Filter Photo Festival 2026

Name: Filter Photo Festival 2026
Start: 2026-09-23
End: 2026-09-26
Location: Columbia College Chicago Student Center

Sep 23, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026

Columbia College Chicago Student Center

1821 W Hubbard St, Suite 207
Chicago, IL 60622

Filter Photo Festival is a premier photography event held annually in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to fostering creativity, community, and professional development for photographers of all levels. Organized by Filter Photo, a nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of contemporary photography, the festival serves as a dynamic platform where photographers, curators, editors, and collectors converge to engage in discussions, portfolio reviews, workshops, and exhibitions.

Since its inception, Filter Photo Festival has built a reputation as a welcoming and inclusive space for photographers to refine their craft, gain exposure, and connect with industry professionals. One of the festival’s highlights is its Portfolio Reviews, where participants receive direct feedback from leading experts in photography, publishing, and fine art. These sessions provide invaluable career guidance, networking opportunities, and the potential for photographers to have their work exhibited or published.

Beyond portfolio reviews, the festival offers engaging workshops and artist talks, covering a wide range of topics from technical skills and conceptual development to the business side of photography. These sessions are designed to inspire and educate photographers, equipping them with the tools they need to advance their artistic and professional practices.

In addition to educational programming, the festival features curated exhibitions showcasing compelling contemporary photography. These exhibitions highlight emerging and established artists, reinforcing Filter Photo’s mission to promote diverse voices and innovative photographic practices.

As an important hub for contemporary photography in the Midwest, Filter Photo Festival continues to play a significant role in shaping the photographic landscape, fostering an environment where photographers can share ideas, gain recognition, and develop their artistic vision. Whether a seasoned professional or an emerging artist, attendees leave the festival with fresh insights, new connections, and inspiration to push their work further.

expand_circle_rightVisit Website

expand_circle_rightAll Photography Festivals

BredaPhoto Festival 2026

Sep 11, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026

Breda City Centre
Breda, Netherlands

The twelfth edition of BredaPhoto Festival opens on September 11, 2026, bringing contemporary photography and visual storytelling to unique locations throughout Breda, the Netherlands. More than forty national and international artists will present their work across parks, historic buildings, galleries, and unexpected indoor and outdoor spaces, transforming the city into an expansive exhibition landscape. Under the title Our Songs Came Through, BredaPhoto 2026 explores the ways people find comfo

Festival of Ethical Photography 2026

Sep 25, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026

Multi-Venue
Lodi, Italy

The Festival of Ethical Photography, founded in 2010 by the nonprofit Gruppo Fotografico Progetto Immagine in Lodi, Italy, is an international photography festival dedicated to social issues, human rights, and ethical storytelling. Its mission is to use photography as a powerful tool for raising awareness, encouraging dialogue, and bringing important social realities closer to a wider audience. At the heart of the festival is the belief that documentary photography can help reveal stories of soc

Oslo Negative Festival 2026

Oct 10, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026

National Gallery
Oslo, Norway

Oslo Negativ returns to the National Gallery from 10 to 25 October 2026, filling more than 2,000 square metres across three floors with documentary, art, reportage, and fashion photography from Norway and abroad. The sixth edition of Norway's largest photography festival, organized by the Oslo Negativ Foundation in collaboration with the Preus Museum and the Møller Collection, brings together more than 40 exhibitions featuring around 200 photographers. This year's theme is Lidenskap / Passion, a

T3 Photo Festival Tokyo 2026

Oct 03, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026

Multi-Venue
Tokyo, Japan

T3 Photo Festival Tokyo returns for its eighth edition from 3 to 26 October 2026, with a preview day on 2 October, transforming office buildings, commercial complexes, and public spaces across Tokyo's Yaesu, Nihonbashi, Kyobashi, and Ginza districts into a citywide platform for photography. One of Asia's leading international photography festivals, T3 presents seventeen exhibitions with free admission, bringing together over 18 artists and collectives from seven countries and regions with around

Photo Fringe 2026

Oct 02, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026

Brighton & Hove
Brighton, United Kingdom

Photo Fringe 2026 will take place from 2–31 October 2026, bringing photography exhibitions, artists and creative projects to venues across Brighton & Hove and along England’s south-east coast, with the festival also connecting with coastal communities in Newhaven and Portsmouth. Founded in 2003, Photo Fringe has become one of the UK’s largest and most expansive photography festivals, creating opportunities for photographers, artists, collectives and communities to share and discover new work. Fo

Cortona on the Move 2026

Jul 16, 2026 – Nov 01, 2026

Cortona
Cortona, Italy

Cortona on the Move 2026 returns the international photography festival to the Tuscan hill town from 16 July to 1 November, with a program that places contemporary documentary work at the center of the discussion. Founded in 2011 by the ONTHEMOVE cultural association, the festival has built its reputation on photography that looks closely at a changing world and treats observation as both method and subject. This year’s edition, titled Beautiful Country, frames Italy as a place of layered identi

