FORMAT27 Open Call
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Opens24 Jun 2026
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Deadline7 Sep 2026
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Link
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Entry fee€27
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Author
- Topics Awards
FORMAT27 invites international artists, curators, and collectives to submit exhibition or event proposals engaging with the theme Play. Up to five projects will be selected for the exhibition in Derby, UK, with awards and production support.
Overview
FORMAT International Photography Festival celebrates its 2027 biennale under the theme Play, exploring experimentation, curiosity, and the act of making as a creative and critical force. The open call invites diverse interpretations of play across photographic and lens-based practices, from documentary and conceptual work to installation, performance, and new media.
Practical Info
The open call is open worldwide to photographers, artists, curators, and collectives. Applicants may submit exhibition or event proposals engaging with the theme Play. All photographic and lens-based practices are eligible, including installation, moving image, publication, performance, and experimental formats.
Up to five projects will be selected for exhibition at FORMAT27 in Derby, UK. Selected artists receive an artist fee of £1,000, travel reimbursement up to £300, accommodation during the opening weekend, and full production of the exhibition.
In addition, selected works are featured in the festival catalogue, website, and communication channels, and artists receive free access to FORMAT27 events and professional programmes. Beyond the exhibition, projects are eligible for several festival awards, including the FORMAT27 Open Call Award (£2,500 production support), the Genesis Metro Award (£1,000 print and production credit), and international exhibition opportunities such as the Lishui Photography Festival Award (China) and the Glaz Photography Festival Award (France).
Jurors include Jean-Christophe Godet, Diane Smyth, Caroline Hunter, Alex Kahl, João Kulcsár, Jenni Grainger, Yining He, and Wang Peiquan.
About FORMAT
FORMAT International Photography Festival, founded in 2004 and led by QUAD in Derby, UK, is one of the world’s leading festivals for contemporary photography and lens-based media. The biennial programme presents exhibitions, commissions, residencies, talks, and open calls across Derby and partner cities. FORMAT is dedicated to supporting emerging and established artists while fostering critical dialogue around contemporary photographic practice and expanding how photography is made, shared, and experienced.
