December Festivals Guide

From Miami Street Photography Festival and PhotoNOLA in the United States to Angkor Photo Festival in Cambodia and Photolux Festival in Italy: read on to learn about the most exciting photography events open this December.

From Miami Street Photography Festival and PhotoNOLA in the United States to Angkor Photo Festival in Cambodia and Photolux Festival in Italy: read on to learn about the most exciting photography events open this December.

Miami Street Photography Festival (Miami, US) December 1 - 4

The Miami Street Photography Festival is dedicated to showcasing the work of both emerging and established photographers who document the commonplace world around us. “Street photographers use their keen sense of observation to capture compelling candid moments in the everyday life of strangers, whether it be a gesture, facial expression, action or scene” say the curators. “Their method is often likened to a mirror held up to society...it reflects reality.” The exhibition highlights this year include Violet Isle, which features photographs from Cuba by Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb; Street Photo Thailand, a show that observes Bangkok’s extraordinary and dynamic city life; and The Big Picture, an outside courtyard exhibit that represents major global stories that have occurred throughout the last two decades. Martin Parr, Jill Freedman, Richard Kalvar, and Maggie Steber will also be in attendance to present a series of Master Talks and panel discussions that reflect upon their own perspectives of the world. All events are free and open to the public and held at HistoryMiami Museum. To learn more, visit miamistreetphotographyfestival.org.

Angkor Photo Festival (Siem Reap, Cambodia) December 3 - 10

Angkor Photo Festival, the longest-running event of its kind in Southeast Asia, is committed to promoting young talent and encouraging the diffusion of photography in the region. Over 130 photographers from 45 countries will present their projects from around the world in a series of curated exhibitions and supporting events. The primary shows of this edition are Daesung Lee, Futuristic Arcaeology; Pierre Gleizes, A Plea to Stop Overfishing; Eli Reed, A Long Walk Home; and Shoji Ueda, Retrospective. 8 evenings of projections further enrich the festival program and the standout attraction this year is the Impact Project, a themed showcase that aims to highlight individuals, groups, and small organisations which are drawing attention to important social and environmental issues. Vincent Boisot, Balarka Brahma, Alessandro Rampazzo, Ruben Escudero Salgado, Gael Turine, Santiago Arcos, Poulomi Basu, Eman Helal, Manca Juvan, and Yuyang Liu are among the featured artists. A number of workshops hosted by such international figures as Antoine D’Agata, Sohrab Hura, and Newsha Tavakolian round up the public program. Visit angkor-photo.com to find out more.

Photolux Festival (Lucca, Italy) November 19 - December 11 

Held in the city of Lucca, Tuscany, Photolux is a relatively new festival on the circuit that looks to promote the work of established photographers, while also shedding light on new and emerging talents. The main exhibitions this year showcase the 2016 winners of 3 major photography competitions – the World Press Photo Award, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, and the Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation Photography Grant. Supporting events include the book launch of Inside Outside Under Bucharest with the author Massimo Branca; a projection of the movie War Photographer directed by Christian Frei, with James Nachtwey; a presentation of the project A come Arno with the authors Paolo Cagnacci and Matteo Cesari; photobook reviews held by some of the leading names in the industry; and a series of workshops hosted by Paolo Marchetti, Lorenzo Colloreta, Sara Munari, and Dario Mitidieri. For more information, go to photoluxfestival.it/en.

PhotoNOLA (New Orleans, US) December 8 - 11

PhotoNOLA is an annual celebration of photography that strives to develop dialogue around the medium in New Orleans, and further enhance the destination as a premier spot for collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals working in the industry. A collection of museums, independent gallery spaces, and alternative cultural venues city wide will display the work of photographers from across the world in a rich exhibition program. PhotoNOLA also offers a number of workshops, lectures, talks, and portfolio reviews hosted by international editors, publishers, and museum curators. Anna Goldwater Alexander (WIRED), Jennifer Blessing (Guggenheim Museum), Elizabeth Avedon (Independent Curator), Taylor Curry (Ain’t Bad Magazine), Ashlyn Davis (Houston Center for Photography), and Aline Smithson (Lenscratch) are among the reviewers this year. Discover the complete program at photonola.org.

--------------

To keep up with the latest festival news, subscribe to our newsletter by registering your email address in the space at the bottom of this page.

© Alex Webb. Havana, Cuba
i

© Alex Webb. Havana, Cuba

© Poulomi Basu, from the series Kashmiriyat
i

© Poulomi Basu, from the series Kashmiriyat

© Enri Canaj, from the series The Wind Cries War
i

© Enri Canaj, from the series The Wind Cries War

© Irby Pace, from the series Explosions in the Sky
i

© Irby Pace, from the series Explosions in the Sky

Latest News Items

  • A Guide to April 2024 Photo Awards & Opportunities

  • Join The New PhMuseum 2024/25 Online Masterclasses Program

  • Photobook Review: Ray’s a Laugh by Richard Billingham

  • A Guide To April 2024 Photography Festivals & Exhibitions

  • Photobook Review: Bannkörbe by Aladin Borioli

  • Maria Montes Duran’s Journey Through Latino Heritage in America

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Stay in the loop


We will send you weekly news on contemporary photography. You can change your mind at any time. We will treat your data with respect. For more information please visit our privacy policy. By ticking here, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with them. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.