Photoworks Festival 2026

Oct 02, 2026 – Nov 01, 2026

Brighton & Hove
Brighton, United Kingdom

Photoworks Festival 2026 takes place from 2 October to 1 November 2026 across Brighton & Hove, bringing together photography exhibitions, artists, talks, workshops, screenings and other events under the theme Un/Stable: Lands, Anxieties, Dreams. Directed by Louise Fedotov-Clements, the festival explores the connections between identity, place, memory, community and the environment, asking how we live with uncertainty while imagining and creating more hopeful futures. The 2026 edition considers s

Biennale Arte 2026

May 09, 2026 – Nov 22, 2026

Giardini / Arsenale / Forte Marghera
Venice, Italy

Biennale Arte 2026 marks another milestone in the storied history of La Biennale di Venezia, a cultural institution that has defined the evolution of contemporary art since its founding in 1895. Celebrated as one of the most prestigious platforms in the world for artistic innovation, the Biennale continues to foster dialogue between national traditions and global trends, embracing a multiplicity of voices and experimental practices. The Biennale operates on three central pillars: the National Pa

Bristol Photo Festival 2026: Time Machine

Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026

Multi-Venue
Bristol, United Kingdom

The Bristol Photo Festival returns for its third edition from 14 to 18 October 2026, with exhibitions and events running across the city through February 2027. Titled Time Machine, the festival explores how photography inhabits layered time, focusing on overlooked histories, shared rituals, and imagined futures. The programme treats photography as a space where memory, fiction, and possibility coexist, allowing multiple timelines to unfold within each frame. Managed, curated, and produced by IC

Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF)

Oct 16, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027

Several Venues
Singapore, Singapore

The Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) is one of Southeast Asia’s leading photography festivals, bringing together photographers, artists, curators, publishers, and audiences from Singapore and around the world. Founded in 2008, the biennial festival is dedicated to advancing the appreciation and understanding of photography while creating opportunities for dialogue, discovery, and exchange. Organised by DECK, an independent non-profit organisation for photography, SIPF has beco

Head On Photo Festival 2026

Nov 06, 2026 – Nov 29, 2026

Bondi Pavilion Gallery
Sydney, Australia

Head On Photo Festival is one of the world’s leading photography festivals, dedicated to showcasing innovative and thought-provoking photographic works. Founded in 2004 in Sydney, Australia, the festival has grown into a globally recognized event that highlights a diverse range of photography, from photojournalism and fine art to experimental and contemporary styles. With a strong focus on inclusivity, the festival provides a platform for both emerging and established photographers from Australi

Copenhagen International Photography Festival 2027

Nov 15, 2026 – Nov 21, 2026

Multi-Venue Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen Photo Festival is one of Scandinavia’s leading photography festivals, bringing together contemporary photography, lens-based art, and a diverse international community of photographers, artists, curators, and photography enthusiasts. Held across the Danish capital, the festival offers an opportunity to discover established names alongside emerging voices and to experience photography in a wide range of contexts. The 17th edition will take place from November 15–21, 2027, marking a mov

Barcelona International Photography Festival on Human Rights and Global Justice

Dec 01, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027

Streets of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain

The Barcelona International Photography Festival on Human Rights and Global Justice returns for its sixth edition, once again bringing powerful documentary photography into the streets of Barcelona and transforming the city into a vast open-air gallery dedicated to human rights and social justice. Through a selection of exhibitions presented in public spaces across the city, the festival invites audiences to discover photographic projects that explore some of the major challenges facing our worl

PhotoNOLA 2026

Dec 02, 2026 – Dec 06, 2026

Multi-Venue
New Orleans, LA, United States

PhotoNOLA returns to New Orleans this December for its 21st edition, transforming the city into a month-long celebration of photography. Produced by the New Orleans Photo Alliance in partnership with museums, galleries, and venues across the city, the festival runs core programs from 2 to 6 December 2026, with exhibitions remaining on view throughout the month and beyond. The opening takes place at the New Orleans Museum of Art on 2 December, beginning with a gallery walkthrough at 5:30 PM follo

Contact Photography Festival 2027

May 01, 2027 – May 31, 2027

CONTACT Photography Festival
Toronto, Canada

Contact Photography Festival 2027 returns to Toronto from May 1–31 for its 31st edition, bringing a month-long celebration of contemporary lens-based art to venues and public spaces across the Greater Toronto Area. Founded in 1997, CONTACT is an annual city-wide festival featuring exhibitions, public art installations, and programs that showcase the work of local and international photographers and lens-based artists. The Festival’s Core Program brings together exhibitions and public programs pr

BìFoto Fest 2026

Oct 09, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026

Mogoro and Curcuris
Sardinia, Italy

The 16th edition of BìFoto Fest – International Photography Festival in Sardinia takes place from October 9 to 11, 2026, transforming the towns of Mogoro and Curcuris into an open-air photography museum. Founded in 2011 by artistic directors Stefano Pia and Vittorio Cannas, the festival presents eight new exhibitions that will remain on view for at least twelve months, continuing its commitment to making photography freely accessible in public spaces. The 2026 edition takes its theme, “Dio è mor

