The Ballarat International Foto Biennale was founded in 2005 and attracts significant International and Australian photographers as one of Australia’s pre-eminent photographic festivals.

It is a not-for-profit event that immerses the historic town of Ballarat in photographic art.

For over 14 years, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale has enriched the cultural landscape of regional Victoria and become the most significant, prestigious photographic arts festival in Australia. Held every two years we showcase work from domestic and international artists that is new, previously unseen in Australia or contextualised afresh; and in our Open Program we foster the development of new artists. Alongside there are public programs and education programs comprising talks, workshops and prizes which round out a rich and diverse cultural event that attracts more than 30,000 people, delivering significant economic and cultural impact.

The Foto Biennale is guided by the principle that it not only serves the community but also plays a vital role in cultivating it.

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale has attracted more than 200,000 visitors to Ballarat and was honored in 2018 at the Federation Business School and Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards as the winner of the Visit Ballarat Events and Attractions Business Award. Its Founding Director, Jeff Moorfoot OAM received an Order of Australia Medal for services to photography.

We are Australia’s leading photographic festival. We’ve done this by consistently finding new ways to engage audiences with photography, responding to our audience’s needs, their changing vision of art and culture, and the role it plays in shaping Ballarat. We recognise and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people as the First Australians. Through photography, we see our world reflected back in unexpected ways through the eyes of others: artists, community and new perspectives.

HOW WE SUPPORT ARTISTS

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale prides itself on being a sustainable and flexible organisation, registered as a not-for-profit and reporting to ACNC quarterly with audited financials every year. With the full support of our board and carefully documented audited accounts, we ensure that all our artists are supported throughout the Foto Biennale. As registered members of NAVA (National Association for Visual Artists) and IBA (International Biennial Association) we ensure all core contracted artists are paid. Contracted artists are paid in full prior to or in the opening week of the festival. Any touring of artists works are re-contracted and paid additional touring fees. Artist fees are exclusive of their printing and material costs.

Our exhibition spaces and audience engagement ensure that artists are exposed to large audiences within the beautiful heritage buildings of Ballarat, and in 2017 we were thrilled that 3 artists gained gallery representation as a direct result of exhibiting with us. Another artist had his complete exhibition purchased by the NGV.

Source: ballaratfoto.org