Mark, 21 years old, currently based in Malta. I’m reading for my B. A (Hons) in Photography at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts has been attending the school since 2016, where I read for my Advanced Diploma in Creative Media Production. Overall, I’ve found the course at MCAST to be extremely beneficial. While facing many challenges along the way, since then I have found my passion and an artistic voice. This can be attributed to the relentless work and dedication my tutors and lectures put forward. No matter how farfetched a proposed project might be, I've always found support. My passion for photography and more recently a more journalistic and activist approach has always allowed me to be in contact with people. Apart from my course work, my projects are very much so, personal. a large variety of my work consists of the themes of identity and self-discovery ad how that can be translated utilizing visual imagery and iconography, as well as other socio-politically motivated projects, where Malta’s development crisis was highlighted, while recently I have dabbled in analogue image and printmaking. Additionally, I am currently in the process of writing my dissertation, which focuses on breaking stereotypes are addressing what defines one’s identity while applying image reading theories. As an individual, my main driving force comes from real people with real stories and current issues. More than this, I have always sought visual means of expression and have found comfort in the arts. As an artist, however, it's taking most of these key points and translating them by using the medium to promote these stories, build connections, while leading people to raise questions about everyday life.My love and passion for photography have always forced me to push myself out of my comfort zone and have taught me to break barriers and challenge myself and my ideas to provoke my audience despite any personal pitfalls. In addition to all this, I will be curating and hosting project in the coming weeks to promote student’s/ emerging artists work and that leading up to the ICA Festival (more about this below). This will be done through a collaborative podcast where students discuss their experience at MCACT along with progress leading up to a dissertation project.