La Gacilly-Baden Photo 2026

Jun 12, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026

Austria
Baden, Austria

La Gacilly-Baden Photo 2026 returns from June 12 through October 11, transforming the Austrian spa town of Baden into one of Europe’s largest open-air photography destinations. Spanning gardens, streets, and public squares, the festival presents dozens of large-scale exhibitions that invite visitors to experience photography beyond the traditional museum setting. With free admission and a route extending for several kilometers, the event continues to demonstrate how photography can engage broad

PORTRAIT(S)2026

Jun 19, 2026 – Oct 04, 2026

Vichy
Vichy, France

From June 19 to October 4, 2026, the 14th edition of Portrait(s), Rendez-vous photographique de Vichy invites visitors to explore the many facets of contemporary portrait photography through exhibitions, educational initiatives, artistic residencies, and encounters with leading photographers. Across the city, the event brings together established names and emerging voices, offering a rich perspective on the evolving language of photographic portraiture. At the Grand Établissement Thermal, the fe

Arles - Les Rencontres de la Photographie 2026

Jul 06, 2026 – Oct 04, 2026

Arles
Arles, France

Les Rencontres d'Arles is one of the most prestigious and influential photography festivals in the world. Founded in 1970 by photographer Lucien Clergue, writer Michel Tournier, and historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette, the festival takes place every summer in the historic city of Arles, France. Over the decades, it has become a premier platform for showcasing contemporary photography, attracting artists, curators, collectors, and photography enthusiasts from around the globe. What sets Les Rencontr

2026 Biennial: The Long View

Sep 30, 2026 – Oct 03, 2026

Multi-Venue
Cincinnati, OH, United States

2026 Biennial: The Long View, running from September 30 through October 2026, marks the eighth edition of America's largest photography biennial, activating 74 exhibitions across 65 venues in Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky. The opening program, held September 30 to October 3, establishes the theme that unites the month-long celebration: a consideration of time, distance, and perspective in photography and lens-based art, timed to coincide with the semiquincentennial

RomePhotoLab 2026

Sep 26, 2026 – Sep 28, 2026

Villa Altieri
Rome, Italy

RomePhotoLab 2026 gathers photographers in Rome from September 26 to 28, celebrating the vitality of street photography through an international competition and a dynamic public program. Centered on the street as a living stage, the event highlights photography that captures spontaneous encounters, fleeting gestures, and the quiet dramas of everyday life. In this setting, images become reflections of human presence within the city, revealing stories shaped by chance, observation, and the attenti

Images Vevey 2026

Sep 05, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026

Fondation Vevey ville d’images
Vevey, Switzerland

In September, the lakeside town of Vevey once again shifts scale. With Images Vevey 2026, its streets, façades and waterfront host a dense constellation of photographic works that extend far beyond traditional exhibition formats. Marking its 10th edition, the Swiss biennial adopts the theme “We are family!”, framing this anniversary as both a reunion and a reflection on how images circulate across generations, communities and geographies. Since its launch in 2008, the event has built a reputatio

Filter Photo Festival 2026

Sep 23, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026

Columbia College Chicago Student Center
Chicago, IL, United States

Filter Photo Festival is a premier photography event held annually in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to fostering creativity, community, and professional development for photographers of all levels. Organized by Filter Photo, a nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of contemporary photography, the festival serves as a dynamic platform where photographers, curators, editors, and collectors converge to engage in discussions, portfolio reviews, workshops, and exhibitions. Since its inception, Filter P

9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026

Jun 05, 2026 – Sep 22, 2026

Triennial of Photography Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany

9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026 promises to be a landmark event in the international photography calendar, running from June 5 to September 22, 2026, with Opening Days spanning June 4 to 14. Under the title Alliance, Infinity, Love – in the Face of the Other, this edition brings together a dynamic constellation of exhibitions across Hamburg’s leading cultural institutions, reflecting on the transformative power of human connection, empathy, and responsibility toward others. Eleven exhi

Mode by Flickr Festival

Sep 18, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026

Peavey Plaza
Minneapolis, MN, United States

MODE by Flickr is a new three-day photography festival taking place in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, bringing photographers, visual artists, creators, and photography enthusiasts together for an immersive celebration of image-making and creative culture. Created by Flickr as a real-world extension of its global photography community, MODE aims to take photography beyond the screen and foster meaningful connections through shared experiences. The festival combines the energy of a cultural even

Landskrona Foto Festival

Sep 04, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026

Landskrona
Landskrona, Sweden

Once every other year the little city of Landskrona in Skåne, is transformed, into a teeming metropolis of photography – Landskrona Foto Festival. The art of photography becomes a part of the city environment; in the parks and the stores, while taking place in the cultural parlours. The love to the photography, the engagement and the investment in Landskrona as a City of Photography reaches its crescendo during the month of September. The festival has established itself as not only the most impo

20/20 Photo Festival 2026

Sep 10, 2026 – Sep 19, 2026

20/20 Photo Festival
Philadelphia, PA, United States

The 20/20 Photo Festival, running September 10 through 19 across Philadelphia, brings together the city's photography community through exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, and a renowned photo book fair. What began in 2020 as a month-long virtual event organized by Gravy Studio, The Halide Project, and Wanderlife Gallery has grown into a citywide celebration that foregrounds accessibility, offering free programming designed to inspire and educate audiences at every level. The festival's 2026 e

