Creative, business builder & social entrepreneur
Not your average creative: Ben has set up and run businesses, events and projects since the age of 16, including Ltd companies, charities and social enterprises. He has garnered awards such as the Future 100 from Ernst & Young and a regional award for Community Business Person of the Year. He has lived and worked in three countries and led: advertising campaigns, UX/UI projects, diverse and talented teams, film sets, an arts festival, book projects, alpine expeditions, a multi-national company and a coffee shop. He primarily works in London and the French/Italian Alps and has received commissions from all over the UK, central Europe and the Middle East.
As an artist Ben works with photography, video, installation, performance and collage. Ben has exhibited widely in both group and solo shows. This includes; The Houses of Parliament, The Ismail Khayat Gallery in Iraq, PhotoFusion in London, the London Photographic Association gallery space, the Hat Factory, Departure Lounge, the Gateway Gallery and has work on permanent display in the United Nations head quarters in New York. Ben regularly works as a film/art director, producer, curator, project manager and designer.
Over six years experience in Higher Education and regularly deliver workshops, lectures and seminars on a range of creative, social and business subjects at Universities, conferences, colleges, business events and innovation camps. His passion for creativity is coupled with a love for forming and building great communities.
Ben was born in Brighton, UK. When not working on projects, he lives in Briançon, France with his wife Dee and 3 children.
Creative: Creative Director / Producer / UX/UI Designer / DOP / Photographer / Campaign building
Business: Strategy / Start up phase / Rapid Growth / Sales & Marketing / Teams & Values
Social Causes: European Refugee Crisis / Young people entrepreneurial training
Seraph
Go Montgenevre
Snow Cab
Snow Holiday
Spoon Customs
Base Camp Media
Creativity & community can change the world
Art & creativity in its widest context can and does positively change the world. My work, time and research is caught up with this notion. Art is a great way of intervening in situations. Art sits at the forefront of change in a society and has an inherited responsibility to engage with social change.
Creating is always better in community
I consistently look to work in collaboration with other creatives and entrepreneurs. It is always better to work with someone who genuinely wants benefit for others rather than just for themselves. I am actively working against the isolation that is sometimes apparent in being an artist.
Visual peace making
As an image consumer and creator I am devoted to peacemaking and breaking down stereotypes by displaying the beauty of cultures from around the world. I actively look to build peace through the work I create.
There is always hope
Art regularly engages with ideas and themes which are dark in nature, artists need to build opportunities for hope and constructive and creative solutions to the issues.
Everything is art
I view everything I do is an extension of my art practice; connecting people, projects, ideas, collaborations and image creations. Constructing a creative business or community project is as valid as using more traditional methods and mediums.
Everyone is creative
I strongly believe that everyone is creative. The claim that some people aren't creative, normally means they can't draw or paint. Everyone has creativity built into them although it expresses itself in different ways. I endeavour to draw this out of other people and remove some of the inherent elitism found in traditional art contexts.
There are stories to tell
The notions of narrative and story telling are important to my work, as they are important to human society. Everyone has a story to tell and art has a wonderful opportunity to tell these stories.
Click here to download art/academic version.
Click here to download producer/creative director version.
Click here for creative projects work.
University of Bedfordshire: Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PgCAP)
University of Bedfordshire: MA Art & Design. Awarded Distinction.
University of Bedfordshire: (Ba) Hons Photography & Video Art. Awarded 1st Class Degree & ‘Best student in department’.
Cricklade College, Andover (A Levels): Art (A), Photography (A), Media (B), Awarded ‘Excellence in education’.
Exhibition: A Thin Place group show "Film Strip" January 2014
Exhibition: "Peace for Luton" Luton Art December 2013 - Won the Murry Barford Prize
Display: "Underground Rivers" showing "Light in the Darkness" Luton Library & Theatre. November 2012
Exhibition: "Fragmentations & Cohesions", Departure Lounge gallery. October - November 2012
Exhibition: ">Import Export>" group show at the Gallery Space, UOB October 2012.
Exhibition: art6 group show in the crypt gallery St Martins in the Field. October 2012.
Exhibition: Solo exhibition in Ismail Khayat Gallery, Iraq. June 2012
Display: "Peace for Luton" painted mountain performance and sculpture, Iraq. June 2012.
