BARCELONA’S Photo Forum Fest returns this week with a programme that goes beyond trade stands and camera demos, placing a strong focus on exhibitions open to all attendees.
While the event is known as one of Europe’s largest gatherings for photography professionals, this year’s edition puts a stronger spotlight on something anyone can appreciate: powerful images that tell real stories.
More than 10,000 visitors are expected at the Fira de Barcelona Conference Centre on Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, where a series of exhibitions will explore everything from environmental fragility in the Mediterranean to resilience in Ukraine.
For non-professionals, the exhibition floor is where the festival becomes most accessible.
The largest showcase is called Habitar la mirada (‘Inhabiting the Gaze’), which brings together major names in documentary and contemporary photography.
Among them is David Alan Harvey, the former Magnum Photos photographer known for capturing intimate stories around the world.
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Spanish photographer Jose Manuel Navia and photojournalists Tino Soriano and Carlos de Andres are also featured, alongside the striking and often provocative work of Miguel Oriola.
The result is photography grounded in people, places and lived experience.
MedFoto – an international photography competition promoting the relationship between the Mediterranean and its people – will highlight the beauty of marine ecosystems while confronting their growing vulnerability.
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In a coastal city increasingly concerned with sustainability and overtourism, the subject matter feels close to home.
Another exhibition is Valents. This project shifts focus to Ukraine, examining identity, creativity and resilience beyond the daily news cycle.
Led by the cultural initiative Embassy of Art, it will include contributions from Ukrainian cinematographer Serhiy Mykhalchuk and producer Andriy Rizol, offering a more human perspective on a country often reduced to headlines.
Importantly, this isn’t a quiet gallery experience. Photo Forum is a hybrid event.
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Part trade fair, part conference, part exhibition space – meaning the atmosphere is busy and dynamic rather than contemplative.
This may not suit those seeking a traditional museum visit, but it does make for an energetic environment where professional photographers, hobbyists and curious visitors mix.
You don’t need to know the names on the wall to get something from it.
If you’re interested in travel, nature, current affairs, or simply how images shape the way we see the world, there’s enough here to justify a look.
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For Barcelona residents, it’s also a reminder that world-class photography doesn’t only hang in major museums – sometimes it lands on your doorstep.
As with any large-scale event at Fira de Barcelona, it’s worth checking the schedule in advance and deciding what you most want to see.
But even a short visit to the exhibition floor could offer a different way of looking at the city, and beyond it.
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