Alejandro Acin

Alejandro Acín is the founder director of IC Visual Lab (ICVL), an independent Arts & Heritage organisation dedicated to curatorial, publishing, educational and participatory initiatives. He was recently appointed Festival Director of the Bristol Photo Festival, where he lead its second edition. Through ICVL and BPF, Alejandro has collaborated with institutions such as Bristol Museums & Archives, Arnolfini Gallery, Eastside Projects, Format Festival Derby, Lianzhou Festival, Getxophoto International Festival, and Photo Kathmandu. His work has been supported by major cultural bodies, including Arts Council England, Historic England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the British Council. Alejandro has a strong track record in activating historic photographic archives. He has been involved with collections like Historical Photographs of China (1850–1950) at the University of Bristol, The Nepal Picture Library, and the British Empire & Commonwealth Collection. Additionally, he has played a key role in setting-up the Martin Parr Foundation Library, one of the most significant photobook collections in the UK. Alejandro is also an Associate Lecturer on the MA Photography programme at the University of South Wales. His expertise spans curating, publishing, and archiving, with a commitment to fostering critical dialogue around visual culture and photography’s role in contemporary society.