Visa pour l'image 2026

Aug 29, 2026 – Sep 13, 2026

Perpignan
Perpignan, France

Visa pour l'Image is one of the most prestigious international festivals dedicated to photojournalism. Held annually in Perpignan, France, it serves as a vital platform for photographers covering global events, conflicts, human rights issues, and social changes. Established in 1989, the festival has become a cornerstone of the documentary photography world, celebrating the power of visual storytelling and the crucial role of photojournalists in informing the public. Each year, Visa pour l'Image

Higashikawa International Photo Festival 2026

Aug 01, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026

Higashikawa
Higashikawa, Japan

The Higashikawa International Photo Festival returns to Hokkaido from August 1 to 31, placing a month of exhibitions, talks and public programs inside a town that has spent four decades building its identity around photography. In Higashikawa, the festival is not an add-on to civic life but part of the town’s cultural infrastructure, tied to a local ambition that still sounds unusual: to become a place worth photographing, and worth thinking about. That idea took shape in 1985, when Higashikawa

London Street Photography Festival 2026

Aug 28, 2026 – Aug 30, 2026

East London
London, United Kingdom

The London Street Photography Festival (LSPF) returns to East London, bringing together photographers, photography enthusiasts, and curious audiences for a vibrant celebration of street photography. Free and open to all, the festival presents exhibitions, talks, lectures, books, and opportunities to connect with an international photography community. At the heart of the festival is an exhibition featuring finalists of the LSPF 2026 competition across four categories: Single Photograph, Photo Se

Edinburgh Art Festival 2026

Aug 04, 2026 – Aug 30, 2026

Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Edinburgh’s annual art festival returns in August 2026 with a programme that spreads across the city, combining exhibitions, performances and public events in both established venues and less conventional spaces. Opening on August 14 with a late-night event at the Biscuit Factory, the festival sets the tone early, bringing together music, performance and club culture with artists including Mykki Blanco and local DJs. This year’s edition places a strong emphasis on photography, archives and lived

Whitney Biennial 2026

Mar 08, 2026 – Aug 23, 2026

Whitney Museum of American Art
New York, NY, United States

Whitney Biennial 2026, presented from March 8 through August 23, 2026, continues a tradition that stretches back to 1932, when the Whitney Museum first introduced a recurring exhibition devoted to the evolving landscape of American art. As the eighty-second edition of this historic survey, the Biennial gathers the work of fifty-six artists, duos, and collectives whose practices reflect the shifting cultural, social, and technological conditions shaping artistic production in the United States to

Experimental Barcelona 2026

Jul 22, 2026 – Jul 26, 2026

Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain

Experimental Barcelona 2026 gathers more than 300 photographers, artists and image-makers in a five-day event built around process rather than product. Set in the middle of the Mediterranean summer, the festival uses workshops, talks, portfolio reviews, exhibitions and late-night encounters to frame experimental photography as a shared practice, not a niche discipline. The program reaches across analog and digital methods, from camera and lens making to film processing, printing, intervention an

APhF - Athens Photo Festival 2026

Jun 10, 2026 – Jul 26, 2026

Benaki Museum / Pireos 138
Athens, Greece

APhF – Athens Photo Festival 2026 unfolds across the Greek capital from June 10 to July 20, 2026, affirming its enduring role as a vital meeting point for contemporary photography. For nearly four decades, the festival nurtures a space where diverse practices converge, and where images become tools for dialogue, reflection, and critical exchange. Rooted in a deep awareness of the social and cultural forces that shape visual production, the event examines how photographs circulate, persuade, and

The Latin American Foto Festival 2026

Jul 09, 2026 – Jul 26, 2026

New York
New York, NY, United States

The Bronx Documentary Center’s Latin American Foto Festival (LAFF) is a major annual photography event dedicated to showcasing powerful documentary work from Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded by the Bronx Documentary Center, a nonprofit gallery, educational center, and cultural resource in New York City, the festival has become an important platform for emerging and established photographers whose work explores pressing social, environmental, and political issues through a deeply human le

Sarajevo Photography Festival 2026

Jun 01, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026

Sarajevo
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo Photography Festival 2026 returns this June as a month-long celebration of photography in the cultural heart of Sarajevo. Since its founding in 2022, the Sarajevo Photography Festival has grown into one of the region’s most dynamic platforms for visual storytelling, drawing submissions from more than 60 countries and fostering dialogue across borders. In a city marked by layered histories and resilient spirit, the festival offers photography as a shared language—capable of confronting t

Belfast Photo Festival 2026

Jun 04, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026

Belfast Photo Festival
Belfast, United Kingdom

Belfast Photo Festival stands as a vital celebration of contemporary photography, transforming the city of Belfast into a dynamic visual landscape each summer. As the largest annual international photography festival in the UK and Ireland, it unfolds across more than thirty venues, weaving powerful photographic narratives into galleries, public spaces, and unexpected urban settings. From emerging local voices to established international artists, the festival offers a panoramic view of photograp

