Photographic Center Northwest

Our mission and vision at Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW) is to teach people how to see. Through our 53-credit Certificate in Fine Art Photography, classes and workshops; free exhibitions and companion public programs; and publicly accessible facilities we teach the history and future of the photographic medium.

The Organization was founded in the early 1980s and was originally named the Exposure School of Photography, then later called the Northwest Center for Photography. A.K. (Alin) Shethar purchased the organization in 1988, renamed it Photographic Center Northwest, and served as President of the organization from 1988 until 1999. During this period, Ms. Shethar and board leaders at that time oversaw the transformation of the organization into the non-profit it is today. The Center became an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in 1996. In 1997, the Center relocated from its downtown and Greenlake locations into a 1920’s ambulance building located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle which has been renovated to meet the needs of contemporary photographers.

Through our 53-credit Certificate Program, classes and workshops; publicly-accessible comprehensive photographic facilities; free exhibitions; and distinct public programming we reach a diverse community, serving an average of 7,000 individuals annually.  Of those nearly 1,000 are students enrolled in one-day to 10-week classes, including summer teen workshops managed by PCNW and/or in partnership with Coyote Central and the Seattle World School; BFA students through an ongoing partnership with Seattle University; and over 500 adults pursuing continuing education, from 17 to 80 years old. 

Our unique community also includes 300 members, 125 volunteers, 40 adjunct faculty, countless practitioners, philanthropists, collectors, and the general public. The breadth of facilities and experiences PCNW offers—many with little to no barrier to access—allows us to reach new, under-served, and diverse audiences that often return to engage in new experiences each time. On an average day PCNW's community is comprised of students taking classes, artists making work in our facilities, educators teaching and learning, and the curious exploring our exhibitions and attending programs.

Core to PCNW’s mission to teach people how to see is the concept of visual literacy. Visual literacy is a learned tool that can help identify personal biases and ultimately combat racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination and prejudice through photography. With the proliferation of creation and consumption of images, being able to discern fact from fiction in photography, particularly at the height of fake news, is an essential skill that we teach. While PCNW does not exist to serve one specific population or community, our mission fosters low barrier access to photographic education and is a vehicle to combat misinformation that further harms marginalized communities.