BROOKS INSTITUTE PRESENTS THE STUDENT DOCUMENTARY, "IRELAND"

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (February 15, 2008) – Brooks Institute announces the grand opening of "Ireland," the student Ireland documentary trip exhibition. On Friday, March 14, 2008 at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, the Ireland documentary class multimedia presentation will showcase at 7 p.m. Immediately following the presentation will be an exhibit and artists' reception displaying the students' documentary prints at the Cota Street Campus and Gallery, located at 27 E. Cota Street in Santa Barbara. A book and DVD created by the students from this trip will be available for purchase. Proceeds go to future documentary projects for the students.

Each year, the Visual Journalism program of Brooks Institute offers an international documentary trip for interested visual journalism, professional photography, and film students. The class, which is staged in a different international location each year, is limited to the strongest applicants: those who demonstrate solid understanding of photographic story-telling, the ability to work independently, and who reflect sensitivity to their roles as ambassadors. In September and October 2007, the 12 selected students and instructor spent five weeks in the in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to chronicle its people, life and culture. Upon their return, the students created projects to showcase their experiences from this documented trip, including a multimedia presentation, a print exhibition, website, book, and a DVD.

Brooks Visual Journalism instructor, Joe Gosen, selected Ireland for this documentary project because he felt it would provide contrasting storytelling projects for the students. Gosen said, " There is a warm and inviting allure to Ireland due in part to its people, its culture and the natural beauty of the land. Yet outside of this warm embrace, you can feel the tension and edge of a country that has survived decades of strife, but continues to emerge as a world economic and technological leader."

This documentary project gave several students the chance to explore their Irish heritage. Breanna Conley, a 3rd year Professional Photography student felt right at home in Ireland. "It's true that the Irish have the gift of the gab. I was raised in an Irish family and we've never met a stranger in our life. When I was in Ireland, even if I was just asking someone directions, we would end up talking for hours. Everyone I met was so friendly. I was even invited into homes for dinner and a place to stay. My time spent in Ireland will never be forgotten; it was truly an honor to be a part of this documentary."

Students had the opportunity to document life in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. John Waskey, a 3rd year

Visual Journalism student spent most of his time working in Northern Ireland. "Working on the Ireland documentary project has been a unique and life-changing experience for me. I have always had a basic understanding of what it takes to shoot internationally but didn't fully appreciate the work involved. My time spent working in Northern Ireland was incredibly rewarding. I had the opportunity to interview Deputy First Prime Minister Martin McGuinness and speak with him about the changing political landscape in Northern Ireland. It was inspiring to speak with someone who passionately believes Northern Ireland's social and political turmoil can be solved through peaceful means."

After the grand opening on March 14th at the Lobero Theatre, a second screening and gallery exhibit will be held at the Ventura Beach Marriott, 2055 East Harbor Blvd., Ventura, on March 17, 2008 (St. Patrick's Day) starting at 5:30 p.m. In addition, there will be additional screenings at the Cota Street campus gallery on Thursday, April 3, 2008, from 5-8pm to coincide with the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization's First Thursday initiative.

The Ireland documentary project website http://documentary.brooks.edu/ireland will launch on March 14 and will showcase the work of the students on this trip. You may also visit the documentary class website (http://documentary.brooks.edu) to view the work of previous international documentary classes, which have included trips to: Mexico, Cuba, Czech Republic, Australia, Argentina and China.

The public is invited to visit the Cota Street Gallery on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call the Brooks Institute Cota Street Gallery at (805) 690-4913.

About Brooks Institute
Brooks Institute celebrates more than 60 years of educating students in the visual and media arts. With campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, the school offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography. Brooks' graduates are visible nationally and internationally, working for distinguished organizations including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Los Angeles Times and other national media outlets, including Hallmark Publishing, Cousteau Society, HBO, Kodak and other industry leaders in the visual media arts fields. Brooks is part of the Career Education Corporation network of schools (NASDAQ: CECO). For more information about Brooks Institute and the school's programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.