Although it has been sometime since I formally exhibited my photography, whilst living in Japan I frequently hosted exhibitions of my own, and other artist’s, work. In 2004, I collaborated with photographer Atsuko Tanaka to form Parades Gallery in Matsumoto - an independent art gallery and event space. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, allowing me to show not only my own photographs, but (more frequently), to curate exhibitions of both local and international artists’ work. When opening, Parades Gallery prided itself on being ‘DIY’ and ‘Not-for-Profit’, and we strived to create an open, inviting space for local artists -something lacking from the town until that time. Whilst being a somewhat traditional ‘white cube’ space, we were often creative with the manner in which we hung our work, as well as being incredibly open to the type of work we would display. Parades Gallery continues to operate today, under the expert direction of Atsuko. My aim is to return to Matsumoto next year to exhibit my MA final major project work. Whilst I miss the creative freedom that Parades allowed me, I know that I must now use the experience I gained there to host exhibits of my work here in the US.