Belfast Photo Festival 2025

This June, explore the Biosphere as Belfast Photo Festival’s 11th edition transcends documentation and creativity, and experience new imagery, commissions, and projects that spark positive change in how we view and inhabit our shared Earth.

Overview

The Belfast Photo Festival is set to return in 2025, presenting a selection of photographic projects that engage with pressing global concerns and intimate human stories. Among the highlights are works such as Mathieu Asselin's Monsanto: A Photographuc Investigation delving into the environmental and health consequences linked to the controversial agricultural corporation, 0169-8629 5223-01750 by Karol Szymkowiak which explores the duality of Powidzkie Lake in Poland, a site of natural beauty with a hidden history as a Cold War nuclear target, now a significant NATO base. Szymkowiak's work subtly layers narratives of peace and potential conflict. Closer to home, Joe Laverty's Shallow Waters offers a poignant examination of the ecological decline of Lough Neagh, intertwining the visible signs of environmental damage with the rich cultural heritage and mythology surrounding the iconic waterway. The Children's Melody by Eli Durst focuses on the formative experiences of young Americans in group settings, exploring the delicate interplay between individual identity and the pressures of belonging within institutions and communities. Sophie Calle's exhibition Beyond The Gaze - Shared Perspectives invites viewers into her unique conceptual world, promising a compelling exploration of observation, perception, and the complexities of human connection.

Among the featured artists are also Diana Lelonek, Joe Laverty, Yvette Monahan, Aiden Brady, Helio León, Polly Garnett, Chad Alexander, Elliot Ross, Constance Jaeggi O’Connor, Jim Mangan, Sitara Thalia Ambrosio, Oleksandr Rupeta, Bego Anton, Thero Makepe, Leafy Yun Ye, Parisa Azadi, Anna Zagrodzka, Adam and Dyba Lach, Akihiko Okamura, and more.

The wide program of activities includes workshops, artist talks, guided tours, and screenings. Additionally, Belfast Photo Festival is hosting two days of virtual portfolio reviews with 35 Irish, British and International photography experts. Scheduled 20-minute reviews are an opportunity for photographers or artists to receive useful feedback, gain artistic development, expand professional networks, and exchange critical ideas from an expert of their choice.