GU.PHO. 2026

Jun 18, 2026 – Jun 26, 2026

Castello de Guiglia
Modena, Italy

GU.PHO. 2026, the fifth edition of Italy’s International Vernacular Photography Festival, unfolds over nine days in June 2026, marking a deliberate shift in both format and intent. Expanding beyond its previous structure, the festival adopts a continuous timeline that encourages sustained engagement with exhibitions, talks, workshops, and portfolio reviews. This extended rhythm reflects a broader ambition: to create a space where reflection deepens over time, rather than being confined to fleeti

Glasgow International 2026

Jun 05, 2026 – Jun 21, 2026

Glasgow International (office)
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Glasgow International 2026 returns from 5 to 21 June with a citywide programme that places contemporary art across galleries, studios and public venues. Scotland’s biennial has built its reputation on using Glasgow itself as a setting for new work, artist-led projects and cross-city encounters, and this year’s edition keeps that structure in place while leaning into the city’s history of solidarity and collective action. Founded in 2005 and running in its current biennial format since 2008, Glas

Getxophoto 2026

May 28, 2026 – Jun 21, 2026

Getxo
Getxo, Spain

Getxophoto 2026 returns to the Basque coast from May 28 to June 21, transforming the city of Getxo into an open-air field for images, ideas, and encounters. Located just outside Bilbao, the festival invites visitors to explore photography and visual culture by walking through the city, discovering installations woven into streets, beaches, shopfronts, and public squares. Since its founding in 2007, Getxophoto has championed a model that is accessible, participatory, and deeply connected to its e

Fotografia Europea 2026

Apr 30, 2026 – Jun 14, 2026

Fondazione Palazzo Magnani
Reggio Emilia, Italy

Fotografia Europea returns once again to the streets, squares, and hidden corners of Reggio Emilia — transforming the city into a living museum where photography speaks of memory, absence, and the unseen. Founded in 2006 and winner of the 2022 Lucie Award for Photo Festival of the Year, the festival channels the spirit of local photography pioneer Luigi Ghirri by using images to reflect on everyday life and the subtle complexities of contemporary existence. Throughout the city, public and privat

Fotofestival Lenzburg 2026

May 09, 2026 – Jun 07, 2026

Multi-venue event
Lenzburg, Switzerland

Fotofestival Lenzburg 2026 unfolds across the towns of Lenzburg, Aarau, and, for the first time, Baden, transforming everyday spaces into a constellation of images and encounters. Under the title Forever Happy, the festival navigates the fragile terrain of happiness, treating it not as a fixed state but as a shifting condition shaped by desire, pressure, and imagination. Streets, shop windows, and exhibition venues become sites where personal longing meets collective narratives, revealing how de

Contact Photography Festival 2026

May 01, 2026 – May 31, 2026

CONTACT Photography Festival
Toronto, Canada

Contact Photography Festival 2026 returns to Toronto this May for its milestone 30th edition, presenting an expansive month-long celebration of lens-based art. As Canada’s premier photography festival, CONTACT transforms the city into a living gallery, offering exhibitions, public art installations, and programming that span neighborhoods across greater Toronto. With a commitment to both emerging and established voices, the Festival fosters engagement with photography as a medium that reflects,

Sète Itinérances 2026

May 09, 2026 – May 31, 2026

Itinérances Foto (IF)
Sète, France

From May 14 to 31, 2026, the association Itinérances will present the fourth edition of its photography festival, Itinérances Foto (IF), once again transforming the city of Sète into an open-air gallery. The festival unfolds along the canals and through the city’s heart—across walls, gardens, galleries, studios, and other emblematic spaces—inviting visitors to experience photography in unexpected places. Every May, Itinérances Foto offers both enthusiasts and newcomers a poetic encounter with th

Nordic Light International Festival Of Photography

May 15, 2026 – May 25, 2026

Nordic Light Events
Kristiansund, Norway

Since its founding in 2006, the Nordic Light International Festival of Photography in Kristiansund, Norway, has stood as a guiding light for the art of photography. Dedicated to the power of visual storytelling, the festival brings together acclaimed photographers, rising talents, and passionate enthusiasts in an inspiring celebration of the medium’s expressive possibilities. Each edition reflects a commitment to quality, creativity, and dialogue—core values that have made Nordic Light a vital m

Circulation(s) 2026

Mar 21, 2026 – May 17, 2026

Centquatre-Paris
Paris, France

A springboard for artists and a revealer of trends, Circulation(s) is both the venue and the reflection of contemporary European artistic ferment, as well as an essential meeting point for the photography of tomorrow. Its program is structured around a public open call and an annual scouting process led by the artistic direction of the Fetart collective, which welcomes three new members this year. The Circulation(s) festival returns to CENTQUATRE-PARIS, a leading cultural institution in eastern

