logo_participating-spaces

Submission Deadline: 
October 15, 2025

Submission Deadline: October 15, 2025

Participating Spaces

PS-2024_2

FotoFest invites Houston-based artists, photographers, curators, and organizers to join its Participating Spaces program, an integral component of the internationally recognized FotoFest Biennial. This is a strategic opportunity to increase visibility, engage broader audiences, and join your organization with one of the region's most prominent photographic art events.

Participating Spaces present lens-based exhibitions, events, and public programs held at venues citywide, ranging from public parks and alternative art spaces to established galleries and major museums. 

These projects offer Houston-area audiences and international guests an opportunity to experience the incredible local organizers, artists, and venues that enrich the city’s arts ecosystem through the presentation of photography and lens-based media.

Participating Spaces may present photography or lens-based work on any subject or concept they choose. Aligning with FotoFest’s theme is optional. However, if you decide to participate, we welcome the opportunity to discuss how your program can align conceptually with the Biennial's overarching curatorial theme.

FotoFest invites Houston-based artists, photographers, curators, and organizers to join its Participating Spaces program, an integral component of the internationally recognized FotoFest Biennial.

This is a strategic opportunity to increase visibility, engage broader audiences, and join your organization with one of the region's most prominent photographic art events.

Participating Spaces present lens-based exhibitions, events, and public programs held at venues citywide, ranging from public parks and alternative art spaces to established galleries and major museums. 

These projects offer Houston-area audiences and international guests an opportunity to experience the incredible local organizers, artists, and venues that enrich the city’s arts ecosystem through the presentation of photography and lens-based media.

Participating Spaces may present photography or lens-based work on any subject or concept they choose. Aligning with FotoFest’s theme is optional. However, if you decide to participate, we welcome the opportunity to discuss how your program can align conceptually with the Biennial's overarching curatorial theme.

Why Join Participating Spaces?

Grow Audience. Tap into the Biennial’s citywide and international reach. Draw new visitors, increase foot traffic, and raise awareness of your venue.

Amplify Presence. Your program will be featured in FotoFest’s official promotional materials, website, Biennial guide, and maps—putting your venue in front of thousands of engaged art-goers.

Creative Control. Participation is open to any photography or lens-based project, with or without alignment to the Biennial’s central theme. Want to align with the theme? We’re happy to collaborate on curatorial connections.

Be Part of a Citywide Celebration. Join a diverse network of artists, organizers, and institutions working together to celebrate and elevate Houston’s vibrant arts community.

Grow Audience. Tap into the Biennial’s citywide and international reach. Draw new visitors, increase foot traffic, and raise awareness of your venue.

Amplify Presence. Your program will be featured in FotoFest’s official promotional materials, website, Biennial guide, and maps—putting your venue in front of thousands of engaged art-goers.

Creative Control. Participation is open to any photography or lens-based project, with or without alignment to the Biennial’s central theme. Want to align with the theme? We’re happy to collaborate on curatorial connections.

Be Part of a Citywide Celebration. Join a diverse network of artists, organizers, and institutions working together to celebrate and elevate Houston’s vibrant arts community.

What You Receive

biennial 2024 guide

As a Participating Space, you will receive:

  • Two 18 x 24-inch "FotoFest Biennial 2026 Participating Spaces" branded lawn signs
  • One dedicated exhibition page and listing within our Biennial Guide publication
  • 100 copies of our Biennial Guide to distribute to your visitors (pictured above)
  • A listing on our website (see a listing from the previous Biennial) 
  • Continued visibility through our social media and email channels leading up to and during the Biennial

As a Participating Space, you will receive:

  • Two 18 x 24-inch "FotoFest Biennial 2026 Participating Spaces" branded lawn signs
  • One dedicated exhibition page and listing within our Biennial Guide publication
  • 100 copies of our Biennial Guide to distribute to your visitors (pictured above)
  • A listing on our website (see a listing from the previous Biennial) 
  • Continued visibility through our social media and email channels leading up to and during the Biennial

How to Join

Complete the submission form. The submission process requires a free Submittable account. 

Submission Fee: $75 per exhibition/project – This fee enables FotoFest to provide Biennial Guides to the public at no charge.

Final Submission Deadline:
 October 15, 2025

Submission Fee: $60 per project/exhibition

Submission Deadline: October 1, 2025

Submission Platform: Submittable – The submission process requires a free Submittable account.

FotoFest Biennial 2026
March 7 – May 10, 2026

The FotoFest Biennial 2026 central exhibition, Global Visions – FotoFest at 40, celebrates four decades of FotoFest’s groundbreaking photographic arts and education programming. Curated by FotoFest co-founder and former artistic director Wendy Watriss, executive director Steven Evans, and co-curators Annick Dekiouk and Madi Murphy, the namesake central exhibition of the Biennial 2026 dives deeply into the international and local archives of FotoFest’s 40-year legacy. It reconstitutes the organization’s widely praised exhibitions, publications, and citywide photo and mixed-media presentations that have defined the organization’s pioneering history.

The FotoFest Biennial 2026 central exhibition, Global Visions – FotoFest at 40, celebrates four decades of FotoFest’s groundbreaking photographic arts and education programming. Curated by FotoFest co-founder and former artistic director Wendy Watriss, executive director Steven Evans, and co-curators Annick Dekiouk and Madi Murphy, the namesake central exhibition of the Biennial 2026 dives deeply into the international and local archives of FotoFest’s 40-year legacy. It reconstitutes the organization’s widely praised exhibitions, publications, and citywide photo and mixed-media presentations that have defined the organization’s pioneering history.

The FotoFest Biennial 2026 central exhibition, Global Visions – FotoFest at 40, celebrates four decades of FotoFest’s groundbreaking photographic arts and education programming.

Curated by FotoFest co-founder and former artistic director Wendy Watriss, executive director Steven Evans, and co-curators Annick Dekiouk and Madi Murphy, the namesake central exhibition of the Biennial 2026 dives deeply into the international and local archives of FotoFest’s 40-year legacy.

It reconstitutes the organization’s widely praised exhibitions, publications, and citywide photo and mixed-media presentations that have defined the organization’s pioneering history.

FAQs

FAQs

Image Credit
(1) FotoFest Participating Spaces program, 2024. Video: Walley Films

The FotoFest Biennial 2026 central exhibition, Global Visions – FotoFest at 40, celebrates four decades of FotoFest’s groundbreaking photographic arts and education programming. Curated by FotoFest co-founder and former artistic director Wendy Watriss, executive director Steven Evans, and co-curators Annick Dekiouk and Madi Murphy, the namesake central exhibition of the Biennial 2026 dives deeply into the international and local archives of FotoFest’s 40-year legacy. It reconstitutes the organization’s widely praised exhibitions, publications, and citywide photo and mixed-media presentations that have defined the organization’s pioneering history.

Image Credit
(1) FotoFest Participating Spaces program, 2024. Video: Walley Films