PhMuseum Days 2026 Photography Festival Open Call

At least 3 artists will be granted a solo show at the PhMuseum Days' new main venue; one project will be selected for a public installation, while up to 40 single images and 20 projects will be featured in a collective show and a screening, respectively.

Overview

The 5th edition of the PhMuseum Days Open Call is now welcoming submissions, giving visual artists the opportunity to exhibit at our International Photography Festival taking place on 1-4 October in Bologna, Italy. For the first time, the festival will happen jointly with Photobook Mania, the 2nd edition of our publishing fair, offering a complete platform to enjoy contemporary photography in person.

Through this open call, at least 3 artists will be granted a solo show within the Festival’s new main venue, a project will be selected for a public installation on former municipality billboards, up to 40 single images will take part in a sculptural, collective installation, while up to 20 works will be screened.

In an era of digital fragmentation and closing borders, ARCHIPELAGO is the theme of this 5th edition. It draws inspiration from the 2005 book by Massimo Cacciari with the aim to explore crisis as both an inherent part of our journey and an opportunity to discover new models of coexistence. We are looking for projects that explore or question the cultural islands of our time, offering a space for dialogue capable of integrating the other and opening new mental horizons.

Practical Info

Photographers and visual artists are invited to present one or more projects featuring between 5 and 20 images delving into the theme Archipelago, and any photographic approach is welcome. The deadline is set for 7 May, while there is a reduced entry fee option until 13 April.

At least 3 projects that will be granted an individual exhibition within the festival's main location – the newly re-opened, historical Ex Ospedale dei Bastardini in the center of the city. Each of the selected photographers will receive a production budget up to €2,500+VAT, plus an artist fee of €300 and a contribution to cover travel expenses and attend the inaugural weekend (€300 if based in Italy, €500 if coming from Europe and €800 from overseas).

One project will be selected to be exhibited on eleven public billboards in Via dell'Abbadia, a street in the historical center of Bologna. Formerly belonging to the municipality of Bologna and now recovered by cultural association CHEAP, the billboards represent an opportunity to take over a street in almost its full length, reach to a broader audience, and experiment with design solutions within a given formal structure. Production expenses will be fully covered, and the selected photographer will receive an artist fee of €300 and a travel expenses contribution to attend the inaugural weekend (€300 if based in Italy, €500 if coming from Europe and €800 from overseas).

Furthermore, up to 40 images will be selected for a collective sculptural installation that will challenge the main theme of the festival. The exhibition will take over the historical courtyard of the Archiginnasio of Bologna – an iconic former main building of the University of Bologna, attracting thousands of visitors every week, running from 19 September to 8 October. Both applicants presenting a structured body of work and those applying with a selection of images are eligible for this installation.

Plus, up to 20 projects among all of the submissions will take part in a collective video projection that will be included in the festival's main program and screened in a dedicated area every day. Additionally, applicants can claim a free daily pass to attend the festival.

All entries will be reviewed by a jury comprised of Pacifico Silano (Visual Artist), Tara L. C. Sood (Photographer and Filmmaker), Rita Puig-Serra Costa (Photographer), and Giuseppe Oliverio (PhMuseum Founding and Artistic Director). The review will happen in May, with the results being announced in June.

About PhMuseum

PhMuseum is a curated platform dedicated to the visual language and its culture. Since 2012 we have been focused on finding diverse ways to display photography, educate, and connect with a growing community. Our mission is to discover, support and promote photographers, working as an innovative talent incubator.

Over more than a decade, we have supported more than 100 photographers with €240,000 in cash prizes and another 300 with exhibition, residency and screening opportunities at festivals such as PhEST, Getxophoto, Organ Vida, Cortona OTM, Lagos Photo, Verzasca Foto, JIPFest and our own PhMuseum Days.