Organizer Information

Established in 2001 as one of Poland's pioneering photography festivals, Fotofestiwal (International Festival of Photography in Łódź) has evolved into one of Europe's premier visual arts events, drawing over 20,000 international visitors annually. Operating as a non-hierarchical collective since 2016, Fotofestiwal presents exhibitions, video screenings, and workshops across Łódź's iconic post-industrial spaces, while leading innovative industry networking formats like the Photo-Match portfolio review and serving as a founding member of the European FUTURES photography platform.

Title & Description

Fotofestiwal 2027: Open Program (Łódź, Poland) — International Open Call for Photography Projects

Fotofestiwal has officially opened entries for its Open Program 2027, seeking bold, distinctive, and conceptually rigorous projects across any photographic or visual medium. Operating with no thematic restrictions and no age limits, the open call invites individual artists and collectives worldwide to submit up to two projects. An international jury of curators, editors, and researchers will select six winning projects to be produced and exhibited as flagship exhibitions during the festival in Łódź in June 2027, offering each selected artist a €1,000 EUR artistic fee, exhibition production/shipping funding, travel support, opening weekend lodging, and consideration for the prestigious FUTURES platform talent pipeline.

Categories

The call accepts Contemporary Photography, Documentary, Fine Art, Visual Research, Archival/Expanded Media, Photobook-Oriented Projects, and Mixed Visual Practices.

Eligibility

  • Demographic Scope: Open unconditionally to visual artists, lens-based storytellers, and creative collectives of all nationalities, ages, and career levels worldwide.
  • Theme Policy: Open theme / unrestricted subject matter.
  • Submission Limit: Each artist or collective may submit a maximum of two projects.

Program Benefits & Awards

The six selected artists or collectives receive:

  • Feature Exhibition: Dedicated exhibition space within Fotofestiwal's post-industrial venues during the June 2027 festival in Łódź (reaching 20,000+ viewers).
  • Artistic Honorarium:€1,000 EUR artistic fee.
  • Exhibition Production / Shipping Budget:Up to €600 EUR for exhibition printing/production or artwork transportation.
  • Travel & Lodging Coverage:Up to €300 EUR travel expense reimbursement plus hotel accommodation for the festival's main opening weekend.
  • FUTURES Platform Nomination: At least one artist will be officially nominated to join FUTURES, the Europe-based platform providing year-round career development, grants, and exhibition opportunities across global photography institutions.

Fee Structure

  • Submission Fee:€15 EUR per submitted project (processed through the Picter platform).
  • Fee Waiver Policy: In justified circumstances, applicants can request a fee-free submission waiver by emailing opencall@fotofestiwal.com prior to submitting.

How to Apply

Submit your photography project online via the official Picter open call portal.

Key Dates & Timeline

  • Call Submissions Opening Date: October 1, 2026
  • Application Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026
  • Shortlist & Winner Results Announced: January 25, 2027
  • Festival Event & Exhibition Run: June 2027

International Jury Panel (2027)

  • Dr. Jana Johanna Haeckel (Curator, Artistic Director of 4th photo + Photography Biennial Düsseldorf 2027, Ghent KASK Lecturer)
  • Marta Szymańska (Curator, Fotofestiwal Collective Co-creator, former Archeology of Photography Foundation Vice-Director)
  • Francesco Rombaldi (Curator, Editor, Founder of Yogurt, Yogurt Editions, and Charta)
  • Roï Saade (Artist, Designer, Curator, Founder of Huwawa Publishing and Bound Narratives)
  • Krzysztof Candrowicz (Curator, Co-founder of Fotofestiwal, former Hamburg Triennial of Photography & Ci.CLO Porto Biennale Director)

Location

Initial application uploads, Picter reviews, and jury deliberations take place Online. The physical exhibitions, portfolio reviews, and festival events take place live in Poland at:

Fotofestiwal Venues (Post-industrial spaces across Łódź, Poland)

Website Link: https://fotofestiwal.com/2026/en/open-program-2027/

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