Tomar la calle fotofest

Tomar la Calle FotoFest is the first and only Ibero-American street photography festival held in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Since its creation by the collective Tomar la Calle in 2022, the festival has grown into a vibrant, month-long celebration of photography, culture, and community, positioning Xalapa on the international map of contemporary street and documentary photography.

The festival takes place every September and transforms the city into an open gallery, with exhibitions across cultural venues such as Casa del Lago UV, Biblioteca Carlos Fuentes, Museo Casa de Xalapa, Centro Recreativo Xalapeño, and the Corredor Cultural Carlos Fuentes. Each edition brings together local, national, and international photographers, curators, and collectives, offering a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and creative exchange.

Its program is designed as a living organism that reflects the diversity of the street:

Exhibitions like #SomosCalle (an international open call selected by a jury), Foco Iberoamericano (a curated show of renowned photographers from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal), Fotógrafas de la Vida Cotidiana (highlighting the voices of women photographers), and projects by local and national collectives.

Talks and panels with photographers, editors, and cultural agents who reflect on the intersections of photography, society, and urban life.

Workshops and critique sessions that create spaces for growth, peer-to-peer learning, and professional development.

Film screenings, photowalks, live critiques, and the Jam Fotográfico, a unique gathering where music, photography, and community converge through exchanges of prints, zines, and analog portraits.


At its core, the festival is built on accessibility, collaboration, and inclusion. All exhibitions are accompanied by accessible texts, Braille labels, and QR codes linking to digital content, ensuring that everyone—regardless of ability—can engage with the images. The festival also emphasizes partnerships with local businesses, cultural centers, and international networks such as the International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA), strengthening ties between Xalapa and the global photography community.

Tomar la Calle FotoFest is more than a festival; it is a statement of identity. It reclaims the street as both subject and stage, highlighting its unpredictability, beauty, and contradictions.