KYOTOGRAPHIE 2026

Apr 18, 2026 – May 16, 2026

Kyoto
Kyoto, Japan

KYOTOGRAPHIE 2026, held across Kyoto from April 18 to May 16, approaches photography through the charged and multifaceted notion of the “edge.” This year’s edition positions the medium within a state of tension—geographical, political, and conceptual—where boundaries are not fixed lines but shifting zones of encounter. The festival unfolds across historic temples, modern architecture, and repurposed urban spaces, reinforcing Kyoto’s longstanding dialogue between tradition and experimentation. At

Photobook Fest 2026

May 08, 2026 – May 10, 2026

ICP - International Center of Photography
New York, NY, United States

Photobook Fest 2026 returns to the International Center of Photography from May 8 to 10, transforming the institution into one of the most active meeting points for contemporary photobook culture in the United States. Now in its fifth edition, the three-day event has quickly established itself as a major gathering for photographers, publishers, students, and collectors, bringing together more than 75 publishers from around the world. Spanning the museum and school on Manhattan’s Lower East Side,

FotoFest Biennal 2026

Mar 07, 2026 – May 10, 2026

FotoFest
Houston, TX, United States

FotoFest is preparing an extraordinary celebration of its four-decade legacy with the upcoming Biennial 2026, titled Global Visions – FotoFest at 40. This landmark event honors forty years of innovative photographic art and education, showcasing the impact FotoFest has had on the global visual arts community while reinforcing Houston as a dynamic hub for artistic exchange. From March 7 through May 10, 2026, audiences will be invited to explore the vibrant Sawyer Yards galleries in Arts District

Dublin Street Photography Festival 2026

May 01, 2026 – May 03, 2026

Charlemont Square
Dublin, Ireland

Co-founded by Des Byrne and Paul Murray, the Dublin Street Photography Festival has grown into a vibrant celebration of photography’s most immediate and unscripted form. Rooted in the belief that the streets carry an endless flow of human stories, the festival highlights how candid encounters and fleeting gestures can serve as powerful channels of cultural expression. Its commitment to nurturing this art form has helped build a community where practitioners of all backgrounds find encouragement,

Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025: Eternal Kalpa

Nov 01, 2025 – Apr 30, 2026

Thailand Biennale
Phuket, Thailand

As the principal government body dedicated to advancing and promoting contemporary art in Thailand, the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC), under the Ministry of Culture, has established the Thailand Biennale as a major national and international platform for artistic exchange. Conceived as a traveling biennial, the event distinguishes itself by rotating among different provinces of Thailand, allowing each region to showcase its unique cultural and natural heritage. The first three ed

Barnsley’s Inaugural Photography Festival: FOTO 2026

Feb 21, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026

Barnsley Civic
, United Kingdom

Barnsley’s Inaugural Photography Festival: FOTO 2026, running from 21 February to 31 March 2026, marks a significant cultural moment for the South Yorkshire town. Conceived as a multi-venue celebration of lens-based practice, the festival unfolds across pop-up exhibitions, civic spaces, and public sites, bringing together more than sixty exhibitors over six weeks. At its heart lies a commitment to visual storytelling and community connection, positioning photography as both an art form and a sha

Rotterdam Art Week 2026

Mar 25, 2026 – Mar 29, 2026

Rotterdam Art Week
Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rotterdam Art Week 2026 will transform the city into a vibrant hub of visual culture from March 25 to 29, 2026. Over five days, more than 60 locations across Rotterdam will host fairs, exhibitions, open studios, artist talks, and tours, offering a comprehensive celebration of contemporary art. The week promises a dynamic mix of high-profile gallery openings and unexpected pop-up shows, making art accessible and immersive for visitors of all backgrounds. A highlight of this edition is Haute Photo

Taipei Biennal 2025

Nov 01, 2025 – Mar 29, 2026

Taipei Fine Arts Museum
Taipei City, Taiwan

Since 1998, when the Taipei Fine Arts Museum first invited an international curator and renamed its exhibition the Taipei Biennal, the event has become a vital force in connecting Taiwan’s contemporary art with the global stage. Over twelve editions, it has elevated the visibility of Taiwanese creativity, positioning Taipei as a crossroads where local perspectives meet international dialogue. The Biennale’s evolution mirrors the city’s own transformation—a journey marked by openness, experimenta

Singapore Biennale 2025: pure intention

Oct 31, 2025 – Mar 29, 2026

Singapore Biennale
Singapore, Singapore

Singapore Biennale 2025: pure intention invites audiences to rediscover the city through contemporary art that unfolds across multiple venues and public spaces. This new edition encourages visitors from all walks of life to engage with Singapore’s layered identity—one shaped by generations who have contributed to its evolution into a city that is both meticulously planned and full of spontaneity, discovery, and striking contrasts. By situating art in everyday environments, the Biennale seeks to

Women by Women: PhotoVogue Festival 2026

Mar 01, 2026 – Mar 06, 2026

Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense
Milan, Italy

Women by Women: PhotoVogue Festival 2026 returns to Milan for its landmark 10th edition, taking place from March 1 to March 4 at the historic Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense. Set against the backdrop of Milan Fashion Week, this edition celebrates the diverse voices, visions, and experiences of women photographers from around the world. The festival explores how women articulate identity, creativity, and agency through the photographic medium, offering a platform where their perspectives are both

Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025

Dec 12, 2025 – Mar 03, 2026

Kochi Biennale Foundation
Mattancherry, Kochi, Kerala, India

The sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, curated by Nikhil Chopra in collaboration with HH Art Spaces, unfolds as a dynamic exploration of creation and collaboration. Chopra, known for his multidisciplinary approach that fuses performance, drawing, photography, sculpture, and installation, invites participants to consider process itself as the foundation of artistic practice. This edition celebrates friendship and shared labor as essential frameworks through which art can grow and flouri

Exposure Photography Festival 2026

Feb 05, 2026 – Mar 01, 2026

Exposure Photography Festival
Calgary, Canada

Exposure Photography Festival 2026 returns to Calgary and Banff, offering a month-long celebration of photography from across Alberta and beyond. Running across 30 venues from May through June, the festival brings together over 250 artists in a city-wide exploration of the medium. From galleries and museums to DIY spaces and community hubs, Exposure transforms Calgary into a dynamic canvas where audiences can engage with both established and emerging photographic practices. The festival emphasiz

Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2026

Feb 06, 2026 – Feb 23, 2026

Top Museum
Tokyo, Japan

Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2026 returns to Tokyo from February 6 to 23, reaffirming its position as a vital winter rendezvous for photography, film, and experimental visual culture. Rooted in the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, the festival draws from a long-standing institutional commitment to questioning how images are made, circulated, and understood. Since its opening in 1995, the museum has served as a gateway between historical innovation and contemporary ex

2025/2026 Chaumont-Photo-sur-Loire

Nov 23, 2025 – Feb 22, 2026

Domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire
Chaumont-sur-Loire, France

Since its acquisition by the Centre Region in 2007, the Domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire has become one of the Loire Valley’s most captivating destinations. Once a historic estate, it has evolved into a vibrant cultural landmark that harmoniously combines heritage, art, and landscape design. Its growing international reputation has made it a must-see location on the Loire châteaux circuit, admired for both its historical depth and contemporary creativity. Today, the Domain presents a unique threefol

Photo Brussels Festival 2026

Jan 22, 2026 – Feb 22, 2026

Brussels
Brussels, Belgium

Launched in 2016 by Hangar, the PhotoBrussels Festival has established itself as a premier event for contemporary photography, welcoming enthusiasts, professionals, and industry leaders for a month-long celebration of the medium. To enhance its reach and coordination, a dedicated committee was formed in 2022, comprising prominent Brussels-based cultural institutions including Atelier Contraste, box galerie, Contretype, L’Enfant Sauvage, Fondation A Stichting, Hangar, and La Nombreuse. As a key p

Festival Images & Neige 2026

Jan 30, 2026 – Feb 01, 2026

Cluses
Cluses, France

The town of Cluses, nestled in the heart of Haute-Savoie, will host the 16th edition of the Images & Neige photography festival on January 30, 31, and February 1, 2026, at the Parvis des Esserts. Each year, this beloved winter event draws between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors—including nearly 900 schoolchildren—to celebrate the beauty and challenges of cold climates through the art of photography. Dedicated to themes of snow, ecology, sport, nature, and adventure, the festival has become a highlight

Chobi Mela XI

Jan 16, 2026 – Jan 31, 2026

DrikPath Bhobon
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Chobi Mela, the first photography festival in Asia, remains one of the most ambitious initiatives created by Drik and Pathshala. Its inaugural edition took place between December 2000 and January 2001, establishing a biennial event that quickly became the most demographically inclusive photography festival in the world. Held every two years in Dhaka, it continues to serve as a vibrant platform for artists, audiences, and critical discussions. The next edition of Chobi Mela will return to Dhaka i

Site Santa Fe International

Jun 27, 2025 – Jan 13, 2026

Site Santa Fe
Santa Fe, NM, United States

The 12th SITE SANTA FE International, titled Once Within a Time, expands beyond the museum’s walls to embrace the entire city of Santa Fe. Partnering with local institutions and unexpected venues, the exhibition unfolds like a living narrative, inspired by a constellation of characters and stories rooted in the history and spirit of New Mexico. Curated by Cecilia Alemani, this ambitious edition blurs the boundaries between art, place, and storytelling, creating a dialogue between contemporary im

Bursa Fotofest 2026

Dec 12, 2025 – Jan 12, 2026

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality
Bursa, Turkey

Bursa Fotofest 2026 arrives as a powerful call to reflect, question, and reimagine through images. From December 12, 2025 to January 12, 2026, the 15th edition of this international photography festival in Turkey embraces the theme “Time of Rupture” — a theme meant to capture the fractures, tensions, and transformations permeating our global moment. This edition summons photographers and audiences alike to confront disruption, but also to seek renewal and hope. “Rupture” here is more than a brea

São Paulo Biennial

Sep 06, 2025 – Jan 11, 2026

Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

The 36th Bienal de São Paulo – Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice opens on September 6, with free admission until January 11, 2026. With the opening of the exhibition, the Bienal also launches its public program, the Conjugations: a series of debates, gatherings, performances, and activations, some of which are developed in collaboration with cultural institutions from various parts of the world and presented at the Bienal Pavilion throughout the exhibition’s four-month run.

