International Center of Photography facts for kids
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International Center of Photography at 79 Essex Street
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| Established | 1974 |
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| Location | 79 Essex Street, Manhattan, New York |
| Public transit access | Bus: M21, M103 Subway:   at Second Avenue |
The International Center of Photography (ICP) is a special place in New York City. It's both a museum and a school dedicated to photography. You can find it at 79 Essex Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
ICP also has a huge collection of photos, a reading room, and archives in Jersey City, New Jersey. A photographer named Cornell Capa started ICP in 1974.
ICP is also known for its Infinity Awards. These awards started in 1985. They celebrate amazing photographers and help new talented artists get noticed.
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The Story of ICP
ICP was founded in 1974 by Cornell Capa. He got help from Micha Bar-Am. Since then, ICP has shown more than 500 exhibitions. These shows have featured the work of over 3,000 photographers. ICP also offers many classes and workshops for students who want to learn photography.
Why ICP Was Started
ICP was created to keep "Concerned Photography" alive. This type of photography focuses on showing important human stories. Cornell Capa's brother, Robert Capa, and his friends were photographers who died too soon. Cornell wanted to make sure their important work was still seen by the public. So, in 1966, he started the International Fund for Concerned Photography. By 1974, this fund needed a permanent home, and that's how the International Center of Photography began.
In 1985, ICP opened a second location called ICP Midtown. There were plans to make this Midtown spot even bigger and better.
Moving to New Locations
In 1999, the original ICP building on Fifth Avenue was sold. The museum then moved to a larger space at 1133 Avenue of the Americas. This new location was designed to show off photography and new media. It opened in 2000 and had lots of gallery space. It also had a bigger store and a café.
In 2001, the ICP school also grew. It moved into the Grace Building at 1114 Avenue of the Americas. This new school space doubled ICP's teaching area. It allowed ICP to offer more programs and reach out to the community.
Finding a Home on the Lower East Side
In 2014, ICP decided to buy a building on the Bowery. This was near the New Museum. The Midtown museum closed in 2015. The ICP museum at 250 Bowery then opened in 2016.
Later, in 2017, ICP made a deal to move its museum and school to Essex Crossing. This is a big new development on the Lower East Side. In 2019, ICP sold its Bowery space. It bought its current home at 79 Essex Street in Essex Crossing.
In January 2020, ICP opened its new, combined center at 79 Essex Street. This building has galleries, media labs, classrooms, and darkrooms. It also has shooting studios, a shop, a café, and a research library. This new space is a key part of the large Essex Crossing development.
The ICP School
The ICP school helps more than 3,500 students every year. It offers many different classes. You can learn everything from old-school darkroom skills to getting a master's degree in photography. The school also has talks, workshops, and seminars led by professional photographers.
In 2023, Colette Veasey-Cullors became the Dean and Deputy Director of ICP's school. She is an educator, artist, and photographer.
The school used to be in a separate building in Midtown. But now, the ICP school and museum are together in one place. They are both at 79 Essex Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
The school offers classes all year round. It has three one-year Certificate programs. These include Creative Practices in Photography, Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism, and New Media Narratives. There's also a two-year graduate program for a master of fine arts degree.
Programs for Everyone
ICP has public programs that talk about photography. They explore how photography connects to art, culture, and society. The Photographers Lecture Series invites photographers to share their work and ideas. Other events feature artists, critics, and historians.
Community Programs
ICP also has programs for the community. These often relate to the current exhibitions. They include fun, interactive tours and family day events. There are also workshops and long-term photography programs in New York City public schools. ICP offers summer photography programs in community centers. There's even a high school internship program to help young people become leaders.
Infinity Awards
The ICP hosts the Infinity Awards every year. These awards started in 1985. They are given to "bring public attention to outstanding achievements in photography." They honor people with great careers in photography. They also help find future stars in the field.
Many famous photographers have won these awards over the years. Some of the award categories include Master of Photography, Art, Photojournalism, and Lifetime Achievement.
What's in the Collection?
The permanent collection at ICP has over 200,000 photographs. It also has other related items. These range from the very first types of photography to modern works. Since 1974, ICP has collected important historical and new images. They get these through purchases and gifts from photographers and collectors. The collection covers the whole history of photography. It includes old daguerrotypes and modern digital prints.
ICP has a strong collection of American and European documentary photography. This includes photos from the 1930s to the 1990s. There are many works by famous photographers like W. Eugene Smith, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Robert Capa. More recent photos by artists like Carrie Mae Weems and Susan Meiselas have also been added.
The collection also has many photographically illustrated magazines. These were published between World War I and World War II. Some examples are Life and Picture Post.
In 2015, ICP opened a special space at Mana Contemporary. This 15,000-square-foot area holds the permanent collection. It also has a media lab, research areas, and a gallery.
The ICP Library
The Library at the International Center of Photography helps over 6,000 visitors each year. It provides information and books for ICP staff, visitors, and researchers. As of 2008, the Library had about 20,000 books and 2,000 files. It also received 75 magazines and journals. You can look at these materials at the library.
You can search for library materials using ICP's online catalog.
Working with George Eastman House
In 2000, ICP teamed up with George Eastman House (GEH). This partnership is called the GEH–ICP Alliance. Their main goal is to help people understand and enjoy photography more. They do this through exhibitions, publications, research, and sharing their collections. They also created a joint website called Photomuse.org.
In this partnership, the staff from both ICP and George Eastman House share their resources and knowledge. They combine their collections for a series of exhibitions called "New Histories of Photography."
Images for kids
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ICP Logo
See also
In Spanish: Centro Internacional de Fotografía para niños
