Held annually in February
The Exposure Photography Festival is a month-long celebration of photography across Alberta.
We highlight exceptional contemporary work, create opportunities for emerging artists, and invite the public to engage with a wide variety of visual storytelling through juried open-call exhibitions and a diverse array of partner programming.
We’re working hard behind the scenes to bring you another successful festival! Stay tuned for Open Call announcements and Exhibition Registration. (Not yet open.)
Next edition: FEbruary 2026
Disposable camera image from the Exposure 2025 Festival Opening at Contemporary Calgary. Photographer unknown. Developed and scanned by Neat Film Lab.
Each year, Exposure presents two open call competitions: the Emerging Photographers Showcase and the International Open Call. The Emerging Photographers Showcase is open to artists of any age without gallery representation, across Western Canada. The International Open Call is open to photographers at any stage of career, worldwide. Jurors and submission details will be published in July, with a September deadline. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media to receive updates!
Submit to our Open Call Competitions
Partner Exhibition registration is open to all galleries, arts organizations, DIY spaces, artist collectives, independent artists, photographers and curators across Alberta. If you have photo-related work that you’d like to showcase, skills to share, or something to present, please let us know! Registration details and links will go live in the summer and stay open until December, 2025.
Take a look at last year’s Partner Exhibitions and Event Listings.
Register an exhibition or event
HEADQUARTERED AT CONTEMPORARY CALGARY
Since 2020, Contemporary Calgary has hosted the International Open Call and Emerging Photographers Showcase, as well as a solo exhibition featuring the previous festival’s Emerging Photographer of the Year.
Admission to the Exposure exhibitions is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that the Exposure Photography Festival is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. The traditional Blackfoot name of this place is “Moh’kins’tsis”, which we now call the City of Calgary. This is the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. It is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. We honour and acknowledge all Nations, who live, work and play in Moh’kins’tsis, help steward this land, honour and celebrate this territory.