Fotofestiwal Grant 2026

The grant aims to enable the realization of ambitious new projects and to support Polish or Poland-based artists in developing their creative practice at a key moment in their careers.

Overview

Fotofestiwal Lodz, together with Kamienica Hilarego Majewskiego, is launching the Fotofestiwal Grant, a program supporting the production of new works by Polish artists or by artists living and working in Poland, who create within the field of photography.

Practical Info

They are looking for projects that have not yet been presented, are in the production phase, or are close to completion. The call is addressed to artists who have already had at least one solo exhibition or a photobook publication. Submissions must include a project description, including information on its current stage, visual materials related to the project (5–10 images or a video link), a bio/CV documenting the artistic background and contact details.

One selected project will receive a production budget and artist fee (a total of 20,000 PLN gross), a premiere exhibition during Fotofestiwal in Łódź in 2026, held in the gallery of Kamienica Hilarego Majewskiego in Łódź from 19 June to 12 July 2026, and curatorial support. Additionally, the organizers will cover accommodation and travel for the artist during the exhibition opening; necessary transport of works within Poland, and exhibition promotion.

About Fotofestiwal

Fotofestiwal was established in 2001 as one of the first photography events in Poland. Since then it has grown into one of the most relevant photographic festivals in Europe but its core mission has not changed: presenting photography in its various ways (via exhibitions, films, slideshows, workshops etc.) but also talking about important social issues and introducing the unobvious beauty and unique history of our city to the audience. For such reason they organize thematic exhibitions in various post-industrial spaces, which Łódź is well known for, they put stress on networking parties – (they are quite famous for those), but also every year they try to develop new ways of talking about photography: via events such as Photo-Match: Completely Different Portfolio Review, during which they focus on having equal status granted to the curators as well as artists, with formula of presentation that numerous festivals are applying worldwide now with a success. Since 2016 they work as a collective, with no board of directors, developing a new way of cultural institution management.