Indian Photo Festival 2025

Nov 20, 2025 – Jan 04, 2026

Light Craft Foundation
Hyderabad, India

The Indian Photo Festival returns with its 11th edition, reaffirming its role as one of India’s most vital platforms for photography and visual storytelling. As the country’s longest-running international photography festival, it brings together artists, audiences, and communities in a celebration of images that illuminate the world’s complexities and inspire meaningful reflection. Held from November 20 to January 4 at the State Gallery of Art in Madhapur and across multiple venues in Hyderabad,

Glaz Festival 2025

Nov 17, 2025 – Jan 04, 2026

Rennes
Rennes, France

Love and rebellion have always shared a complex and ambivalent bond—a relationship filled with desire, hope, transformation, and resistance. While love is often seen as tenderness or passion, it also embodies strength and defiance in the face of adversity. Rebellion, too, often perceived as violent, can become a gesture of unity and compassion. Contemporary photography stands at the heart of this dialogue, bearing witness to history while actively engaging with the social and emotional challenge

2025 Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival

Nov 29, 2025 – Jan 04, 2026

Three Shadows
Xiamen, China

The 11th edition of the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival returns to Xiamen from November 29, 2025, to January 4, 2026, reaffirming its position as one of Asia’s most influential photography events. Since its inception in 2015, this festival has bridged the cultural dialogue between China and France through its enduring partnership with the world-renowned Rencontres d’Arles. Each year, Jimei × Arles transforms Xiamen’s Jimei District into a vibrant meeting ground for artists, curators,

Festival Planche(s) Contact

Oct 18, 2025 – Jan 04, 2026

Deauville
Deauville, France

The new edition of the Planches Contact Festival opens in Deauville under the banner of intimacy, a theme that resonates with the very vocation of photography: to capture the invisible, to reveal what is at play behind appearances. From the way we look at ourselves to the way we look at others, this year's exhibition explores the many forms of closeness, relationships, tensions and silence - in private spaces as well as in the landscape, in the body as well as in memory. This year, the festival

Harmattan - Togo Photo Festival 2025

Dec 12, 2025 – Dec 30, 2025

Lomé
Lomé, Togo

Harmattan – Togo Photo Festival 2025 stands as a vivid declaration: photography can reclaim and redefine the visual imagination of West Africa. From December 12 to 14, 2025, Lomé will become a convergence point for emerging and established photographers from Togo, West Africa, and beyond — gathering not just images, but dreams, histories, and new narratives that challenge old stereotypes and reshape perceptions. The festival’s collective exhibitions — hosted at Agnassan (Musée Paul Ahyi), Galeri

PHOTO IS:RAEL 2025

Nov 19, 2025 – Dec 19, 2025

PHOTO IS:RAEL
Tel-Aviv, Israel

PHOTO IS:RAEL is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the art of photography in Israel and around the world, guided by the vision of creating a better society through the language of photography. At the heart of its annual activity lies the International Photography Festival, one of Israel’s most significant cultural events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year. Now celebrating its twelfth edition, the festival takes on the theme “Voices”, inviting reflection on the intric

PhotoNOLA 2025

Dec 10, 2025 – Dec 14, 2025

Ogden Museum’s Taylor Library
New Orleans, LA, United States

PhotoNOLA returns this December with its 20th annual celebration of photography, transforming New Orleans into a vibrant hub of images, ideas, and community. From December 10 to 14, 2025, venues across the city — galleries, museums, pop-up spaces, and even outdoor sites — will host a wide variety of exhibitions, events, and public-facing projects. The festival’s spirit is both local and global: photographers from near and far bring their visions to the city, while locals share stories rooted in

PhotoKTM 6th Edition

Nov 14, 2025 – Dec 14, 2025

photo.circle
Kathmandu, Nepal

The 6th edition of PhotoKTM centers on the theme of Global South solidarities, inviting artists and audiences to reflect on the political and cultural legacies of the Third World project. The festival seeks to revisit histories of resistance, resilience, and collective action, examining how communities across the majority world have fought to reclaim sovereignty in the face of centuries of colonialism, exploitation, and structural violence. Through this lens, PhotoKTM emphasizes the ways in whic

Photo Days 2025

Nov 03, 2025 – Nov 30, 2025

Photo Days
Paris, France

Created in 2020, Photo Days unites all photography and video events taking place across Paris each November, transforming the city into a vast open celebration of the image. The initiative brings together institutions, galleries, fairs, auction houses, and a selection of private venues such as artists’ studios, laboratories, and collectors’ apartments, offering both professionals and enthusiasts a total immersion in photography at the very moment Paris becomes the world capital of the medium. Th

expand_circle_rightPhotography Events Ending Soon

From photography exhibitions and photo festivals to art fairs and gallery shows, these events are closing soon and still worth a visit. Whether you're an avid collector, a photography enthusiast, or simply looking for cultural inspiration, find the best photography events near you before they end.