Head On Foundation is Australia’s premier non-profit organisation for photography, producing the esteemed annual Head On Photo Festival in Sydney and a year-round program of events and collaborative projects.

Celebrating all photography forms, the Festival draws over 400,000 visits, featuring 900+ Australian and international photographers in innovative exhibitions in galleries, public outdoor spaces, cafes, and projections. It’s a hub for emerging and established talent, fostering innovation via exhibits, conversations, workshops, and collaborations. Central to the Festival are the Head On Photo Awards across three categories; the Foundation has given awards worth $800,000+. The Festival works with international festivals and organisations and regularly tours worldwide.

Head On Foundation also produces a comprehensive yearly public and educational program of hybrid workshops, seminars, talks, reviews and collaborative projects.

Head On Foundation believes in equal opportunity for all photo artists. Work submitted to Head On is judged solely on merit, without artists’ names or backgrounds.

We established the Head On Foundation in 2008 as a not-for-profit organisation. Its mission is to promote photographers’ work at all career stages, encourage visual literacy, excellence and innovation, make photography accessible to all, and raise awareness of important issues through photography.

Head On offers valuable exhibition opportunities in Sydney and internationally through the Head On Photo Festival, the Head On Photo Awards (Portrait, Landscape, and Student awards), and an annual program of events and collaborative projects.

The Head On Photo Festival serves as a bridge between Australian and international photographic markets. The Festival has toured in America, China, India, Europe, and New Zealand, showcasing Australia’s wealth of photographic talent to the international photographic community.

Head On is committed to inclusivity and supports people and projects from diverse backgrounds, including indigenous, young, older, disabled, LGBTQIA+ and culturally diverse individuals.

The Head On Foundation is dedicated to supporting the arts ecosystem by promoting creative development and employment opportunities and generating business for industry suppliers and local businesses. The Head On Photo Awards have directly contributed over $800,000 to photo-based artists, and the Head On Photo Foundation has contributed over $5,000,000 to the growth and sustainability of the photography and aligned industries.

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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