Shuttered: PHOTO Australia closes

After seven years of inspiring audiences and reshaping the photographic landscape, PHOTO Australia will be closing its doors. The Board has confirmed that PHOTO 2026 will not go ahead, marking the end of a remarkable chapter in Australia’s cultural life. 

Launched in 2018, PHOTO Australia was founded on a brilliant, noble vision: to move photography beyond the gallery, or our diminutive phone screens, and weave it into the fabric of our public life. It asked us to engage with photography not merely as a hobby, but as a living part of our environment.

By placing powerful images on buildings and in open-air exhibitions, it challenged us to find new meaning in what we see. After all – we'd prefer to live in an intellectually stimulating world – not surrounded by block after block of forgettable beige buildings.

Under the guidance of founder and Artistic Director Elias Redstone, PHOTO Australia left an extraordinary mark. Across three editions of the festival – 2021, 2022, and 2024 – more than 400 artists were showcased, drawing over 600,000 visitors to Melbourne and regional Victorian centres.

In 2022, the festival was recognised with the Melbourne Award for Arts and Events, celebrating its role in revitalising the city through photography and visual art in partnership with over 50 cultural, educational, and government organisations.

More than just photography

PHOTO Australia’s final year included the world-first Ideas Summit, a forum exploring photography’s role in contemporary society. Reflecting the themes of PHOTO 2024, the summit brought together 20 leading Australian and international thinkers across five sessions: The Age of AI, Photography as Activism, Towards Utopia, Into the Metaverse, and The Kids Are Alright. The event positioned the festival as a space for forward-thinking dialogue on photography’s future.

Taking Australian photography to the world

PHOTO Australia’s just recently extended its influence internationally. Its landmark exhibition, On Country: Photography from Australia, was presented at the prestigious Rencontres d’Arles festival in France – the first major international survey of contemporary Australian photography in over a decade. Featuring over 200 works by 17 Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, the exhibition included immersive installations and standout pieces like the Warakurna Superheroes series.

Kudos to the PHOTO team

These accomplishments were made possible by a small but visionary team. Founder and Artistic Director Elias Redstone led the artistic vision, while Executive Director Clare McKenzie strengthened the organisation’s foundation and reach. Curators Brendan McCleary and Pippa Milne brought artistic depth, commissioning new works that resonated both locally and globally. International Partnerships Manager Jessica O’Brien expanded PHOTO Australia’s global footprint, and Marketing and Communications Manager Sean Barrett helped shape its public identity and connect with audiences.

Economic recession and the underfunded arts sector

The closure of PHOTO Australia underscores the challenges facing the Australian creative sector today. Rising costs for large-scale outdoor exhibitions (planning, printing and installation), combined with limited funding, made the festival’s model increasingly difficult to sustain. 

This gargantuan undertaking inevitably forces a vital conversation. How can we successfully marry commerce with art while preserving creative integrity? Is it possible for corporations to support public art without the creators – and the audience – feeling that the work has been 'sold out'? How can we sustain and promote MORE public art spaces and happenings?

Supporting the remaining Australian Photo Festivals

As part of the photography industry community, we encourage you to get out and support Australia’s remaining, large scale photography festivals. The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is currently on now, while the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney runs this year from November 7-30. Attending these festivals is a great way to engage with the photographic community, see diverse perspectives, and support the artists who create the work. And of course – receive priceless inspiration for our own work.

You can see Capture's coverage of the 2023 Ballarat International Foto Biennale here.

Or Capture's coverage of PHOTO 2024 here.

Otherwise, you can visit the PHOTO Australia website here.