A legacy in focus

After seven transformative years advancing the photographic landscape, PHOTO Australia will close its doors. The Board has confirmed that PHOTO 2026 will not proceed.

Founded in 2018, PHOTO Australia set out with a bold vision: to bring photography into public life through free and accessible programming. With large-scale outdoor exhibitions, dynamic public events and international collaborations, the organisation redefined photography’s role in Australia’s cultural imagination.

Under the artistic leadership of founder Elias Redstone, PHOTO Australia delivered extraordinary impact. Across three editions of the festival (2021, 2022 and 2024), more than 400 artists were featured, attracting over 600,000 visitors to Melbourne and regional Victorian cities.

In 2022, PHOTO Australia was honoured with the prestigious Melbourne Award for Arts and Events from the City of Melbourne, recognising the festival’s contribution to revitalising the city through photography and visual art, in collaboration with over 50 cultural, educational and government partners.

A global forum for the future  

A major initiative in PHOTO Australia’s final year was the world-first Ideas Summit, a global forum exploring photography’s evolving role in contemporary society. Programmed in response to the themes of PHOTO 2024, the summit brought together 20 leading Australian and international thought leaders.

Spanning five sessions – The Age of AI, Photography as Activism, Towards Utopia, Into the Metaverse and The Kids Are Alright – the Ideas Summit positioned PHOTO Australia at the forefront of critical cultural dialogue on the future of the medium.

Celebrating photobooks and creative exchange 

The closing weekend of PHOTO 2024 saw record-breaking attendance at Photobook Weekend at Abbotsford Convent. This vibrant program featured free talks, book launches, exhibitions and a photobook market where audiences could purchase directly from artists and publishers.

In partnership with Photo Collective, PHOTO Australia hosted the 2024 Australian and New Zealand Photobook Awards, exhibiting the shortlisted titles and announcing the recipients during the weekend.

Elevating Australian photography globally

PHOTO Australia achieved international recognition with the landmark exhibition ‘On Country: Photography from Australia’, presented at the prestigious Rencontres d’Arles festival in France.

This was the first major international survey of contemporary Australian photography in over a decade, showcasing more than 200 powerful works by 17 Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists. The immersive installations and striking Warakurna Superheroes series were among the festival’s highlights.

A collective effort 

The PHOTO Australia achievements were made possible by a small but visionary team, led by Founder and Artistic Director Elias Redstone.

Executive Director Clare McKenzie guided the organisation through a period of significant growth, strengthening its foundation and expanding its reach. Curators Brendan McCleary and Pippa Milne added artistic depth to each festival, commissioning new work and curating exhibitions that resonated both locally and internationally.

As International Partnerships Manager, Jessica O’Brien extended PHOTO Australia’s global footprint, while Marketing and Communications Manager Sean Barrett engaged audiences and helped shape the organisation’s public identity and voice.

A platform for possibility 

More than a festival, PHOTO Australia became a platform for dialogue, risk-taking and creative exchange – a space where photographers could tell urgent stories and connect with audiences in unexpected ways.

The impact of PHOTO Australia is evident through the careers it helped launch, the networks it fostered and the opportunities it created through mentorships, publishing and collaboration.

A changing landscape 

The closure of PHOTO Australia highlights the broader challenges currently facing the Australian creative sector. The rising costs associated with delivering large-scale outdoor exhibitions, combined with a constrained funding environment, have made PHOTO Australia’s model increasingly unsustainable.

Yet, PHOTO Australia’s achievements remain a powerful reminder of what’s possible when bold ideas are met with collective vision and commitment.

To the photographers, artists, curators, partners, funders, volunteers and audiences who brought PHOTO Australia to life – thank you. While the organisation is coming to a close, its legacy lives on in the work it inspired, the stories it elevated and the cultural conversations it helped shape.

As we reflect on all that has been achieved, we do so with deep pride. Photography has the power to change how we see the world. Thanks to PHOTO Australia, it has.

 

Posted: 27 August, 2025