About Us
International Photography Festivals Association
The International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA) aspires to be a global network uniting more than 1.300 photography festivals existing in the world. Our goal is to foster collaboration, innovation, and professionalization within the photography festival community. This initiative aims to provide a platform where directors, curators, producers, and artists can elevate their festivals through networking, knowledge sharing and best practices. Our goal is to create an inclusive and horizontal event where all photography and photobook festivals and fairs are invited to participate, from emerging initiatives to long-established international festivals.
Our Mission
To foster exchange and collaboration among photography festivals worldwide, promoting research, international visibility, and the sustainable development of the cultural sector.
Our Vision
To become the leading international platform for photography festivals, capable of transforming the way they connect, evolve, and engage with audiences, generating a positive and lasting impact on contemporary visual culture.
Our Values
Transparency
we believe that trust is built by openly sharing how we manage our resources and make decisions.
International Collaboration
bringing together festivals from different countries enriches our vision and multiplies our impact.
Diversity and Inclusion
we advocate for a plural representation of cultures, genders, and perspectives.
Innovation and Experimentation
we support new forms of cultural production and photographic creation.
Cultural Sustainability
we work to ensure that festivals can endure over time without compromising their values.
pic: Sabrina Onana
Our History
IPFA was founded in 2025 when a group of photography festivals from different countries came together with a shared vision: to build a stronger, more connected and collaborative international photography community. What united them was the belief that photography festivals, regardless of their size, location or history, have much to learn from one another and can achieve more by working together.
From the beginning, the idea was to create an international space where photography festivals could connect, exchange experiences, share knowledge and resources, and develop new opportunities for collaboration. What began as a collective initiative soon evolved into a growing global network, bringing together festivals with different identities, approaches and perspectives. This diversity became one of IPFA's greatest strengths, fostering dialogue across borders, encouraging meaningful partnerships and giving photography festivals a stronger voice in the international cultural landscape.
Today, IPFA is a growing global community, shaped by its members and driven by a common ambition: to connect photography festivals worldwide, amplify their voices and create new opportunities for collaboration. Through its meetings, awards, exhibitions and collaborative projects, the association continues to strengthen international connections and support a more open, inclusive and interconnected photography sector.
Our Team
IPFA is made up of a team of professionals in cultural management, photography, and communication, who place their expertise at the service of a growing international network. Alongside them, each member festival contributes its vision and energy, creating a diverse mosaic that reflects the cultural richness of photography worldwide.
Pablo Giori
PhD in Contemporary History with Master’s degrees in Communication and Cultural Studies. He is Co-Director of the International Photography Festivals Association, the Experimental Photo Festival, and Ágora, School of Experimentation. His career combines academic research and cultural management, focusing on teaching and collective projects that promote sustainability, inclusivity, and a forward-looking approach to understanding photography’s role in contemporary society.
Laura Ligari
Graduate in Languages, Arts and Cultures with a Master’s in Photography and Graphic Design. She currently works as a professional graphic designer and serves as Co-Director of the International Photography Festivals Association, the Experimental Photo Festival, and Ágora, School of Experimentation. Through her photographic practice and dedicated support of emerging artists, she seeks to foster inclusivity and create inspiring and meaningful spaces of empathy through art.
Pedro Pereira
Graduate in International Relations and currently pursuing a Master’s in Digital Entrepreneurship. Responsible for communications at the International Photography Festivals Association, he combines a strong interest in intercultural dialogue and continuous learning. Passionate about travelling, languages, and literature, he actively takes part in book clubs and language exchange events in Barcelona, strengthening his international outlook and cultural connections.
Emiliano Covello
Holds a Master’s in Cultural Management, a degree in Arts Management, and a Higher National Diploma in Photographic Imaging. Producer of the International Photography Festivals Association and Coordinator of Golfes Gallery. Specialised in analogue photography, he has supported artists in project development and research. His career merges cultural management with an international vision, using photography as a tool to strengthen cultural democracy through collaboration.
Adèle
Samjee
Graduated in French and Spanish Literature and Cultural Management, she has built her career across France, Spain and Quebec. She serves as International Cultural Development & Education Coordinator for the International Festival of Experimental Photography and Ágora, School of Experimentation. Passionate about contemporary cultural expressions and intercultural exchange, she connects artistic communities across borders and has a soft spot for beautifully crafted books.
Our Community
Today, IPFA brings together festivals from different continents that share a common goal: to grow together. Our strength lies in the community we build, made up of directors, artists, researchers, cultural managers, and audiences who believe in photography as a tool for connection and transformation.
We are currently developing four main lines of action.
Projects
IPFA Awards
Participating festivals join forces to recognize the work and diversity of photography with awards and a traveling group exhibition.
International Meetings
Spaces for sharing experiences, debating challenges, and creating new alliances.
Artist Promotion
Through our Photographers Repository, it is now easier to find artists to invite to festivals and to give them greater visibility.
Research and Publications
Reports and studies that provide a deeper understanding of the present and future of festivals on a global scale.
How to Participate
Joining IPFA means becoming part of an international community of festivals and professionals committed to photographic culture.
You can get involved in different ways
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Becoming an IPFA member as a festival.
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Taking part in our projects and activities.
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Collaborating as a photographer, institution, or cultural organisation.
Together we will build a stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable future for photography festivals worldwide.
