PHmuseum Days 2021 Photo Festival Open Call

During this unprecedented year we had time to reflect on ourselves, on the PHmuseum project and on which actions we could have undertaken to inspire and support a positive change in the years to come. Feeling a renewed need of gathering together, joining forces and finding collective answers, we thought that a festival could have been a great occasion to meet on an annual base, share experiences and discuss ideas to redesign the future together. For this reason, we are beyond excited to announce the first international photography festival organised by PHmuseum in Bologna, Italy at DumBO, an area of urban re-generation that is transforming a former railways deposit into a multifunctional space for the arts and the new generations. The event will take place at Binario Centrale, DumBO's main pavilion, (1,600 sqm) on September 23-26, 2021.

The starting point of this initiative is the PHmuseum Days 2021 Open Call, through which we aim to select works that will become part of the main program. The theme we have chosen is A New Beginning since it represents both the dawn of a new adventure for PHmuseum and, most importantly, an occasion to rethink together the decade that just started and how to face the important challenges that it will bring. From collaboration, equality, and sustainability to social justice, innovation and technology we are looking to discovering projects that could inspire and start a positive debate.

With this open call, we want to invite you to become an active part of the festival. How? We will select a minimum of 2 photographers for individual shows, up to 40 images for a collective installation and up to 15 projects for the main projections' night. Furthermore, all the applicants will be granted a nominal full pass for the festival, which we hope will be a good excuse to come over to Bologna in September and enjoy a long weekend of photography, talks, book fair, and much more. To enter, you are invited to upload between 5 and 20 photos either as a cohesive series or as independent images. All entries will be reviewed by an independent jury comprised of Laura El Tantawy (Documentary Photographer & Canon Ambassador), Lua Ribeira (Photographer & Magnum Photos Nominee), Giuseppe Oliverio (PHmuseum Founder and Director) and Rocco Venezia (PHmuseum Curator).

Our aim is to make the PHmuseum Days 2021 the beginning of a new era for our collective project, characterised by a stronger sense of community and sharing. If our online presence represents a daily playground to enjoy contemporary photography and showcase your work, our festival will be conceived as a moment to make a pause and reflect on where we are heading. We hope you will join us in this new adventure.