THE 2026 MOUNTAIN WORKSHOPS
Winchester | Clark County, Kentucky
OCT 20 - 24, 2026
The Stories That Make Us
Photos by Nick Thelen, Nyle Leddy, Michael Baniewicz, Victor Hilitski, Josh Boland, Jonah Savage, Deni Stanev, Finn Gomez, Andrew Burke-Stevenson, Alejandra Rubio
More than 130 visual journalists from across the United States and around the world gathered in Winchester and Clark County, Kentucky, for the 51st annual Mountain Workshops.
Participants have traveled from coast to coast and across international borders to take part in the Mountain Workshops. From Massachusetts to California, Arizona to New York, and states throughout the country, they’ve converged on Winchester, Kentucky, alongside international participants from New Zealand, India, Taiwan, and Canada.
Together, they are documenting the people, places and everyday experiences that define this community. From Winchester’s historic downtown and Kentucky’s frontier roots to the region’s agricultural traditions, local businesses and changing way of life.
Founded in 1793, one year after Kentucky became a state, Winchester offers a rich backdrop for stories that connect the region’s past with the people shaping its future.
Participants have traveled from coast to coast and across international borders to take part in the Mountain Workshops. From Massachusetts to California, Arizona to New York, and states throughout the country, they’ve converged on Winchester, Kentucky, alongside international participants from New Zealand, India, Taiwan, and Canada.
Together, they are documenting the people, places and everyday experiences that define this community. From Winchester’s historic downtown and Kentucky’s frontier roots to the region’s agricultural traditions, local businesses and changing way of life.
Founded in 1793, one year after Kentucky became a state, Winchester offers a rich backdrop for stories that connect the region’s past with the people shaping its future.
Video by Nic Huey, Wil Hughes and the Mountain Workshops participants
October 20 - October 24, 2026
PORTFOLIO
FEATURED STORIES
PHOTOS BY CARLEE HITE
Erin Williams, a Maysville native, has found a way to turn her passion for ceramics into more than a hobby.
VIDEO BY MYAH GRIFFIN
Scotty Fulton, 84, has been collecting hammers for more than 50 years, amassing a collection of over 27,000. But something is missing.
VIDEO BY VON SMITH JR.
Buck Reed and Aaron Hardy operate one of the last newspaper printing presses in the region. Within the mechanical rhythm of the press, they find refuge from their own struggles.
PHOTOS BY TRAVIS LACOSS
Dr. J.T. Williams is a man who wears many hats, balancing his time between his interests and care of his family.
VIDEO BY CAROLINE BITTENBENDER
Stephanie Martinez paints the murals that define the artistic pulse of Mason County – and her husband of 32 years is her biggest inspiration. When he became disabled from chronic pain, they began to paint a new world for each other.
Behind the lens
For many participants, the Mountain Workshops can help shape the course of a future career. For the people of Winchester, it’s a chance to see their community through fresh eyes and discover the stories, faces and places that make their town unique. Step inside and meet the visual storytellers behind the cameras.
Video by Lauren Howe and Myah Griffin