Exceptional Portfolio Review: 2 days, more than 30 international reviewers in incredible factory space! Save the date: 29-30 of May 2015!

The biggest Portfolio Review in a history of Fotofestiwal and one of the largest in Europe! Unique in it’s character, organized in the former cotton mill of Franciszek Ramisch, which has saved original qualities of industrial space.

This year, the Portfolio Review of Fotofestiwal gives a possibility of direct meetings with experts in photography represented by a numerous, international and recognized assembly of experts in photography so rarely present in Poland at the same time.

The Fotofestiwal’s Portfolio Review is aimed at photography students and graduates, professional photographers and those who have at least one exhibition or publication in their CV. It is one of the most important forms of promotion which enable photographers to arrange individual and direct interviews with curators, critics, editors, journalists, gallery owners, festivals directors, publishers of books and magazines.

INFORMATION:

Place: OFF Piotrkowska compex, 138/140 Piotrkowska street, Łódź, POLAND (3rd floor above „Spółdzielnia” restaurant)
Date: 29/May/2015 (Friday) and 30/May/2015 (Saturday)
Hours: 2.00 PM – 6.30 PM
Participation fee: 180 PLN (≈45Euro, ≈45USD; the currency is converted automatically, fee allows to choose up to 6 reviewers)

This fee will help us cover costs related to the organization of the event. Thank you for your support!

REVIEWERS:

1. Agata Stoińska Founder & Executive Editor of Blow Photo Magazine | IR
2. Agata Ubysz Chairwoman of the Lookout Foundation for the Development of Photography | PL |
3. Alison Nordström Artistic Director of Fotofestiwal & Former Director of Exhibitions at George Eastman House | USA
4. Ana Catarina Pinho Editor of Archivo & Lecturer | PT
5. Angela Ferreira Director & Curator of Encontros da Imagem (Braga) | PT |
6. Bas Vroege Director & Curator of Paradox Photography (Edam) | NL |
7. Carol Körting Photo-editor at M Magazine, Leica M loan programme | DE |
8. Celina Lunsford Artistic Director of Fotografie Forum Frankfurt| DE |
9. Christina Capetillo Fine Art Photographer| DK |
10. Christopher Rauschenberg Artist & Co-Curator of BlueSky Gallery  | USA |
11. Enrica Viganò Freelance Curator & Owner of Admira Photography Milan | IT |
12. Grażyna Saniuk Photo-editor at Twój Styl Magazine | PL |
13. Ieva Meilute Curator at Kaunos Fotografijos Galerija | LT |
14. Jakub Śwircz Curator at Asymetria Gallery & Lecturer | PL
15. Joanna Kinowska Independent curator and photo-books editor | PL |
16. Johan Sjöström Curator at Gothenburg Museum of Art | SE |
17. Karolina Puchała-Rojek Director of  Archeology of Photography  | PL |
18. Katharina Mouratidi  Director of the Society for Humanistic Photography | DE |
19. Katrin Iwanczuk Director of M Magazine & LFI Blog | DE |
20. Krzysztof Miękus Freelance Curator, Artist & Journalist at MALEMEN | PL |
21. Louise Clements Artistic Director of FORMAT Festival | UK |
22. Maciej Bujko Programme Coordinator at TIFF Festival | PL |
23. Maira Dudareva Director of the Latvian Museum of Photography | LV |
24. Manik Katyal Editor-in-Chief of Emaho Magazine | IN |
25. Marta Szymańska Vice-Director of Fundacji Archeologia Fotografii | PL |
26. Mauro Bedoni Photo editor at COLORS magazine | IT |
27. Michaela Bosakova  Editor & Freelance Curator | SK
28. Nina Kassianou Freelance Curator, Editor & Photography Researcher  | GR |
29. Øyvind Hjelmen Curator & Freelance Photographer | NO |
30. Petr Vilgus Vice-Editor at FOTO Magazine, Senior Lecturer  ITF Opava| CZ |
31. Radu Stern Independent Curator, Photography Historian, & Lecturer | CH
32. Thomas Licek Director of EYES ON – Monat der Fotografie Wien | AT
33. Tina Schelhorn Founder of Galerie Lichtblick (Köln) | DE |
34. Tuula Alajoki Curator & Director of Backlight Photo Festival | FI |
35. W.M. Hunt Photography Collector, Curator & Consultant | USA |

The list of reviewers is not closed yet. New names may appear. We will be announcing them and updating the list.

We will add reviewers’ biographies soon.

TERMS OF PARTICIPATION:

1. Photographers willing to participate in the Portfolio Review shall send an application form filled-in with necessary data and 15 photographs (in JPG format) packed into a single file up to 7 MB. Deadline: 24/April/2015.
- A file should be named: First Name, Last Name, Title of the project and the photographs in the file should be named: First Name, Last Name, Title of the project, number of the photograph (sequence 01, 02, etc.).
- The application form should be named: First Name, Last Name, Title of the project
-  The application form (download here) filled-in and the file with the photographs shall be send via email to portfolio@fotofestiwal.com until 24 April 2015. In the title of the message please write: Application for Portfolio Review 2015, First Name Last Name.

2. The list of photographers who qualify for the review will be posted on www.fotofestiwal.com not later than on 28/April/2015. These persons will be selected on the basis of the submitted photographs and forms.

3. After qualifying for the review, the participant will receive the information needed to make the payment and is obliged to pay the participation fee of 180 PLN and to send an electronic confirmation of the payment until 30/April/2015 to portfolio@fotofestiwal.com

Note that delay in the payment for participation in the Portfolio Review leads to deletion from the list of participants.

4. Once the timely payment of a fee is registered, all participants will receive, at the same moment (to give equal chances to all), on 5/May/2015, a login and a password to the system that will enable registration for meetings with reviewers.

5. Participants select reviewers and meeting times by themselves – on a first come, first served basis. Please choose and mark carefully your options as there will be no possibility of their change.

6. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with 6 selected experts. Each meeting of the reviewer will last 20 minutes. The session begins at 2.00 PM and ends at 6:30 PM and will include one half-hour break. Reviewers will be available on both days of the review.

7. To take part in the Portfolio Review, you shall buy a ticket for Fotofestiwal. The purchase will be available during Fotofestiwal, from 28/May/2015, in both festival centre’s during the opening hours (details on www.fotofestiwal.com):
- Festival Centre I: Art_Inkubator, 3 Tymienieckiego street
- Festival Centre II: OFF Piotrkowska complex, 138/140 Piotrkowska street

8. Meetings with international reviewers are held in English or in their mother tongue.

9. Organizers do not bear responsibility for reviewers’ absence. The organizer, however, will try to find a replacement in the event of such situation. Any changes in the list of reviewers will be announced on the website www.fotofestiwal.com.

10. A participant qualified for the review, but wishing to resign, is asked to contact us immediately at: portfolio@fotofestiwal.com or by phone : +48 42 684 20 95 / +48 889 963 354

11. A person applying for the Portfolio Review accepts all conditions of participation in the event listed above.

We invite you to send us books for the upcoming edition of the contest `Photographic Publication of the Year‘.We are awaiting works in which photography plays the key role – albums, catalogues, theoretical books, handbooks, limited self-publishings and zines.
The dealine is the 30th of April 2015.

We are going to award the most inspirational publications presenting innovative concepts, good graphics and printing, extraordinary photos and thought out design. Several experts in photography and book creation have been invited to take a seat on the jury.

The winners will be awarded the Krzysiek Makowski main prize and a special prize for self-publishing. Along with awarding the best books and albums, the jury will nominate at least 10 projects that are going to be presented at the International Festival of Photography in Łódź.

FIRST PRIZE – KRZYSIEK MAKOWSKI PRIZE
- a title of The Photographic Publication of the Year 2015,
- voucher of 3000 zl for selected Empresse products,
- exibition at International Festival of Photography in Łódz 2015 (28 May – 7 June 2015),
- promotion at International Festival of Photography in Łódź.

FIRST PRIZE FOR SELF-PUBLISHING
- voucher of 2000 zl for selected Empresse products,
- an exibition at International Festival of Photography in Łódz 2015 (28 May – 7 June 2015),
- promotion at International Festival of Photography in Łódź 2015.

More information about the contest: www.fotopublikacja.pl

We invite you to participate in workshops taught by four Sputnik Photos photographers: Agnieszka Rayss, Adam Pańczuk, Michał Łuczak and Rafał Milach.

As a key activity, the participants will complete their own photographic project in Łódź. Each participant will work individually with one of the Sputnik Photos photographers and will take part in group consultations and presentations with all four Sputnik artists.

