Wildlife Photographer of the Year is regarded as the world’s most prestigious nature photography competition and exhibition. For over 50 years these images have travelled to museums around the globe, sparking reaction as they show both the beauty and fragility of the natural world. In order to grow the brand for the Natural History Museum, we developed a strategy to expand into new territories. This included developing new pricing structures and implementing new sustainability initiatives. We also placed images at global meetings where the world is focused on the planetary emergency. This included displays at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, UK Pavilion at COP 28, Goals House, World Expo 2020, and the United for Wildlife Conference. These changes resulted in significant growth, reaching over 2 million people annually in as many as 20 countries.

We also developed an outreach programme that amplified the voice of young people who were interested in nature and photography. The WPY Academy included a week’s long photography workshop to connect with environmental issues that are impacting local communities; the curation of a physical exhibition produced with workshop participants; and a programme of public events. The programme was launched in India with the support of The British Council with the first cohort of young people mentored by local photographers. Their images were showcased at The Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata and across a three month run, the exhibition was seen by over 1.3 million people. The WPY Academy has since expanded to other countries including Kazakstan and Uzbekistan.