Head On Photo Festival

When will the 2024 festival be held?

Head On Photo Festival will return in November/December 2024. Exact dates and locations to be announced. We will also hold events throughout the year. Join our e-news and social media to receive updates.

How can I show my work at the festival?

There are three ways you can show your work at the Festival

  1. Make a Festival submission to hold a solo or group exhibition. Submissions open early 2024.
  2. Enter the 2024 Head On Photo Awards. Entries during mid-2024.
  3. Participate in AddOn 2024.
  4. AddOn is a non-competitive, anonymous, photographic exhibition curated by Charles McKean and Festival Director, Moshe Rosenzveig OAM

Join our e-news and social media to receive updates.

Festival submissions

Is there a festival theme?

There is no theme; we celebrate all genres of photography.

When is the Festival?

The Festival will be held in November/December; we will announce the exact dates later in the year. We will notify selected exhibitors in advance to make travel arrangements.

What work do you exhibit?

Head On Photo Festival prides itself on showcasing a diverse selection of work that speaks to the breadth of stories that photography can tell.

  • Works completed recently (within the last five years) are preferable, although we accept works made at any time
  • Works previously exhibited/published elsewhere are accepted (however, if accepted into Head On Photo Festival the work must not be exhibited elsewhere in Sydney 12 months prior to the Festival)
  • Collaborative works/group shows are accepted
  • Head On’s curatorial team works with each artist to finalise which images will be exhibited

I want to participate in the Festival, but I am not ready to exhibit a body of work, what can I do?

We have two additional ways to participate in the Festival. The Head On Photo Awards will begin accepting entries in the middle of the year. We also have AddOn, a non-competitive community exhibition and photo book.

My work contains nudity/graphic content, will you be able to exhibit it?

We have exhibition space we can use for more sensitive or challenging material.

Do you accept group shows?

Yes. We have a long history of curating group shows for various photographic organisations worldwide.

What does the selection panel see?

The selection panelists will review your submission based only on the 10 sample photos, the project description and the title.

I have never shown my work before. Do I have a chance?

Yes, first-time exhibitors are welcome at our Festival. Check out the submission advice section and watch our webinar for extra support.

If successful, do I need to ship prints to you?

Generally speaking, we are mainly an outdoor festival; you don’t need to ship any prints to us. We take care of the curation and manage specialist printing for you. However, if you use alternative processes or create photo collages, etc, we may need high-resolution scans to accurately reproduce your work.

Do you accept video/multimedia work?

No. We have in the past, but unfortunately this year we ‘won’t be able to present any video-based projects. If the video/multimedia has accompanying still photographs, we encourage you to submit the project in that form.

Head On Photo Awards

When can I submit my work?

Entries will open mid-2024.

Join our e-news and social media to receive updates.

When will the winners be announced?

All the finalists and winners of the Head On Photo Awards will be announced at the Festival Launch Party (November 2024)

Can I enter an image that has been accepted into the Head On Photo Festival?

Yes. You may submit images to the Head On Photo Awards that were accepted into Head On Photo Festival as part of an exhibition submission or accepted into other competitions.

Does my image have to be made recently?

No. There is no time restriction on when an image was made.

Can I enter more than one image?

Yes. Applicants may enter an unlimited number of images into each category.

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Head On Photo Awards 2024

Entries to the Head On Photo Awards 2024 open in May/June.

Image detail: Gary Ramage