The group will consist of 15-20 people selected after an evaluation of their portfolios. The workshop will be taught in English.

The fee is EUR 400 per person.*

WORKSHOP PROGRAMME

After being selected, a month before the workshop, the participants submit the subject they wish to work on in Łódź. Before the workshop begins, they will have time to prepare their work, e.g. obtain the required permits to photograph in places unavailable to the public.

The topics should relate to the broadly understood transformation of Łódź – from an industrial to a post-industrial city. Consequently, they may address both the history, the transformation itself, and the present-day Łódź. The participants may also work on a ‘road’ or ‘travel’ photography project.

The workshops will last 4 days, from 25 till 28 May 2015, approx. 6h a day.

The first day will be dedicated to the introduction, inspiration, discussion of the subjects and results of the research made by the participants. The participants and Sputnik photographers will also have an opportunity to briefly introduce themselves.

The next three days will involve intensive work on the participants’ own projects. The participants will be divided into groups of 3-4, within which they will work under the supervision of one of the four Sputnik photographers. Each evening, the photos taken during the day will be shown and discussed among the whole group.

Last day will be devoted to discussing and editing the material. On the day, the photographs will be presented as a slideshow during the main weekend of the Fotofestiwal.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The candidate’s portfolio should consist of a maximum of 20 photos (1-2 photographic series) and be sent by e-mail together with a short bio and the candidate’s motivation to take part in the workshops (up to 1500 characters altogether).

Candidates are requested to send their portfolios between 10th of February and 20 of April to the following address: sputnik@fotofestiwal.com.

At the latest by 24^th of April, the participants will be notified by e-mail of being selected. A reserve list will be prepared, too. By 30 April, selected participants will be required to propose the subject they wish to work on. Following this, they will have 3 weeks to get prepared. If required, the Fotofestiwal may issue an official letter to confirm participation in the workshop. The participants are free to choose their own technique, on condition, however, that they will be able to produce a set of works for the final slideshow presentation. Participants are required to pay the full amount of the participation fee (EUR 400) by 10 May.

* The price does not include the materials needed to complete the project and accommodation expenses. Organisers may provide the accommodation, the cost of which will not be higher than EUR 200 for 5 days of participation.

Sputnik Photos is an international collective founded in 2006 by documentary photographers from Central and Eastern Europe. We are united by a desire to observe and describe what surrounds us, as well as by our common experience of living in Central and Eastern Europe in the post-transformation period.

The members of the collective are recognized photographers from Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, winners of important international awards, such as World Press Photo or Pictures of the Year. Together we have organized several dozen exhibitions around the world; our projects have been featured in galleries, at photography festivals and in magazines worldwide.

Rafał Milach Photographer and book artist based in Warsaw. He has held solo shows in CO Berlin, and Zacheta National Gallery of Art. He was awarded with World Press Photo, POYi and Magnum Foundation Emergency Grant. Rafal Milach’s monographs include: The Winners (GOST 2014), 7 Rooms (Kehrer 2011), In the Car with R (Czytelnia Sztuki 2012) and Black Sea of Concrete (self-published 2013). Founder of Sputnik Photos.

Michał Łuczak is based in Katowice, Poland. In 2010, he graduated with an MA degree from the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava, (Czech Republic). Currently, doctoral student in the school. He also graduated in Applied Spanish Linguistics from the Silesian University in Katowice (BA). He has shown his work at Fotofestiwal in Łódź, Photomonth in Kraków and at group exhibitions in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Ukraine, the US and Japan. His main achievements include: Magnum Expression Award (2009, shortlisted), Mio Photo Award (2010, Grand Prize) and Polish Photographic Publication of the Year (2013). His activity also includes photobook editing, curating and teaching.

Agnieszka Rayss, photographer, freelancer. Co-founder of the Sputnik Photos collective. Her area of work is documentary photography. She studied art history at the Jagiellonian University. A two-time winner of the Picture of the Year award in 2011 and 2012, a two-time finalist in the Hasselblad Masters Award, finalist of Lucie Foudnation scholarship, Lens Culture Exposure Award. Winner of several national press photography competitions, including Grand Press Photo, BZWBK Press Photo, Newsreportaż. Recipient of Ministry of Culture and Visegrad Fund scholarships. She is interested in how post-communist countries try to copy western trends, as well as pop cultural manifestations of the transformation.  In recent years, she has also worked on landscape as well as topics related to ecology.

Adam Pańczuk (1978) lives in Warsaw. In his work he travels to wherever he finds an interesting subject. He studied at the University of Economics and photography at the Multimedia Communication Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań. With his projects Pańczuk seems to be asking questions – both direct and metaphorical – about identity, consciousness and attitude towards life of the people he meets along the way. His unique skill to tell gripping yet intimate stories with images has won him many prestigious awards to date. Pictures of the Year International,  Magnum Expression Award, Grand Press Photo. He has published in: National Geographic, Newsweek,  British Journal of Photography, Le Monde,  Esquire, OyodePez, Geo Magazine,  Polityka, Malemen, DF Gazeta Wyborcza, Przekrój.

Preparations to next edition of the Fotofestiwal 2015 are on the way. We have already got the theme – HIT THE ROAD: Photographers travel. Save the date: 28 of May – 7 of June 2015. We are pleased to inform that Alison Nordström is a new artistic director of the Fotofestiwal in 2015 and 2016.

Alison Nordström ˜– independent writer and curator based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Formerly Founding Director and Senior Curator of the Southeast Museum of Photography, and Senior Curator of Photographs/Director of Exhibitions at George Eastman House, she has worked with photographers, museums, festivals and educational institutions for over 30 years. She is the author of over 100 published essays on photographic topics, and has curated over 100 photographic exhibitions in nine countries. She holds the PhD in Cultural and Visual Studies.

Open call for Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2015 is announced! Deadline for submissions is 1st of December 2014. Prizes are: main prize of 10,000 PLN (about 2300 EUR), exhibition during 14th edition of the Fotofestiwal in Lodz, slideshows and a thrilling new prize – free participation in portfolio review.

The jury of international curators will choose one winner and eight finalists from the submitted work. The winner will receive the prize of 10,000 PLN and his/her works will be displayed during the exhibition. The prize for nine finalists is the participation in the exhibition. All selected projects will be exhibited during the 14th edition of the Fotofestiwal in May and June 2015.

Grand Prix Fotofestiwal is a competition organized every year, during which prizes are awarded to those artists who present cohesive ideas and brave visions as well as excellent photographic technique and who use photographic language in a conscious manner. We want to present interesting personalities and new trends of contemporary photography. This invitation is directed at individual photographers. The formula of the competition is open and there are no thematic, age or geographical restrictions.

AWARDS
- 10.000 PLN (≈2300 euro) – MAIN PRIZE,
- the exhibition of all finalists in frame of International Festival of Photography (over 20.000 viewers),
- slideshow promoting all finalists during international photography festivals,
- Fotofestiwal wants to invite 50 authors of the best projects submitted to the Grand Prix competition to free participation in Portfolio Review 2015 in Lodz.

JURY
•   Alison Nordström – independent curator, former curator of photographs at George Eastman House, USA
•    Henriette Hinz – Triennale of Photography in Hamburg, Germany
•    Peggy Sue Amison – Artistic Director for the East Wing Dubai, United Arab Emirates
•  Krzysztof Candrowicz – director of FOTOFESTIWAL International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland
•    Alessandra Copadacqua – Fondazione Studio Maragoni, Italy
•    Anna-Kaisa Rastenberger – Finnish Museum of Photography, Finland
•    Bill Kouwenhoven – independent photography critic and curator, Great Britain
•    Erik Vroons – Chief Editor of „GUP” magazine, The Netherlands
•    Adam Mazur – curator, chief editor of „SZUM” magazine, Poland
•    Rafał Milach – photographer, co-funder of Sputnik Photos, Poland
•    Marta Szymańska – The Archeology of Photography Foundation, Poland
•    Jakub Śwircz – curator and lecturer, Poland

JURY BIOGRAPHIES

RULES OF PARTICIPATION

1. A complete application of the project shall be submitted:
- via e-mail to gp@fotofestiwal.com (GRAND PRIX in the title of the message, file size up to 5MB)
or
- in person / by post to:

FUNDACJA EDUKACJI WIZUALNEJ
ul. Tymienieckiego 3
90-365 Lodz, Poland

The project application should be sent in an envelope or packed in any other way that reduces the possibility of damage to the work. Packaging should be labelled “GRAND PRIX”.

If the application is sent by post, the date of registration is the postmark date.

