Transparency

How is the IPFA Financed?

The International Photography Festivals Association (IPFA) is an international network that promotes exchange, cooperation, and collective growth in the field of photography. Among other initiatives, IPFA is currently developing four main lines of action.

IPFA Awards: recognize the work and diversity of photography with awards and a traveling group exhibition.
International Meetings: spaces to share experiences, debate challenges, and create new alliances.
Artist Promotion: thanks to 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 worldwide.

If you want to know more about us, visit our About Us section!

Most of IPFA’s income currently comes from public grants and its members, which for now is not enough to ensure long-term sustainability. At this stage, the project is supported thanks to the human and financial efforts of the Experimental Photo Festival and Ágora, School of Experimentation, which cover the majority of costs and ensure that this initiative can move forward. We are fully aware that during the first two years we will not generate sufficient income, but we understand this collective effort as an investment in the future. We believe that only by working together can photography reach the place it deserves in our society.

Our greatest value lies in people. We strive to balance offering accessible activities for festivals while also recognising the dedication of our management team, collaborators, artists, researchers, and communication professionals. In addition to these human resources, there are essential costs for the functioning of the association, such as design, communication, website, translations, travel and mobility, digital platforms, banking fees, back-office, and administrative management. Which make it possible for IPFA to exist and grow.

This is why we call on the support of all festivals, photographers, and institutions: sustaining IPFA in this first stage means investing in a common project that, in the medium term, will become self-sustaining and generate great value for the entire international photography community.

Sources of Funding

In the following table (which updates automatically), you can find detailed information on IPFA’s income and expenses for the 2025–2026 fiscal year:

Good Governance Practices

Transparency is not limited to showing numbers. It also means acting with coherence and responsibility. At IPFA, we follow these principles

All strategic decisions are made collectively and participatively.
We manage funds with ethical criteria, always aligned with our cultural mission.
We periodically review our processes to ensure efficiency and clarity.
We promote equal opportunities in all our projects and activities.
We respect the cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity of our international community.
We are committed to maintaining clear, open, and accessible communication with all members.
We apply a sustainability approach, reducing the environmental impact of our actions.
We act with social responsibility, recognising that our work impacts communities and individuals.

An Open Space for the Community

We are a community, and we know that transparency is essential to building trust with our members and collaborators. For this reason, we openly show how our budget is structured and how each resource is invested.

At IPFA, we believe that transparency is not only about accountability. It is also a way of demonstrating that every contribution counts and that together we are building a strong, open, and sustainable international space for photography festivals.

Transparency also means listening. We want to maintain an ongoing dialogue with our members, collaborators, and the public. If you have questions, suggestions, or comments about our management, please do not hesitate to contact us by email.