Organizer Information
Yeast Photo Festival is an international photography and visual culture festival based in the Apulia (Puglia) region of southern Italy. The festival is recognized for promoting contemporary photographic practices, interdisciplinary dialogue, and socially engaged artistic research through exhibitions, public programs, artist collaborations, and curatorial experimentation. Since its establishment, Yeast Photo Festival has developed a reputation for creating connections between local cultural identities and broader international perspectives, particularly within the Mediterranean and European contemporary art landscape.
The festival brings together photographers, curators, visual artists, cultural practitioners, and audiences through an annual thematic program that investigates contemporary issues through the language of photography and visual storytelling. Alongside exhibitions and public events, the organization actively supports emerging and mid-career professionals by creating opportunities for artistic visibility, curatorial development, and international exchange.
For its 2026 edition, Yeast Photo Festival continues its commitment to fostering curatorial research and cross-cultural collaboration through the second edition of its international curatorial open call. The initiative seeks to support curators with different geographical and professional backgrounds while strengthening dialogue between regional Italian perspectives and broader European artistic practices.
Title & Description
Yeast Photo Festival 2026 Curatorial Open Call – A Matter of Taste
Yeast Photo Festival is accepting applications for the second edition of its international curatorial open call, offering two curators the opportunity to develop and present exhibition projects as part of the official 2026 festival program.
The open call is centered around the 2026 festival theme, “A Matter of Taste,” and invites curators to submit a proposal based on the work of a single artist. Proposed projects should explore or respond to the thematic framework through photography and contemporary visual culture while presenting a clear curatorial vision suitable for exhibition within the festival environment.
For the 2026 edition, the festival will select:
- One curator holding citizenship from a European country
- One curator based in the Apulia (Puglia) region of Italy
The selected projects will become part of the official Yeast Photo Festival exhibition program and will receive production, logistical, and curatorial support from the festival team.
The initiative aims to encourage dialogue between local and international curatorial approaches while expanding the diversity of voices, methodologies, and perspectives represented within the festival. By bringing together a regional curator from Puglia and a curator from the wider European context, Yeast Photo Festival seeks to create a platform for collaborative exchange, contemporary research, and critical reflection through photography-based exhibition making.
Applicants are encouraged to submit thoughtful and conceptually strong curatorial proposals that demonstrate originality, thematic relevance, and a coherent relationship between the selected artist’s practice and the theme “A Matter of Taste.”
The selected artist connected to each proposal must be both a national and resident of a European country.
Categories
- Photography
- Curatorial
- Visual Art
- Contemporary Art
- Exhibition Making
- Documentary Photography
- Multimedia
- Visual Culture
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
Applicants must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
- Curators with citizenship from a European country and based in Europe
- Curators based in the Apulia (Puglia) region of Italy
Additional eligibility requirements include:
- The proposal must focus on the work of one single artist
- The selected artist must be a national and resident of a European country
- International applicants from European countries are eligible
- Emerging and established curators may apply
- Projects must align with the festival theme “A Matter of Taste”
No age restrictions were specified in the call announcement.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected curators and artists will receive a range of professional and logistical benefits, including:
- €1,000 total fee for each selected project (shared between curator and artist)
- Full coverage of travel expenses during the festival opening days
- Accommodation provided for both the curator and artist
- Exhibition production and installation are managed by the festival
- Curatorial and organizational support from the Yeast Photo Festival team
- Inclusion in the official 2026 festival program
- Visibility through the festival’s press campaigns, media outreach, and digital communication platforms
- Opportunity to present work within an internationally recognized photography festival
- Professional networking opportunities with artists, curators, and cultural professionals
The open call offers selected participants significant exposure within the European contemporary photography and curatorial field.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit a single PDF file (maximum 10 MB) containing the following materials:
- Curatorial proposal related to the theme “A Matter of Taste” (maximum 2,000 characters including spaces)
- Presentation of the selected photographic project
- Sample images of the artist’s work
- Short biography of the selected artist
- Short biography of the curator
- Contact details including email address and phone number
The proposal should clearly explain the curatorial concept, thematic relevance, and exhibition vision.
How to Apply?
Applicants must submit their materials via email in a single PDF document. info@yeastphotofestival.it
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 7 June 2026
- Results Announcement: 31 July 2026
- Festival Edition: 2026 (exact festival dates to be announced)
Location
Apulia (Puglia), Italy
Additional Details
Yeast Photo Festival positions this curatorial open call as a platform for experimentation, dialogue, and visibility within contemporary photography and exhibition practices. The initiative particularly emphasizes the relationship between local cultural perspectives and broader European artistic discourse.
The festival seeks proposals that reflect critical thinking, originality, and strong curatorial research while remaining accessible to diverse audiences. Through this initiative, selected curators will have the opportunity to work closely with the festival team and contribute to a growing international photography platform dedicated to contemporary visual culture.
The curatorial framework encourages participants to explore how photography can engage with themes related to identity, sensory perception, memory, consumption, culture, and social experience through the lens of “taste” in both literal and metaphorical dimensions.
Yeast Photo Festival also highlights the importance of creating a fertile exchange between different curatorial methodologies and artistic languages, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to inclusivity, international collaboration, and interdisciplinary contemporary practice.