2. Each application should include:
- a completed application form,
- all the works included in the project,
- payment confirmation (scan, photocopy).

The GRAND PRIX program is the result of crowd-funding activity structured by non-profit organization.

3. Registration payment
The registration fee is PLN 100 (≈ 25Euro, ≈35USD; the currency is converted automatically). Bank transfer title “Grand Prix 2015 – name and surname“. It should be paid:

- TO THE ORGANIZER’S BANK ACCOUNT
The registration fee is PLN 100 (or USD 35 or EUR 25)
PL 11 1050 1461 1000 0022 7202 7042
Nr BIC (SWIFT) INGBPLPW

- PAY PAL or CREDIT CARD PAY NOW

Detailed rules of participation can be found in the terms and conditions of the competition.

4. Documents:
- application form
- rules and regulations
- jury biographies
- Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2015 open call

WHY SHOULD YOU SEND PHOTOS FOR GRAND PRIX FOTOFESTIWAL 2015?
I decided to submit my project to Lodz because of the open theme, the calibre of the submitted work in previous years and the reputation of the Fotofestiwal. I felt very privileged to be shortlisted and very surprised and honoured to be selected as the Grand Prix winner. It was the first time I had won a photographic award and I feel that this recognition was an important milestone in my career as a photographer, and an important assistance in maintaining the momentum to create new work. It was a great opportunity to connect with, learn from and be inspired by international practitioners and curators, see very high quality work and was a very positive and enjoyable experience overall. (Karl Burke, the Winner of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2013)

I was awarded with the Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2012 in the same year, I got World Press Photos and the prize for Polish photojournalists – BWZWBK Press Photo. It was an important year for me. It really helped me in my photography development and enabled to work on new projects. The festival was also a great opportunity to meet people working with photography. (Tomasz Lazar, the Winner of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2012)

PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO HAVE WON GRAND PRIX AWARD IN PREVIOUS YEARS:
2014 David Favrod “Gaijin”
2013 Karl Burke “The Harvest of Death, vol.1”
2012 Tomasz Lazar “Dreamline”
2010 Katrin Trautner “Morning Love”
2009 Christien Jaspars “Do“
2008 Eric Vazzoler “Face me“
2007 Arja Hyytiainen “Distance-Now”
2006 Andreas Pein “Wading“, Kai Bornhöft “True Colours“

FOTOFESTIWAL – International Festival of Photography in Lodz – meetings and exhibitions in the whole city, discussions about photography, exceptional people, unique industrial spaces. FOTOFESTIWAL is the meeting place for anyone for whom the photography is a way of life.

FOTOFESTIWAL is one of the most important photographic events in Central and Eastern Europe. Over 50 exhibitions in different parts of the city, meetings, portfolio overview, workshops and slide shows- all that attracts to Lodz nearly 20,000 visitors from all over the world every year.

We invite the most important curators from the world of art to co-operate with FOTOFESTIWAL. They prepare the exhibitions, determining the most interesting subjects of contemporary photography for the order of the festival. Apart from the curators’ interpretations, individual exhibitions as well as the annual presentation of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal finalists can be seen. FOTOFESTIWAL owes its unique character to accompanying events, the festival centre and especially to the audience that is looking for new inspirations and experience each year. During FOTOFESTIWAL we are talking about photography, we are looking for alternative means of its presentation and we are creating a meeting space.

FOTOFESTIWAL is the initiator and the leader of the Photo Festival Union – the union of European photo festivals, as well as a member of the international association the Festival of Light, through which it co-operates with the most important photographic events in the world.

18^th September is the start date of Photoville – the largest and the most popular festival of photography in the USA, www.photovillenyc.org.  This year it shall include space dedicated to Polish photography. Adam Panczuk, Rafal Milach and Kacper Kowalski – artists who have won numerous awards all over the world – shall present their projects. The presentation itself shall be something special.

Rafal Milach will exhibit “In The Car With R” from Iceland – the result of his travel around this island, together with the writer Huldar Breiðfjörð. Adam Panczuk will show his “Karczebs” series, recognized and awarded all over the world (including Best Photography Book in the 71st PoYI) – a mystical story of the bond between man and the soil he works on.

MORE: www.fotofestiwal.com/2014/en/photopoland-contemporary-polish-photography-in-new-york

Some things end so that new things may begin, as the saying goes. In this particular case, the Fotofestiwal has come to an end. We will surely remember those 11 days spent mainly in the world of photography for quite some time. The festival programme was exceptionally broad. We prepared over 50 exhibitions for you – prominent photographers such as Ballen, Hinz or Griffin were granted a very special place on the festival map. We organized 14 diverse workshops, including Magnum Masterclass and Professional Practice, portfolio review, photography auction, photo walks, open studio nights, slide shows, reading room at the Art_Inkubator, meetings with authors and other events and concerts.

We deem this edition as record-breaking! In the space of 11 days, together with approximately 250 artists, almost 700 participants of our educational activities and a total of 23 thousand visitors, we created an unforgettable atmosphere at this year Fotofestiwal. Over 200 journalists were accredited, about 780 press notes about the festival appeared in the media to date. We do hope that they will inspire those of you who missed the opportunity to spend time with us to participate in the 14th edition of the Fotofestiwal.

We extend our thanks to all the artists, without whom this festival would not have taken place, and to You – visitors to our exhibitions, participants of meetings and discussions, photo-walkers and all those who indulged in cultural relaxation during the festival events, for dedicating your free time to us and for immersing yourselves in the world of art together with us for almost two weeks.

We thank our sponsors, patrons and partners – owing to your support we were able to prepare such a rich programme, tie it all up and together create an 11-day long celebration of photography in Łódź.

We would also like to express an utmost gratitude to our volunteers – thank you for your engagement and support!

A unique charitable auction of the works by Brian Griffin presented at the DisCover Photography exhibition turned out to be a great success which concluded this year edition of the festival. 61 photographs out of the total of 66 were bid, as well as the unique shirt produced by Brian Griffin and the last copy of festival catalogue. The record sum of 3500 PLN was offered for the Broken Frame 2, photograph from the Depeche Mode cover session. This photograph was not selected by the author for publication in the album, and it was presented to a wide public for the first time at the Fotofestiwal in Łódź.

The total income from the auction is 30.700 PLN. It will be handed over to the Virako Szczęśliwe Podwórka (Happy Courtyards) Foundation – social action which propagates the idea of setting up and maintaining community centres in Łódź. Part of the income will be handed over to the Visual Education Foundation, the organizer of Fotofestiwal, and to the author of photographs.

The auction took place on June 15, the last day of Fotofestiwal, at Monopolis, which housed the DisCover Photography exhibition.

Brian Griffin’s photographs put up for the auction were presented at the DisCover Photography exhibition, which focused on the artist’s activity within the world of music. Griffin is the author of press portraits of musicians as well as album and singles covers for the following artists: Depeche Mode, Placebo, Queen, REM, Tindersticks, The Clash, Psychodelic Furs, Passion Puppets, Talk Talk, Iggy Pop, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, Siouxsie Sioux, Elvis Costello or Joe Jackson.

During the Fotofestiwal closing ceremony on Sunday, June 15, there will be a charity auction of all photographies from Brian Griffin’s exhibition. The auction will be held at MONOPOLIS, 4 Wydawnicza  Street in Lodz. The photographer will appear in person, so you will have an opportunity to get his autograph!

All works will be auctioned – the largest of 3×3 meters size, 90×90 cm and the smallest works in 20×20 cm format. Among them there will be the most famous album covers of Depeche Mode of ​​9 m2 (“A Broken Frame”, “Construction Time Again”, “Speak and Spell”) and portraits of bands and musicians such as Placebo, Queen, REM, Iggy Pop, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Tindersticks, Psychedelic Furs, Passion Puppets, Talk Talk, Billy Idol, Siouxsie Sioux, Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson.

An income from the sale will be donated to the Virako Foundation Happy Backyard – a social campaign whose basic aim is to popularise the idea of founding and running community day-care centres in Lodz. Proceeds will support the Foundation of Visual Education – an organizer of Fotofestiwal and the photographer. Prices start from 150 PLN.

Auction partner: FotografiaKolekcjonerska.pl

Start of the auction: Sunday, 15.06.2014, at 6 pm. Free admission!
MONOPOLIS 4 Wydawnicza Street, Lodz

Download the catalogue of works from the exhibition HERE

It is possible to bid photographs through telephone. If you are interested please send us an email to:  s.ciebiada @ fotofestiwal.com 
In the text please provide your contact details including phone number and information which works are a point in your interest and what are your financial limits. The closing date for submissions is tomorrow (15.06) at. 12.00 pm

The first festival weekend is behind us; it was full of emotions and photographic inspirations! Further attractions from the festival programme are ahead of us: exhibitions, workshops, meetings. On Friday evening we will dance to the music of Novika & Mr Lex. On the following weekend the Wi-Ma, Łódź post-industrial space, will host workshops, slide shows, exhibition closing events and meetings; the visitors will also have an opportunity to tour artists’ studios and to party with DJs Kuki and Monstah on Saturday.