Exhibition: “Iraq – The Forgotten Story” Blaenau Gwent, Wales. March – May 12
Exhibition: The Re Show, Out of the Darkness Showroom. 11th – 25th Nov 11
Exhibition: “New Day” The Studio, Norfolk Showground Aug 11
Exhibition: “Iraq – The Next Step” The Hat Factory July 11
Exhibition: “Iraq – Amna Suraka” UCMK Gallery. March 11
Exhibition: “Light in the Darkness” University of Bedfordshire Corridor Gallery Sep –Nov 10
Exhibition: “Light in the Darkness” High Town Art for All Sep –Nov 10
Exhibition: “Newday” The Studio, Norfolk Showground.Aug 10
Exhibition: “Light in the Darkness” The hat factory gallery, July 2010
Permanent Display: “Luton Our Story & Lutopia” ABC Cinema George Street Luton. May10 +
Exhibition: “Luton Hoo Exhibition”- Luton Hoo walled Garden Estate May 10
Exhibition: “Guerilla Galleries” - The Arndale Shopping Centre, The Market Hall & The Uni of Beds. April -May 10
Exhibition: “Guerilla Galleries” House gallery group exhibition. April10
Exhibition: “Luton Art 09” Wardown Park Museum & Art Gallery Nov 09 - Jan 10
Exhibition: Luton Arts Festival Market Hall Gallery Oct 09 -Jan 10
Permanent Display: “Lutopia (Airport)” London Luton International Airport. Oct 09 +
Exhibition: “Lutopia (Town)” Dimensions Exhibition Space
Exhibition: “Iraq- The Forgotten Story” Museum of St Albans Sept 09 - Jan 10
Exhibition: “New Day” The Studio, Norfolk Showground. Aug 09
Exhibition: “Amna Suraka” University of Bedfordshire. Jun 09
Exhibition: “B:Unit” The Mall, Arndale Shopping Centre Luton May - Jun 09
Exhibition: “Gallery Event” Summer at High Wycombe. Artist Led Initiative. Jun 09
Exhibition: “Iraq- The Forgotten Story” The Hat Factory May - Jun 09
Permanent Display: “Lutonian Life” Luton Central Library & Theatre. April 08 +
Exhibition: “Iraq - A New Face” The Greenhouse Gallery April - May 09
Exhibition: “Gallery Event” Winter at High Wycombe. Artist Led Initiative. Dec 08
Exhibition: “My Backyard 4” London Photographic Association. London Gallery Nov 08 -Jan 09
Exhibition: “Lutopia (Airport)” London Luton International Airport. Nov -Jan 08
Exhibition: BYC “SnapShot 60” The Houses of Parliament Nov-Dec 08
Permanent Display: “Gardens” Couture Cafe, SDC Jul 08
Exhibition: “Lutopia (Town)” The Gallery, Luton Central Library & Theatre. Jul - Nov 08
Permanent Display: “Life’s Journey” Stockwood Discovery Centre. Jul 08 +
Exhibition: “Fake Modern” The Hat Factory. May 08Exhibition: "Lutopia (Town)" The Hat Factory. May 08
Exhibition: "Multi-cultural" Wardown Park Museum. Nov 07
Exhibition: "Shoot Nations" - Photo Fusion, London. 13-17th Nov 07
Display: “About Here” University of Bedfordshire. Nov 07
Permanent Display: “Reminiscing” United Nations Headquarters NY. Aug 07 +
Display: Wardown Park Museum. Jul 07Exhibition: "Images of Luton" - Direct Art Ltd. Jun 07
Permanent Display: The Bridge Community Building. May 06
Permanent Display: Cricklade Library. July 05
Exhibition: "Huge" - Cricklade College. June 05
Permanent Display: The Orange Room. July 05
Exhibition: "Private View" - Cricklade College. Jun 04
Exhibition: "Art for Mercy" - The Bridge Community Building. Nov. 03
“Limelight” Interview March 2013
The Print Space Blog 2012. http://www.theprintspace.co.uk/blog/ben-hodson/
“Life” University of Bedfordshire Magazine. January 2012
“Digital Photographer” Issue 110 2011 - 6 page spreads, interview and my current work.
DLIFLC - Technology Integration Division, _eld support manuals for Iraq. Aug 2009
linternaute Magazine - The rise and fall of Saddum Hussain. This online magazine reaches 15 million readers each month
(Nielsen – Netratings, Jan 2009).
Annual report - Community Engagement, London Luton International Airport. 2008
“Life” University of Bedfordshire Magazine. January 2009
“LPA” London Photographic Association Website and Magazine. Interview and example work. November 2008
“Achieve More” Magazine April 2008
“Digital Photographer” Issue 67 (page 66 & 67) March 2008 - Two page spread, interview and my current work.
“The Photographer” (page 3) December 2007
“Life” University of Bedfordshire Magazine. Front Cover
Ben has been published numerous times in The Herald & Post, Luton News, Luton On Sunday, Dunstable Gazette, The
Andover Advertiser, and The Advertiser Midweek.
Murry Barford Prize - Luton Art 2013/2014
Rising Star Awards - Finalist. Enterprising Award/ Best New Company/Best Company 2012
Best new company (under 50) FSB awards finalist 2012
Community Businessman of the Year. Luton Best of awards 2011.
Future 100 award. National competition for recognising the next generation of entrepreneurs. 2011
Best Student in Art & Design - University of Bedfordshire 09
The British Youth Council “Snap Shot 60” Highly Commended.
London Photographic Association. My Backyard 4 -Silver Medal Winner.
Shoot Nations 2007 - Final Short list and light-box display.
Luton First Photography Competition - Winner 2007.
Shoot Experience Winner - September 07 Competition
Excellence in Education Award - Cricklade College