreciation of film and historic process photography. Based in the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia, The Halide Project serves the local and global photography communities through exhibitions, educational programming (both in-person and virtual), collaborations with other organizations, and – most recently – our new community darkroom, which has a gang B&W darkroom, film processing area, private color darkroom (currently with a Jobo processor), and a dim room for alternative/historic process work.

The Halide Project was conceptualized and co-founded in 2015 by Alexandra Orgera and Dale Rio, two photographers interested in creating a welcoming community in Philadelphia for those practicing and interested in learning about traditional photographic processes. We had our first pop-up show, complete with a roster of educational programming, in 2015 and launched what became our annual call-for-entry exhibition, Living Image, the following year. We continued to have bi-annual pop-up shows until we acquired a permanent space in the Kensington neighborhood in 2018. Since then, we have mounted numerous group shows in our gallery space and held our first solo show in 2021. We have also worked hard to design, develop, and build our community darkroom, which is slated to open in early 2022. In recent years, we co-produced the 20/20 Photo Festival, the first city-wide festival of its kind in Philadelphia, and developed an on-going virtual speaker series in response to the coronavirus pandemic. And our work is nowhere near over!... We have big plans for the future and hope you’ll join us as we expand to provide more services to our community and continue to grow that community!

Check back in March to see a complete list of our Board Members.

In the early digital era, there was a move away from traditional photographic practices, as some artists and many institutions strove to embrace the latest technological advances. Many art and photo centers and galleries followed suit. But there were those who simply preferred pre-digital technologies and continued not only to practice them, but to champion them and even develop new techniques.

Fast forward to today, and traditional photography is experiencing a resurgence as people are becoming curious about pre-digital photographic methods and are embracing the aspects of film and historic processes that diverge from the typical digital work-flow; the physicality of these processes, the mindful dedication of time to a slower and more focused practice, and the handmade nature of every step of the image-making process, such as mixing emulsions and chemistry and coating plates and papers.

The Halide Project’s goals are manifold; to support artists and educators who have dedicated their practice to film and historic processes, develop both local and global communities of artists using these processes, share the work of Philadelphia-based photographers with the world and bring world-renowned artworks to Philly, and reintroduce the public to the beauty of these processes. Our exhibitions, programming, and city-wide events and collaborations serve to fulfill these goals, and we will continue to develop new and creative ways to support artists and reach the public in the future!

In order to ensure the health and safety of our community, all staff, volunteers, students, and visitors must show proof of vaccination*, and masks must be worn inside at all times. By entering The Halide Project you agree in advance to inform the organization, anonymously or otherwise, of a positive Covid test result that occurs within one week prior to or after your visit. You also agree to not visit us if you are experiencing possible Covid symptoms, regardless of testing or vaccination status. The Halide Project reserves the right to refuse entry at our discretion.

Public events and workshops will operate at a limited capacity depending on the space in which they are held. Please check out the specific event pages for details.

Please note: Our Covid policy applies to official THP spaces within a private but shared studio building.

*In some cases a recent negative Covid test may be accepted in place of proof of vaccination. Contact us to inquire. Exceptions are not guaranteed.