Open Call for 2027 FORMAT International Photography Festival

FORMAT International Photography Festival announces its FORMAT27 biennale (March‑April 2027) with the theme “PLAY”. The Open Call welcomes exhibition and event proposals from individual artists, collectives and curators across all image‑based disciplines (photography, multimedia, VR, installation, performance, etc.). Up to five projects will be selected for exhibition at the festival in Derby (11 March – 11 April 2027) and a group show at Photofusion Gallery in London. Selected participants receive an artist fee of £1,000, travel reimbursement up to £300, accommodation during the launch weekend, full production costs, promotion across festival channels, and the chance to win additional awards (e.g., £2,500 exhibition production grant). The call is open to all photographers, artists, archives and collectives worldwide. Application fees are €22 (early‑bird, until 24 July 2026) or €27 (standard, after 25 July 2026). Submissions are submitted via the Picter platform. The festival is organized by QUAD in partnership with the University of Derby and funded by Arts Council England, BFI and Derby City Council.

Full production costs, exhibition space, promotion, awards, and support for selected projects

Open to artists, collectives and curators worldwide