After seven years of reflecting Australia’s photographic landscape, PHOTO Australia has confirmed it will close, with the Board announcing PHOTO 2026 will not proceed.

Founded in 2018, the festival set out with what organisers describe as a “bold vision: to bring photography into public life through free and accessible programming.” Across three editions (2021, 2022 and 2024), PHOTO Australia showcased more than 400 artists and attracted over 600,000 visitors to Melbourne and regional Victoria.

“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 closing statement said.

The festival gained international recognition in 2023 with On Country: Photography from Australia, presented at France’s Rencontres d’Arles, the first major international survey of Australian photography in more than a decade. It also broke new ground in 2024 with a world-first Ideas Summit, tackling themes from AI to activism.

But organisers point to “rising costs associated with delivering large-scale outdoor exhibitions, combined with a constrained funding environment” as reasons for closing.

Despite this, PHOTO Australia leaves a strong legacy. The City of Melbourne awarded it the 2022 Melbourne Award for Arts and Events, recognising its role in revitalising the city through cultural partnerships.

As the organisers concluded: “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.”

A sector under pressure

PHOTO Australia’s closure highlights growing challenges for Australian festivals, particularly those reliant on large-scale outdoor programming. With funding competition intensifying and delivery costs rising, PHOTO Australia joins a list of high-profile events forced to reassess their sustainability.

photo: via PHOTO Australia website