Born in Bootle, Steve Conlan’s early photographic work was based around Liverpool. Funded and exhibited by Open Eye Gallery, this work included TV, TS. & Drag in 1985 and Somewhere Called Home in 1986. A collaboration between Open Eye and Posterngate Gallery in Hull resulted in The Hull & Liverpool Docklands in 1988 Around this time he moved to Newcastle in order to make contact with Side Gallery, with its reputation and the quality of work being produced, it was an obvious move. An initial two week commission to work on the Meadow Well housing estate was extended to become a two year project resulting in Meadow Well: an English Estate. Further commissions were gained from the Arts Council and local authorities to continue working on the estate and throughout the North East in general, including Westoe, the final weeks of a working coal mine. Steve Conlan has exhibited and worked throughout Europe, including several collaborations with Galerie 4 in the Czech Republic