Bushwick Community Darkroom

The Bushwick Community Darkroom is the center for black and white photography enthusiasts in Brooklyn. We offer darkroom rental, tutorials, basic photography classes, alternative processes facilities, and after school programs for middle and high school students.

The Bushwick Community Darkroom is a self-sufficient community space which serves as a platform for hundreds of artists, educators, and students. BCD aims to make film photography affordable and accessible by providing printing and development services, thus removing the largest barrier to entry for one of the most accessible art forms. By also providing community-led photography workshops, gallery events, and a membership program, BCD creates a flexible and growth-oriented structure within a creative environment. Seasonal exhibitions within the 3,000 square foot warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn create opportunities for burgeoning photographers to showcase their work alongside music and multimedia art. Following intensive research on the positive impact of arts education on children's development, BCD also leads regular workshops for middle and high school students. Bushwick Community Darkroom is the premier photography destination in Brooklyn, bridging arts education with a platform for studio practice, and definitively proving that film is not dead in 2018.

When founder Lucia Rollow graduated with her BFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts, she found herself without an accessible space to print and develop film. Determined to continue the legacy of film photography, Rollow realized other artists were struggling with similar barriers. With just a handful of equipment, very little money, a dream, and a single occupancy closet in her basement she opened Bushwick Community Darkroom. While simultaneously building a local network through her leadership of Bushwick Open Studios, Rollow assembled a motley team, which transformed BCD from a makeshift basement space into the bustling 3,000 square foot warehouse it is today. Almost a decade later, BCD now boasts more than 30 members, 24/7 access to darkrooms, color and black-and-white film processing, low-cost workshops and curated photography exhibitions. Members, volunteers, and students work together to create a vibrant, affordable art space. Bushwick Community Darkroom continues to promote and preserve the art of film photography, directing resources to high school programs and open call opportunities for local artists.