The Ballarat International Foto Biennale today announced a thrilling blend of curated exhibitions, city-wide pop-ups, workshops, talks, and more - all under the festival's central theme, Lifeforce, from 23 August to 19 October 2025.
Presented by Intrepid Travel, this eight-week festival brings the world's leading photographers, digital creators and innovators together in a celebration of the vital energy and creative spark that animates both artist and audience.
Vanessa Gerrans, Artistic Director and CEO of Ballarat International Foto Biennale, said:
"There is a life force in all of us - a spark that compels us to create, to connect, to capture the world around us. This year's Biennale honours that energy with a program that is dynamic, provocative and deeply moving."
"From globally acclaimed photographers to emerging voices, the 2025 Biennale offers audiences exclusive Australian exhibitions, world premieres and large-scale outdoor installations that transform Ballarat into a walkable, immersive art experience," said Vanessa.
Among the headline exhibitions are:
I ❤ Campbell | Campbell Addy (GHA/GBR)
Australian Exclusive | Ballarat Mining Exchange
The British Ghanaian photographer, fashion visionary and activist presents a body of work defined by its celebration of beauty, diversity and visibility. Addy's portraits of icons including Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé and Lizzo have redefined contemporary fashion photography, gracing the pages of Vogue, Time, and Dazed.
Enninful x Mapplethorpe | Robert Mapplethorpe (USA)
Australian Exclusive | Post Office Gallery
Curated by British Vogue editor Edward Enninful OBE, this unprecedented exhibition pairs 46 of Robert Mapplethorpe's iconic prints to invite audiences into fresh, powerful dialogues with the photographer's legacy.
Catherine Leroy: One Way Ticket to Vietnam 1966-1968 | Catherine Leroy (FRA)
World Premiere | Ballarat Town Hall
The fearless French photojournalist's raw, emotive work from the Vietnam War is unveiled for the first time in this landmark retrospective.
Long Exposure: The Legacy of Prahran College
World Premiere | Miners Tavern
Celebrating generations of photographers shaped by Prahran College in Melbourne, this collective exhibition showcases 50 artists whose work continues to resonate decades later.
Thành Phẩm | Lê Nguyên Phương (VNM/AUS)
World Premiere | Ballarat Library
Vietnamese artist Lê Nguyên Phương reclaims the narrative of the Vietnam War with a counter archive of tender, familial images challenging dominant Western perspectives.
Nature~ista
World Premiere | RACV Goldfields Resort
Featuring Leila Jeffreys (AUS), Maria Fernanda Cardoso (COL) and Troy Emmery (AUS), this exhibition celebrates the flamboyance and personality of the natural world through photography and sculpture.
Prompted Peculiar International AI Prize
World Premiere | Miners Tavern
The cutting-edge competition returns to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and artistic creation.
Ballarat's streets and laneways come alive with a vibrant outdoor program, transforming the regional city into a walkable art tour. Among the public art highlights include:
Mumu Mirri | Dave Jones (AUS) & Dr Deanne Gilson (AUS)
Exterior of the National Centre for Photography
Following the success of Lisa Roet's 'Golden Monkey' in 2023, this year's centrepiece public artwork is Mumu Mirri - a shimmering moth sculpture celebrating resilience, transformation and interconnectedness. Mumu Mirri is a dazzling sculptural tribute to the Bogong Moth, a vital totem of sustenance and survival for First Nations people.
Memory Matrix | Jody Haines (AUS) & Debasish Mukherjee (IND)
Bridge Mall & The Goods Shed
A cross-cultural collaboration exploring memory, place and identity through large-scale outdoor works.
High Exposure | Annelìse Seréna Belladonna (AUS), Max Deutscher (AUS), Jett Leduc (AUS)
Various laneways around Ballarat
Featuring emerging Ballarat-based artists whose work reflects the theme Lifeforce across the city's heritage architecture.
GradFoto | Monika Makour (AUS), Harry Merriman (AUS), Jesse Pretorius (AUS), Emily Raffaele (AUS)
GovHub Precinct Gardens
Capturing a new generation of artists working in contemporary photography.