09.06 MONDAY

OPENINGS
6.00 pm Dagmara Bugaj, What you can see is the only visible…
7.00 pm Filmschool Imaginarium: Justyna Chrobot & Paweł Giza, OO/II  

10.06 TUESDAY

OPENINGS
6.30 pm Time, collective exhibition of members of the Łódź Photographic Society 
7.30 pm Michał Chojnacki, Secrets

11.06 WEDNESDAY

AUDIOVISUAL PERFORMANCE
7.00 pm Rumory Orkiestra, Max 30’

13.06 FRIDAY

OPENING
6.00 pm Pola Hunger, Fotopoli – 5 years old Pola’s exhibition

GUIDED TOUR /PL
5.30 pm Following the Photographs, a guided tour of the Atlas of Modernity. The 20th and 21st Century Art Collection exhibition 

NIGHT OF OPEN ATELIERS
8.00 pm – 12.00 am OFF PIOTRKOWSKA

SLIDE SHOW
9.30 pm Family Album of the 20th Century, photographs from the Archive of Oral History of the KARTA Centre Foundation and the History Meeting House 

AFTERPARTY
10.30 pm Novika & Mr. Lex

14.06 SATURDAY

WORKSHOPS*
9.00 am – 2.00 pm Bartłomiej Talaga, The best quality of photos in post-production and pre-press processing – part I 
10.00 am – 10.00 pm 8h books, Paper Beats Rocks – part I
11.00 am – 5.00 pm Stworki Otworki, The pinhole Photography for children
12.00 pm – 4.00 pm Piotr Zastróżny, Large format of Polaroid

MEETING
3.00 pm Marek Mazur, Miniature cameras

LECTURE
4.00 pm Filmschool Imaginarium: Krzysztof Pijarski, (Post)Contemporary Histories of Paintings

OPENING
8.00 pm Razem

FINISSAGES
5.00 pm Sylwia Krędzel, Gravity Forest  
6.00 pm GummoPhotos, Not/real
7.00 pm Malwina Wachulec, Rivers and Roads 

NIGHT OF OPEN ATELIERS
9.00 pm – 12.00 am WI-MA

SLIDE SHOW
9.30 pm Circulations – Young European Photography Festival, France / Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014

AFTERPARTY
10.30 pm Dj Kuki Monstah 

15.06 SUNDAY

WORKSHOPS*
10.00 am – 7.00 pm Warsaw School of Photography &Graphic Design, Paweł Żak, Still life – light, form and symbol
9.30 am – 6.00 pm Bartłomiej Talaga, The best quality of photos in post-production and pre-press processing – part II
10.00 am – 10.00 pm 8h books, Paper Beats Rocks – part II
11.00 am – 5.00 pm Stworki Otworki, The pinhole Photography for children

MEETING
4.00 pm Anka Sielska, Salix Polaris book presentation 

Collectors from both Poland and abroad participated in the auction held as part of the Fotofestiwal. 60% of artwork from the auction catalogue were sold and the total amount collected from the sale exceeded 200.000 PLN! The outright success was the auction of a collection of Witkacy’s art entitled Zastrzyk narkotyczny (The Narcotic Injection) – starting from 20.000PLN the bidding stopped at the sum of 68.000PLN. We accept post-auction orders for artwork which was not sold during the auction. You are very welcome to come and see the results.

The results of 2014 Best Photobook of the Year have been announced. The jury of the second edition of the resumed competition awarded two winners. The title of the Best Photobook of the Year went to Bownik for Disassembly, a graphic art project of Bownik and Honza Zamojski; the special prize in the self-publishing category was awarded to Magda Buczek for Justina&co.uk. The author collaborated with Emilia Obrzut while working on this project. Twenty one publications entered the competition. The Empresse voucher worth 3000PLN was the main prize; the Empresse voucher worth 2000PLN went to the special prize winner.

THE MAIN PRIZE – KRZYSIEK MAKOWSKI AWARD

Disassembly, Bownik

“The Album was awarded mainly for its creative use of a photo book medium and for approaching photography in publication in a way which is unprecedented on the Polish market. The book does not abstract or encapsulate the foregoing work on the project; it constitutes its subsequent substantial element. It records the process of artist’s work on the project in a very subtle way, without revealing all the secrets. (…) We award Disassembly for an unusual fusion of ideas and for its novel and non-literal depiction of a photographic project”.

Publisher: Mundin
Graphic design: Bownik, Honza Zamojski
Editing: Bownik, Honza Zamojski
Print run: 700 PL/ 350 ENG / 30 limited version

SPECIAL PRIZE FOR SELF-PUBLISHING

Justina&co.uk., Magda Buczek
“Overlaps, interleafs, brocade and all the other additional elements fit the story told by the author and the book’s main character perfectly. We appreciate Justina’s extraordinary sincerity and consistency. Self-publishing produced by Magda Buczek spoke to us through its cohesive form and subject matter. It is a perfect rundown of the author’s years of work; it presents its subject matter in a coherent way, without being apprehensive about extravagance.”

Graphic design: Magda Buczek, Emilia Obrzut (Obszar Roboczy (The Working Zone))
Print run: 8 copies
Editing: Magda Buczek

In 2013 the prizes were awarded to: Miejsca Odległe (Faraway Places) by Sputnik Photos collective (published by Centrum Nauki Kopernik) and Brutal (The Brute) by Michał Łuczak – both designed by Ania Nałęcka.

The exhibition of books by the finalists and the winners is available for viewing at the Fotofestiwal centre at 3 Tymienieckiego Street until June 15.

JURY

-       Andrzej Kramarz – photographer, lecturer, curator and editor of photography books
-       Adam Mazur – art historian, critic, independent curator
-       Magdalena Heliasz – designer, curator, creator of the Print Control annual
-       Edgar Bąk – graphic designer
-       Paweł Rubkiewicz – co-founder of the Bookoff art bookstore
-       Joanna Kinowska – curator affiliated with the Leica gallery, founder of the Miejsce Fotografii (A Space for Photography) magazine
-       Marta Szymańska – programming director of the International Festival of Photography in Łódź.

Publications entered in the competition:

Dissasembly, Bownik
wydawca: Mundin
projekt graficzny: Bownik, Honza Zamojski

Swell, Mateusz Sarełło
wydawca: Instytut Kultury Wizualnej
projekt graficzny: Ania Nałęcka (Tapir Book Design)

Justina&co.uk, Magda Buczek
self publishing
projekt graficzny: Magda Buczek, Emilia Obrzut (Obszar Roboczy)

Route 66 PL, Łukasz Gniadek
self-publishing, Neue Welt
projekt graficzny: Łukasz Gniadek

Karczeby, Adam Pańczuk
self-publishing
projekt graficzny: Ania Nałęcka (Tapir Book Design)

Fotografie 1924-1939, Wiesław Rakowski
wydawca: Instytut Środowiska Rolniczego i Leśnego Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Poznaniu
projekt graficzny: Michał Sita, Bartosz Fasiecki

Lives of the Unholy, Krzysztof Pijarski
wydawca: Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii, Fotohof Edition
projekt graficzny: Ania Nałęcka (Tapir Book Design)

Stocznia, Michał Szlaga
wydawca: Fundacja Karrenwall
projekt graficzny: Olga Łebkowska

Negative Book, Aneta Grzeszykowska
wydawca: Zachęta – Narodowa Galeria Sztuki
projekt graficzny: Michał Kaczyński

Requiem, Maciej Fiszer
wydawca: Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu
projekt graficzny: Piotr Zdanowicz

Body Structures, Zbigniew Dłubak
wydawca: Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii
projekt graficzny: Jakub Certowicz

Jestem z Polski, Wojtek Wieteska
wydawca: WWPhoto
projekt graficzny: Jan Stefański, Lauren Thornson

Albom.pl, praca zbiorowa
wydawca: Stowarzyszenie Edukacji Kulturalnej „Widok”
projekt graficzny: PLaJSTER – Jerzy Osiennik

Hotel Silesia, Matteo Terzaghi i Marco Zuercher
wydawca: Czytelnia Sztuki, Muzeum w Gliwicach
projekt graficzny: Marco Zuercher

