Experimental Photo Festival 2027 Open Call, Barcelona

The Experimental Photo Festival is an international festival in Barcelona dedicated to photography that pushes the medium: alternative processes, unusual materials, hybrid techniques and new ways of showing images. Its 2027 open call will select twelve artists for solo exhibitions in Barcelona in July 2027, some installed for the IPFA Meeting from 30 June to 4 July 2027. There is no fixed theme. The entry fee is €20 and the deadline is 7 November 2026.

Experimentation can come through technique, concept, process, materials or the audience's experience, and finished, in-progress and previously exhibited projects are all welcome.

Who Can Apply to the Experimental Photo Festival?

Photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives of any nationality, age or professional background. It is particularly relevant to:

• Photographers working with analogue and alternative processes, such as cyanotype, collodion or lumen prints
• Artists combining photography with sculpture, textiles, painting or installation
• Photographers questioning the image through digital or camera-less methods

Selected artists must be in Barcelona for installation, opening and dismantling.

Entry Fees

€20.

What Do Selected Artists Receive?

• A solo exhibition in Barcelona in July 2027
• €150 artist fee (a valid invoice is required)
• Up to €200 for exhibition production, managed by the festival
• An Ágora Diploma in Experimental Photography, valued at €999
• Curatorial and production support, festival access, lunches on festival days and international visibility
• Priority access to accommodation at a university residence in Barcelona

Submission Requirements

Up to 10 images of the project, an artist portrait, and technical, production and installation information.

Why Apply?

Few festivals focus entirely on experimental photography, and a solo show, even a small one, is a strong step for artists working outside conventional photography. The festival also connects you with a community of practitioners and teachers in alternative processes.

How to Make a Strong Application

Make the experiment visible. The jury wants to understand what is different about your process or approach, so describe it clearly and show it in the images, including installation views or details of the material if relevant. Explain how the work would be shown in a space: size, materials, light, any special requirements. A realistic installation plan helps the festival imagine your exhibition.

What Counts as Experimental?

The festival defines experimentation broadly. It can be technical, such as hand-made emulsions, chemigrams or printing on unusual surfaces; conceptual, such as projects about the nature of images and memory; or about the audience, such as installations that change how people see or touch photographs. The key is that the experiment is central to the work, not a filter added at the end.

Planning the Exhibition

Each selected artist has a solo show, supported by a small production budget and the festival team. Think about what you can realistically produce, transport and install with €200 plus your own resources. Light, portable works and installations that can be assembled on site are easier to manage than large framed prints.

The IPFA Meeting

Some exhibitions will be installed for the IPFA Meeting, from 30 June to 4 July 2027, before the main festival month. Being in Barcelona for these days is a good opportunity to meet other artists, share workshops and see what others are doing with the medium.

About the Festival

The festival is organised by the Experimentalphotofestival Association in Barcelona and focuses on experimental photographic practice, combining exhibitions, workshops and meetings with artists.

Things to Consider

• No theme: experimentation is the only requirement.
• Be there: attendance at installation and opening is required.
• Up to 10 images: show process and result.
• Deadline: 7 November 2026.

Apply to the Open Call

Ready to apply?

Apply to the Experimental Photo Festival

For the full call and application form, visit the official open call page.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 28, 2026