Leicolhn McKellar (AUS)
Guma
Art Screen, Alfred Deakin Place
Highlighting the ties between place and identity, Guma means blood in the Budjiti language.
Key Events & Experiences
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is filled with events, hands-on workshops, artist talks, live podcasts, dancing, and more - inviting everyone to engage with photography in unexpected and inspiring ways.
Lifeforce Gala | Ballarat Mining Exchange
23.08.2025, 7pm
Celebrate the creative force of this year's exhibiting artists in the company of fellow art lovers, cultural leaders, and visionaries. Proceeds from the gala support our mission to champion photographic excellence and creative innovation.
Todd Hido in person | The Goods Shed
04.09.2025, 6pm
Join acclaimed American photographer and photobook maker, Todd Hido in conversation with Professor Daniel Palmer, RMIT University. Presented in partnership with Leica Australia.
Women Shaping Photojournalism | 101 Lydiard
14.09.2025, 2pm
Join award-winning documentary photographer and photojournalist, Christina Simons in conversation with photojournalists Carla Gottgens and Penny Stephens as they reflect on their careers, the challenges they've faced and the evolving role of women behind the lens.
Presented in partnership with Nikon Australia.
Negotiating the Nude | Craig's Royal Hotel
13.09.2025, 10am-5pm
Join photographer and educator, Ali Choudhry and model, Richard Musumeci (Artmodel Richard) to explore nude photography through theory, a live demonstration and by making photographs.
Boot scooting with Country Struts | Ballarat Mining Exchange
18.10.2025 5:45pm
Kick up your heels with the high-energy team from Country Struts for a fun-filled evening of line dancing - perfect for seasoned scootin' pros and total beginners alike.
The Passion of Joan of Arc | Ballarat Performing Arts Community
19.10.2025 7:30pm
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) by Carl Theodore Dreyer is considered a masterpiece of early silent cinema. By turns surreal, intense and deeply moving, the film continues to shock and amaze. This screening of the work will feature a curated score of gothic-inspired music by French composer Erik Satie in the centenary year of his death.
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale features more than 360+ artists and spans more than 100 indoor and outdoor venues, with pop-up exhibitions in cafes, bars and laneways inviting visitors to wander and explore.
Thanks to Intrepid Travel, all Ballarat International Foto Biennale ticket holders can go into the draw to win a Golden Ticket: an Intrepid adventure worth up to $15,000.
Intrepid Travel ANZ Managing Director Brett Mitchell said:
"Intrepid Travel is proud to support the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale for the first time. We share a strong alignment in seeing the world through new perspectives, sparking curiosity and encouraging a sense of adventure. We are excited to reach a new culturally engaged audience and celebrate the city of Ballarat.
"Both photography and travel are transformative, inspiring positive change and serving as a force for good. We are thrilled to see an incredible collection of international art come to Ballarat to foster creativity and communities."
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said:
"The City of Ballarat is delighted to support the 11th Ballarat International Foto Biennale with significant and ongoing funding.
"Over the past two decades, the Foto Biennale has grown to become Australia's leading photographic festival and Ballarat is proud to call it ours.
"This will once again be a celebration of creativity, vision and the power of photography to connect us across cultures, generations and perspectives."
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said:
"The Allan Labor Government is proud to support the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, that brings extraordinary international and prominent Australian artists to our city and crowds to see their exhibitions.
"This iconic event turns Ballarat into an exhibition space for some of the world's best photographers - boosting local businesses and supporting our economy and jobs along the way."
RACV Head of Visual Arts Mardi Nowak said:
"RACV is proud to be part of the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale, hosting a vibrant program of exhibitions, talks, and events that celebrate the art of photography. At RACV Goldfields Resort in Creswick, we're excited to welcome visitors and locals alike to experience the work of world-class photographers in our beautiful regional setting."
Vanessa Gerrans added: "This Biennale is made possible by the life force of our artists, audiences, partners and the vibrant city of Ballarat. We invite visitors to immerse themselves in a festival that celebrates creativity in all its forms."
Ballarat International Foto Biennale runs from 23 August until 19 October 2025. Tickets and further information can be found at ballaratfoto.org