Biegun, Maurycy Stankiewicz
wydawca: Paper Beats Rock
projekt graficzny: Martyna Wyrzykowska

12 twarzy / faces, Filip Ćwik
self-publishing
projekt graficzny: Ania Nałęcka (Tapir Book Design)

Song to Sing When I’m Lonely, Patryk Wiśniewski
self-publishing
projekt graficzny: Patryk Wiśniewski

20 lat Fotografii PWSFtviT, praca zbiorowa
wydawca: Wydawnictwo Biblioteki Ośrodka Informacji Filmowej PWSFTviT
projekt graficzny: Tomek Głowacki, Małgorzata Frąckiewicz (Poważne Studio)

W służbie narodu [taniec], Katarzyna Iwańska
self-publishing
projekt graficzny: Katarzyna Iwańska

Nieodwracalne, Maciek Nabrdalik
wydawca: Exit Zero Publishing
projekt graficzny: Ania Nałęcka (Tapir Book Design)

Anima. Obrazy z Arfryki, Magda Hueckel
wydawca: Verbum Sp. z o.o. / Galeria Piekary
projekt graficzny:  Ryszard Bienert

Due to the special application prepared by Cybercom Poland you will be able to plan your visiting, you also will not miss any event at the Fotofestiwal 2014.

Download app for Android:	Download app for Windows Phone:

Download app for iPhone

Today at 7.00 pm, with the opening of the 13th edition of Fotofestiwal in Lodz, were announced the results of Grand Prix competition. The winner of the main prize is David Favrod. 10 000 pln and the title of winner went to artist from Switzerland for the project Gaijin.

Gaijin is a Japanese word meaning “foreigner”. David Favrod, the author of the winning project was born in Japan, for most of his life he lived in Switzerland. In his work he refers primarily to his roots and double national origin. “Gaijin is a fictional story – says David – it is a tool in my search for identity, where self-portraits reflect my inner dialogue and solitary relationship with himself. The aim of the work is to create my own Japan in Switzerland.”

GUP honourable mention – portfolio presented in online GUP Magazine goes to Renhui Zhao for the A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World project. Portfolio is available HERE.

Award of the Vice-chancellor of the University of Lodz was given to Adam Lach. His project Stigma is about lifes of 60-member Romanian family, living in an encampment in Wrocław. The reward is 2000 PLN.

FINALISTS
1. Michel Le Belhomme, The Blind Beast (France)
2. Antoine Bruy, Scrublands (France)
3. Elena Chernyshova, Days of Night – Nights of Day (Russia / France)
4. David Favrod, Gaijin (Japan / Switzerland)
5. Kirill Golovchenko, Bitter Honeydew (Ukraine / Germany)
6. Marie Hudelot, The Legacy (France)
7. Adam Lach, Stigma (Poland)
8. Agnieszka Rayss, No Man’s Land (Poland)
9. Marlous Van der Sloot, Le corps Vecu (The Netherlands)
10. Renhui Zhao, A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World (Singapore)

Works of 10 finalists is presented at the exhibition, between 5^th and 15^th of June, in Lodz.

Fotofestiwal Grand Prix is ​​a competition in which artists are rewarded with unique personalities and projects featuring visions. The prize is awarded for 8 years, and presented in a special exhibition halls of the factory’s gallery which is one of the most anticipated events of the Fotofestiwal. This year the jury selected the winner from among 600 artists who submitted their projects to the competition.

GUP honourable mentioned – portfolio presented in online GUP Magazine goes to Renhui Zhao for the, A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World project. Portfolio is available HERE.

The opening of the International Festival of Photography in Lodz starts tomorrow. We want to invite you at 7.oo pm to Festival Centre at Art_Inkubator, 3 Tymienieckiego Street. Opening programme:

7.00 pm AWARDS CEREMONY Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014

7.00 pm OPENINGS Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014 / Volker Hinz, Legends / UNCOVERING. The Body in Polish Photography, pre-auction exhibition / Filmschool Imaginarium: Darkroom; Robert Mainka, Lavish Fields / Bolesław Augustis, Photographs / The Best Photobook of the Year 2014 / Virako Calendar

8.00 pm OPENING Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2013: Eugenia Arbugaeva,Tiksi / Ciril Jazbec, Waiting to Move

9.00 pm VISUAL CONCERT -inSPIRED by S_IN, S_in City Tribe @ Baltic Neopolis Quartet + Vj PuH 

10.00 pm SLIDE SHOW Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014

For the first weekend of Fotofestiwal we have prepared, as always, so many attractions that our programme is bursting at the seams.

Programme

7.00 pm FOTOFESTIWAL 2014 OPENING 
7.00 pm AWARDS CEREMONY Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014

OPENINGS
7.00 pm Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014 / Volker Hinz, Legends / UNCOVERING. The Body in Polish Photography, pre-auction exhibition / Filmschool Imaginarium: Darkroom; Robert Mainka, Lavish Fields / Bolesław Augustis, Photographs / The Best Photobook of the Year 2014 / Virako Calendar

OPENING
8.00 pm Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2013: Eugenia Arbugaeva, Tiksi / Ciril Jazbec, Waiting to move

VISUAL CONCERT
9.00 pm -inSPIRED by S_IN, S_in City Tribe @ Baltic Neopolis Quartet + Vj PuH

SLIDE SHOW
10.00 pm Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014

6.06 FRIDAY

MAGNUM EDUCATION* /EN
10.00 am – 4.00 pm Magnum Professional Practice

DISCUSSION PANEL /PL
1.00 pm Polish Photography – future and perspectives, host: Adam Mazur 

OPENINGS
4.00 pm Somewhere, Deaf Artists Group
5.00 pm Anita Andrzejewska, Slowly / Magda Hueckel, Anima. Images from Africa / Flowed Picture, curatorial project by Konrad Kuzyszyn
6.00 pm Kuba Dąbrowski, A Drama Feature Film of Polish Production
7.00 pm Roger Ballen, Shadow Land. Photographs by Roger Ballen, 1982-2013
8.30 pm Filmschool Imaginarium: Igor Omulecki, At the Garden’s Edge
9.30 pm Pascal Kerouche, Homicide Harlem / Martin Krueger, Portraits

SLIDE SHOW
10.00 pm Brooklyn Night of Photography

AFTERPARTY
11.00 pm Fotofestiwal Jam

7.06 SATURDAY

MAGNUM EDUCATION* /EN
10.00 am – 4.00 pm Magnum Professional Practice 

WORKSHOP* /PL
10.00 am – 1.00 pm Hewlett-Packard + Omnidruk, Large format your photos – large format printing photoworkshops

GUIDED TOUR /PL
11.00 am Following the Photographs, a guided tour of the Atlas of Modernity. The 20th and 21st Century Art Collection exhibition

PHOTO DAY
12.00 pm – 8.00 pm MONOPOLIS

AWARD CEREMONY
1.30 pm The Best Photobook of the Year 2014

MEETINGS
11.00 am Roger Ballen and Robert J.C.Young; Host: Peggy Sue Amison
2.00 pm Future Photo Show, Vincent Fournier and Phillip Toledano; host: Krzysztof Miękus
3.30 pm Kuba Dąbrowski
4.30 pm Máté Bartha and Zuzana Lapitková, Common Nature book presentation

PHOTOGRAPHY AUCTION
5.30 pm UNCOVERING. The Body in Polish Photography

OPENINGS
4.30 pm Przemek Dzienis & Dorota Buczkowska, Hybrid Figures
7.00 pm Katarzyna Majak, Women of Power
8.00 pm Brian Griffin, DisCover Photography

SLIDE SHOW
9.30 pm The Czech Night of Photography

AFTERPARTY
11.00 pm CzekFunk, Dj Mono and Matyz 

8.06 SUNDAY

PORTFOLIO REVIEW* 
10.30 am – 4.30 pm

POWER PHOTO DAY*
9.30 am – 4.00 pm Photo-walk with Dalkia and EC1
9.30 am – 11.00 am EC1
12.00 pm – 1.30 pm EC2
2.30 pm – 4.00 pm EC4

WORKSHOPS*
10.00 am – 9.00 pm Warsaw School of Photography &Graphic Design: Mariusz Forecki, No theme. The end of street photo
1.00 pm – 5.00 pm Empresse, Prepress color control

LECTURES
10.00 am – 12.30 pm Marcin Dąbrowski, Selfpublishing: personalization in the project, print and frame
1.00 pm Filmschool Imaginarium: Lech Lechowicz, The place of photography in History of Art

MEETINGS
3.00 pm Adam Lach and Katarzyna Dybowska, Stigma book presentation, host: Monika Szewczyk-Wittek
4.00 pm Jan Brykczyński, Boiko book presentation, host: Joanna Kinowska

Exclusive Magnum Masterclass workshops  have already started. In workshops take part 18 person selected by Magnum Agency. Until 4 June, the lucky people will be learning from masters of photography Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb how to prepare ourselves to work in the foreign area, how to take photos in diifferent cultures than ours and how, owing to right selection, create compact and strong message. Result of the workshop will be a special open slideshow. We invite all Fotofestiwal guests on 5 June at 5.30 pm. Alex Webb and Rebeccaa Norris Webb will choose one of the participant whom propose cooperation with British Journal of Photography.

List of Magnum Masterclass participants:
1.    Michał Leja
2.    Rob Vallender
3.    Martin  Wright
4.    Ana Sofia Ayarzagoitia
5.    Reagan Alexander
6.    Dave Jordan
7.    Kamil Głowacki8.    Jacek Obloj
9.    Rosemarie Zens
10.    Saverio  Serravezza
11.    David Graham
12.    Laurent Meirieu
13.    Mariusz Skwarek
14.    Kasia Stręk
15.    Katarzyna Pawlica
16.    Adam Wilhelm
17.    Anna Kopeć

Magnum’s Scholarchip competition for: Karolina Jonderko. Congratulations!

MAGNUM MASTERCLASS is an exclusive 4-day long master workshop with Alex Webb, one of the top photographers from the Magnum Agency and Rebecca Norris Webb, titled Finding your Vision. The workshops will take place on June 1-4 and are aimed at both professional photographers and advanced amateurs.

List of Magnum Professional Pracitce participants:
1.    Tomek Deko
2.    Gerard Collett
3.    Barbara Dubus
4.    Jan Bartenbach
5.    Wawrzyniec Kolbusz
6.    Bartosz Lasota
7.    Jakub Boski
8.    Lukas Linder
9.    Patryk Karbowski
10.    Sonia Hamza
11.    Jerzy Bucki
12.    Karim Shokair
13.    Artur Urbanski
14.    Leszek Gorski
15.    Stephanie van de Velde
16.    Joanna Bos
17.    Olga Swiatecka
18.    Sissel Annett
19.    Tamsin Green
20.    Marta Wapiennik
21.    Aino-Reetta Väänänen
22.    Mitran Kaul
23.    Tariq Zaidi
24.    Anna Krukowska
25.    Marek Lapis
26.    Janusz Sytek
27.    Magdalena Borowiec
28.    Zaza Bertrand

MAGNUM PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE is a seminar (two days), including portfolio reviews as well as meetings with experts collaborating with the Magnum Agency. The meetings’ topic will be contemporary world photography market, conscious work on one’s career and managing one’s professional development. The workshops will take place on June 6-7. 

www.magnumphotos.com

List of portfolio review participants:
1.    Adrian Jaszczak
2.    Agnieszka Rayss
3.    Agnieszka Wrześniak
4.    Dhruv Malhorta
5.    Imrich Veber
6.    Jacek Piotrowski
7.    Jan Brykczyński
8.    Anna Osetek
9.    Liubov Gorobiuk
10.    Łukasz Gryko
11.    Magdalena Borowiec
12.    Magdalena Franczuk
13.    Marlous van der Sloot
14.    Máté Bartha
15.    Mateusz Kiszka
16.    Mateusz Sarełło
17.    Monika Kokoszyńska
18.    Ola Walków
19.    Patryk Karbowski
20.    Piotr Bujak, Tomasz Cichorek (Kolektyw „Po Prostu”)
21.    Rafał Siderski
22.    Tomasz Łaptaszyński
23.    Tomasz Grzeszczak
24.    Vanja Bućan
25.    Zaza Bertrand

These persons were selected on the basis of the submitted photographs and forms. Each participant is required to pay for a share of 80PLN until 5 June 2014.

After qualifying for the review, the participant will receive a login and password to the system which will enable registering for meetings with selected reviewers. Participants select reviewers and meeting times themselves – on a first come, first served basis. Participants will have the possibility to meet with 4 selected experts. Each meeting with a reviewer will last 20 minutes. The session begins at 10.30 am and ends at 4.30 pm; which includes two breaks.

Place: Art_Inkubator, festival centre, Tymienieckiego 3
Date: 8.06.2014 (Sunday)
Hours: 10.30 am – 4.30 pm

Weekend walks along quaint corners of Łódź are unique opportunities to see and record in your memory places that are to normally accessible to everyone. Photo Day will take place at MONOPOLIS – the former premises of Vodka Distillery Plant, which will soon lose it stark appearance and character. The second photowalk called Power Photo Day is a meeting with Dalkia and EC1 Łódź – City of Culture. This time the normally inaccessible heat and power generating plants will be open to festival guests. A prior registration is required to participate in Power Photo Day.

For detailed information, visit the PHOTOWALKS section. We’re looking forward to your attendance!

The artist arrived in Poland on May 14. Before he even reached Łódź, he had met with the journalist of The Rock and Programmes 3 and 4 of the Polish Radio in order to talk in detail about his incoming exhibition. The following day in Łódź, journalists from Dzień Dobry TVN morning television programme waited for him already at 8 am at the MONOPOLIS. During the live interview, Griffin reported on preparations to the incoming exhibition of his photographs, which will be held in Poland for the first time. DisCover Photography will be available for viewing between June 7 and 15 in the extraordinary post industrial space of the MONOPOLIS, a former vodka distillery. Griffin returned to London on May 16. He was in awe of the festival organization; he said he could not wait to come to Łódź again and promised that next time he would bring his lifelong collaborator as his personal VIP guest!

Only by 12/05/2014 you can send your application for Magnum Professional Practice (two days), run by experts from Magnum Agency.

Magnum Professional Practice is design to give participants useful guidelines, how an artist can operate in photography business and how to wisely adjust to a dynamic market. Our recognized guests – Louise Clements, Tristan Lund, Stuart Smith and Tim Paton – will allow you to dip in their vast experience in publishing, commercial and cultural fields. They will share their knowledge and practice in areas of fundraising, exhibition organizing, finding agent and publishing. And they will disclose their secrets for success. The lectures will be accompanied by portfolio reviews.

The seminar is a part of an education programme of Magnum Education.

More details at Magnum Professional Practice tab.

Workshops with professional photographers, graphic artists and photography schools’ professors? An opportunity to learn from professionals will be within your reach during two weekends of Fotofestiwal.

Questions raised during workshops will be of interest to both those of you who are still learning and those who are familiar with photographic art. We recommend workshop in large format printing (including large format Polaroid), documentary photography (“street photo”) or master workshop on still nature photography led by Paweł Żak. During workshops, participants will learn about the importance of appropriate lighting in photography and about creating a portfolio, which is crucial for self-development and for promoting one’s own work. Special workshop for children devoted to pinhole photography, organized by Stworki Otworki, will take place at Wi-Ma in Łódź.

Choose a workshop, enroll and take advantage of the knowledge of those who are experienced and qualified.
The enrollment has already begun!

For more information, go to the tab WORKSHOPS

On May 8 at 8 pm we would like to invite you to private viewing of Volker Hinz’s special exhibition The Legends, which will take place at Art_Inkubator.

Private viewing is part of the formal opening of Art_Inkubator in Łódź, a postindustrial space where, after several years of modernization, an incubator of culture industries was established. It is a space where the world of creativity meets the world of entrepreneurship; it is a platform for both business and artistic ideas. From May 8, 7 pm, for the following 10 days abundance of attractions will await the visitors – Art_Inkubator prepared performances, exhibitions and concerts for art lovers; special workshops for those of you who are eager for knowledge; and, finally, tours of the premises for those of you who are curious to see the factory after refurbishment.

We would also like to recommend the educational part of the opening programme – workshops for representatives of non-governmental organizations and institutions of culture, artists, students, freelancers and creative entrepreneurs. Four days of meetings offer an opportunity to gain new skills which may prove useful in everyday work in cultural and creative sectors. Admission to workshops and lectures is free.

Kirill Golovchenko one of the finalists Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014 is the winner of the European Publishers Award for Photography (EPAP) 2014! His project Bitter Honeydew will be published in Autumn 2014 by five publishers in five languages. The formal presentation will be held at the Rencontres d’Arles in July.

Bitter Honeydew shows life of people running roadside stalls and living in tochkas in Ukraine. Tochka is the common name for sales point, although sometimes also applies to prostitution. Sellers live near their makeshift emporiums in tents and trailers, some build shacks for the summer (months). Many of them come from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and mix with the locals. They live and sell alone or some of them bring their families, kids mostly are growing up on the street. What unites them is the desire to make money.
Glovchenko’s photographs are telling not only about their reality but also about compassion for these displaced men and women and their bitterness in their lives.

To all photographers! Recruitment for the Portfolio Review has just started! This year’s edition of Fotofestiwal will be held on 8 June (Sunday) at 10.30-16.30. 

We invite you to individual and direct meetings with curators, critics, journalists, book and magazine publishers and gallery owners. The Fotofestiwal portfolio review is dedicated to photography students and graduates, professional photographers and those who have at least one exhibition or publication in their CV.
Please send your application by 26/05/2014

Participation fee: 80 PLN
Place: Art_Inkubator, festival centre, Tymienieckiego 3, Lodz

More information in PORTFOLIO REWIEV tab.

We would like to invite you to the Art_Inkubator opening gala on May 8, at 7 pm. The space of Art_Inkubator will be open to everyone interested to see how the workshops at 3 Tymieniecki Street have been transformed. The first tour will be guided by the Director Maciej Trzebeński who will share anecdotes from the time of reconstruction, intricacies of the revitalization process and future plans of Fabryka Sztuki.

The opening programme on May 8-18 will feature: daily tours, performances, concerts, exhibitions, lectures, presentations, debates, games, artistic projects and many more attraction.

As part of the Art_Inkubator opening programme, you are welcome to join us at the pre-festival vernissage of Volker Hinz, a famed celebrity photographer and a special guest of Fotofestiwal. At a draw organized during the vernissage on May 8 you will have a chance to win tickets for this year Fotofestiwal. On June 5-15 Art_Inkubator will be transformed into the festival centre of Fotofestiwal.

Art_Inkubator at Fabryka Sztuki is a postindustrial space where, after several years of modernization, an incubator of culture industries was established. It is a space where the world of creativity meets the world of entrepreneurship; it is a platform for both business and artistic ideas. Its main objective is to stimulate people and companies who deal in culture, to support them and promote them. Former cotton warehouses acquired a new lustre and functionality without compromising the original architectural features. Owing to this, Art_Inkubator is about to become one of the most fascinating places in Poland devoted to, amongst other things, exhibiting art.

For more details, click here: www.fabrykasztuki.org and www.artinkubator.com

Fotofestiwal, Magnum Photos and Digital Camera Polska announce a photography contest, in which you can win participation in the Magnum Masterclass “Finding you Vision” workshop funded by the Magnum Photos Agency  The 4-day workshop lead by world-class photographers Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb will be held in Lodz, as part of the Fotofestiwal, from 1 to 4 June 2014.

The workshop is designed for advanced amateurs and professional photographers. It will consist of two sections: individual field work and a joint edition exercise. Each participant will work on a single topic of their choice under the supervision of Alex and Rebecca. The aim of the workshop is to create a consistent series of works. In addition to the daily photography practice, the participants will be trained in photography editing and processing for print. They will learn how to prepare for work in an unknown environment, take photographs in other cultures, and select the right photos to create a consistent and strong message. They will be provided with basic guidance of how to work with book designers and magazine editors; what is the difference between photography for books and photography for walls; and how long term projects may evolve in books and exhibitions.

For more information, please visit:
www.fotofestiwal.com/2014/en/events/magnum-education/magnum-masterclass

APPLICATION RULES:
1. Only photographers who are citizens of Poland are eligible to enter the contest.
2. The entry should include a completed entry form and no more than 6 photographs for one project/topic (JPG – 200 kB or less).
3. A complete entry should be sent by electronic mail to: m.chojnacki@fotofestiwal.com
4. The subject of the e‑mail message should contain the words: “Magnum Photos Contest” and the entrant’s first and last name.
5. Entries must be received by 12 May 2014, 23:59 hours.
6. Entries shall be evaluated by the Magnum Photos Agency.
7. From the submitted entries, only one person will be selected, for whom the participation in the workshop will be funded.
8. The results shall be announced no later than on 21 May 2014 on the following websites: www.magnumphotos.com, www.fotofestiwal.com and www.digitalcamerapolska.pl

The entry form can be downloaded from HERE

You are invited to participate in the contest by:

Join today – unique workshop Magnum Masterclass organized by Magnum Photos. And run by world class photographers Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb. Exceptional four-day workshop is unique opportunity to improve your photography skills. Alex Webb is a leading photographer of a legendary Magnum Agency. His works were seen at international exhibitions and were published worldwide. Tied with Magnum Agency since 1976 Alex was recognized in many competitions, winning for example Leica Medal of Excellence.

During the workshop Alex Webb will share with you his experience of daily photographer’s life as well as how to put the knowledge into practice. And one of the participants will be offered cooperation with British Journal of Photography. Works of all participants will be presented during Photofestival (5/6/2014) at a slideshow run by Alex and Rebecca Webb.

The workshop is a part of an education programme of Magnum Education.

Please send your application by 12/5/2014. See here for more details.

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Today you can send your application for Magnum Professional Practice seminar (two days), run by experts from Magnum Agency. Magnum Professional Practice is design to give participants useful guidelines, how an artist can operate in photography business and how to wisely adjust to a dynamic market. Our recognized guests – Louise Clements, Tristan Lund, Stuart Smith and Tim Paton – will allow you to dip in their vast experience in publishing, commercial and cultural fields. They will share their knowledge and practice in areas of fundraising, exhibition organizing, finding agent and publishing. And they will disclose their secrets for success.

The seminar is a part of an education programme of Magnum Education.

Please send your application by 12/5/2014. See here for more details.

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13^th edition of Fotofestiwal will take place on June 5-15, 2014 in Łódź, as ever. This time the festival returns to the venue in which 10 earlier editions took place. Main exhibitions and events will be housed at Art_Inkubator w Fabryce Sztuki, three post-industrial buildings which have been modernized and transformed into an impressive, high-tech place within the last 3 years. The programme of this year Fotofestiwal is afoot, but we will disclose a few details right now.

Future Photo Show is a discussion panel devoted to the theme of future, combined with meetings with authors. The guests will be visionary artists, who create images of the future. We have invited three photographers: Phillip Toledano, Vincent Fournier and Kobas Laksa.

As part of the Special Exhibitions section we will show two extensive, retrospective exhibitions: disquieting, sombre Roger Ballen, one of the most widely exhibited photographers in the world at the moment, and Volker Hinz, photographer of major personalities of the 20th century history and showbiz. Aside from that, we will present a multiply awarded project by the Russian artist, Evgenia Arbugaeva, who tells a fairy-tale story of the artist’s childhood in faraway Siberia.

Amongst the finalists selected from over 600 submissions to the Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014 there are, i.a.: Elena Chernyshova, awarded at this year World Press Photo contest for her photographs of Norilsk, one of the most polluted cities in the world, and Adam Lach, whose Stigma project received an honourable mention at the prestigious American contest Pictures of the Year International 2014. All in all 10 finalists will participate in the contest exhibition, one of which will be awarded with the Grand Prix of 10 000 PLN.

The following artists will also present their work at this year Fotofestiwal: Kuba Dąbrowski, Igor Omulecki, Anita Andrzejewska, Jakub Karwowski. Aside from the photography exhibitions there will also be a display of publications devoted to photography entitled The Best Photobook of the Year 2014.

Together with the legendary Magnum Photos Agency we would like to invite you to two events: Masterclass – exclusive 4-day long master workshops with Alex Webb, one of the top photographers of the Agency, and Rebecca Norris Webb. Moreover, Professional Practice – meetings and portfolio review with experts collaborating with the Agency on the subject of finding one’s way in the contemporary market of photography.

The programme will also include: workshops, meetings with authors, contests, photography auction, late night slide shows, reading room and, obviously, clubbing in Łódź.

More details – in EXHIBITION and EVENTS tabs.

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Adam Lach, one of the finalists of 2014 Grand Prix Fotofestiwal, was awarded with an honorable mention in the prestigious American Pictures of the Year International 2014 (Award of Excellence in Issue Reporting Picture Story category). The jury appreciated his photo reportage  entitled Stigma and telling a story of a family of Romanian Romas consisting of sixty people and living in an encampment in Wrocław in the neighborhood called Psie Pole. Adam Lach concentrates on their family life, stories they experienced and their struggles with various forms of aggression. There are no colorful scenes of magic, camp fires and caravans filled with merry songs. Instead, we can see everyday life of the Romas, life that isn’t very different from ours if we look at it from the perspective of family, emotions and relationship between people.

Pictures of the Year International (POY) was launched in the 1940s. It is one of the most important – if not the most important – competition in the United States with thousands of applications from photographers from around the world.

The honorably mentioned reportage by Adam Lach can be seen here: www.poyi.org

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After a few year break Fotofestiwal returns to the venue it has been a guest to for almost 10 editions. Between the 5th and the 15th of June main exhibitions and most of the events will be arranged in three renovated buildings of Art_Inkubator in Fabryka Sztuki. Former cotton warehouses were given a new shine and functionality without depriving them of their original architectonic elements and they will make Art_Inkubator one of the most interesting places in Poland with a function of, among others, presenting art.

Using this opportunity we would like to inform that the competition for Art_Inkubator Residents has started. There are office spaces, galleries, studios and a coffee house, conference rooms, spaces for co – working and artistic actions. Residents can not only count on a place to work but also on a comprehensive assistance in form of services, training and advising on how to run business activities.

More on: www.artinkubator.com

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The results of 2014 World Press Photo have been announced! One of the winners is Elena Chernyshova with her series of photos Days of Night – Nights of Day (3rd place in Daily Life category). We are very pleased, especially, that the artist is also one of the 10 finalists of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014 and the awarded photographs will be presented to the public at the exhibition during Fotofestiwal between 5th – 15th of June 2014. We cordially invite you to see it!

The winner of the first prize is the American photographer John Stanmeyer who has been awarded the World Press Photo of The Year 2013 title for his photograph of African immigrants in Djibouti standing in the moonlight with their cell phones held high towards the sky in search of better reception.

We are also very happy with the success of Polish photographers who have made the list of this year’s World Press Photo winners. They are: Maciek Nabrdalik, Andrzej Grygiel and Kacper Kowalski. Maciek Nabrdalik from the agency VII, was awarded a second prize in the category Daily Life for a photograph of a little girl in an orphanage. Kacper Kowalski, working for Panos Pictures agency was awarded the second prize in the category Nature for his series of photographs entitled “Toxic Beauty” and taken, among others, in mines and chemical plants. A photograph taken by Andrzeja Grygiel shows a competitor balancing on one of his skis during a slalom race at the Polish Championship in alpine skiing in Szczyrk. Congratulations!

Jury had to choose from almost a hundred thousand photographs submitted by 5, 754 photographers from 132 countries. Jury awarded 53 photographers of 25 nationalities in nine categories. More at: www.worldpressphoto.org

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We are happy to announce that jury of Grand Prix 2014 decided to choose 10 finalists whose works will be presented during Fotofestiwal, between 5^th and 15^th of June 2014. We got 600 applications and the level was remarkably high. The name of the winner will be announced 5^th of June 2014, during the opening of Fotofestiwal. Works of 10 finalists will be presented at the exhibition, between 5^th and 15^th of June, in Lodz.

FINALISTS
1. Michel Le Belhomme, The Blind Beast (France)
2. Antoine Bruy, Scrublands (France)
3. Elena Chernyshova, Days of Night – Nights of Day (Russia / France)
4. David Favrod, Gaijin (Japan / Switzerland)
5. Kirill Golovchenko, Bitter Honeydew (Ukraine / Germany)
6. Marie Hudelot, The Legacy (France)
7. Adam Lach, Stigma (Poland)
8. Agnieszka Rayss, No Man’s Land (working title) (Poland)
9. Marlous Van der Sloot, Le corps Vecu (The Netherlands)
10. Renhui Zhao, A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World (Singapore)

The jury of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2014:

Peggy Sue Amison, Artistic Director for the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, Ireland
Krzysztof Candrowicz, director of FOTOFESTIWAL International Festival of Photography in Łódź, Poland
Louise Clements, Artistic Director of QUAD & FORMAT International Photography Festival; UK
Claudia Hinterseer, Independent Photography Professional, The Netherlands
Adam Mazur, Curator, Chef Editor of „SZUM” magazine, Poland
Rafał Milach, Photographer, Co-founder of Sputnik Photos, Poland
Marta Szymańska, Programme Director of FOTOFESTIWAL International Festival of Photography in Łódź, Poland
Jakub Śwircz, Curator, Lecturer, Poland
Erik Vroons , Chief Editor of “GUP” magazine, The Netherlands

THANK YOU FOR ALL APPLICATIONS AND CONGRATULATIONS!

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Deadline for submissions is 16th of December 2013. The winner will receive the prize of 10,000 PLN (about 2300 euro). Works of the winner and eight finalists will be presented at the exhibition during Fotofestiwal in June 2014 and as a slide show during international festivals of photography.

Grand Prix Fotofestiwal is a competition organized every year, during which we are awarding the prizes to those artists who present cohesive ideas, brave visions as well as excellent photographic technique and who use the photographic language in a conscious manner. We want to present interesting personalities and new trends of contemporary photography. This invitation is directed at individual photographers. The formula of the competition is open and there are no thematic, age or geographical restrictions. The jury consisting of international curators shall choose one winner and eight finalists from the sent pictures.

AWARDS

– 10.000 PLN (≈2300 euro) – MAIN PRIZE
– the exhibition of all finalists in frame of International Festival of Photography (over 20.000 viewers)
– slide show promoting all finalists during international photography festivals, such as: FORMAT International Festival of Photography in Derby (UK), Encontros da Imagem, Braga (Portugal), Photoireland, Dublin (Ireland), Photoville (New York)
– GUP honourable mentioned – portfolio presented in online GUP Magazine (25.000 viewers monthly)

JURY

Peggy Sue Amison, Artistic Director for the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, Ireland
Krzysztof Candrowicz, director of FOTOFESTIWAL International Festival of Photography in Łódź, Poland
Louise Clements, Artistic Director of QUAD & FORMAT International Photography Festival; UK
Claudia Hinterseer, Independent Photography Professional, The Netherlands
Adam Mazur, Curator, Chef Editor of „SZUM” magazine, Poland
Rafał Milach, Photographer, Co-founder of Sputnik Photos, Poland
Marta Szymańska, Programme Director of FOTOFESTIWAL International Festival of Photography in Łódź, Poland
Jakub Śwircz, Curator, Lecturer, Poland
Erik Vroons, Chief Editor of “GUP” magazine, The Netherlands

JURY BIOGRAPHIES

WHY SHOULD YOU SEND PHOTOS FOR GRAND PRIX FOTOFESTIWAL 2014?

I decided to submit my project to Lodz because of the open theme, the calibre of the submitted work in previous years and the reputation of the Fotofestiwal. I felt very privileged to be shortlisted and very surprised and honoured to be selected as the Grand Prix winner. It was the first time I had won a photographic award and I feel that this recognition was an important milestone in my career as a photographer, and an important assistance in maintaining the momentum to create new work. It was a great opportunity to connect with, learn from and be inspired by international practitioners and curators, see very high quality work and was a very positive and enjoyable experience overall.
Karl Burke, the Winner of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2013

I was awarded with the Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2012 in the same year, I got World Press Photos and the prize for Polish photojournalists – BWZWBK Press Photo. It was an important year for me. It really helped me in my photography development and enabled to work on new projects. The festival was also a great opportunity to meet people working with photography.
Tomasz Lazar, the Winner of Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2012

RULES OF PARTICIPATION

1. A complete application of the project shall be submitted:

– via e-mail to gp@fotofestiwal.com (GRAND PRIX in the title of the message, file size up to 5MB)

OR

– in person / by post to:
Fundacja Edukacji Wizualnej
ul. Tymienieckiego 3
90-365 Lodz, Poland

The project application should be sent in an envelope or packed in any other way that reduces the possibility of damage to the work. Packaging should be labelled “GRAND PRIX”. If the application is sent by post, the date of registration is the postmark date.

2. An application should include:
– a completed form
– all the works included in the project
– payment confirmation (scan, photocopy)

The GRAND PRIX program is the result of crowd-funding activity structured by non-profit organization. REGISTRATION PAYMENT OF 100 PLN (35 USD OR 25 EUR)

3. The payment should be made to the Organizer’s bank account

It should be paid:

– TO THE ORGANIZER’S BANK ACCOUNT

The registration fee is PLN 100 (or USD 35 or EUR 25)

PL 11 1050 1461 1000 0022 7202 7042
Nr BIC (SWIFT) INGBPLPW

– PAY PAL or CREDIT CARD PAY NOW

The registration fee is PLN 100 (≈ 25Euro, ≈35USD; the currency is converted automatically).

Detailed rules of participation can be found in the terms and conditions of the competition.

4. Documents:
– rules and regulations
– application form
– Grand Prix Fotofestiwal’14_open call

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