The 200th year
of Photography
Ahead of its ninth edition, 212 Photography Istanbul celebrated the 200th Anniversary of Photography with a special public program at Pera Museum.
The event brought together photographers, academics, researchers, curators, and photography enthusiasts to explore photography's history, evolution, and future through four panel discussions. Orhan Cem Çetin, Burcu Böcekler, Yağız Genç, Kumru Eren, Demet Yıldız Dinçer, Osman Nuri İyem, Sinem Dişli, Fırat Arapoğlu, Koray Birand, and İlker Canikligil shared their perspectives on photography's cultural, artistic, and technological transformations.
The program marked one of the first events leading up to the 9th edition of 212 Photography Istanbul, which will take place from 26 September to 11 October 2026, featuring exhibitions, talks, workshops, screenings, and special events across Istanbul.
2026 FESTIVAL
In its ninth edition, 212 Photography Istanbul once again brought an innovative perspective to the city, energizing every corner it reached. With a comprehensive program that extended far beyond photography, the festival offered a multilayered experience from exhibitions, workshops, talks, and guided tours to film screenings, concerts, dance, and performances, as well as architecture-focused events and portfolio reviews. Bringing together a wide range of creative disciplines, this year’s program invited visitors to discover the city through new routes and diverse cultural encounters.
EXHIBITONS
212 Photography Istanbul brought its 2026 program to audiences across more than 25 locations and 12 distinctive exhibition venues throughout the city. Featuring internationally renowned names including Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Martin Parr, Frank Horvat, Jill Greenberg, Désirée Dolron, and Colours of Scandinavia, alongside Brazilian Modernist Photography, 1939–1964, the festival brought together photography, film, installation, and multidisciplinary practices. Welcoming over 150,000 visitors, its 9th edition once again transformed Istanbul into an expansive route of discovery through photography.
EVENTS
212 Photography Istanbul, which infuses its program with innovative and dynamic elements each year, once again offered audiences a wide-ranging and comprehensive cultural journey through its collaborations and events spanning diverse fields. With film screenings, concerts, book signings, performance events, portfolio reviews, meetings, talks, and workshops, the festival created an interdisciplinary space for immersive experiences.
COMPETITION
The 212 International Photography Competition, held as part of 212 Photography Istanbul, has been organized since 2018 to discover and give visibility to photographers from around the world. It supports the discovery of photographers of all ages, both professional and amateur, from around the world and Turkey who are interested in photography. The competition, which attracted significant interest and participation, saw the following 10 winners: Berk İşeri, Blagovesta Semkova, Claudia Greco, Denys Kutsevalov, Emin Berk, Enamul Kabir, Gökhan Tanrıöver, Marie Sueur, Sebastian Kahnert, Umberto Diecinove. Bulgarian based photographer Blagovesta Semkova won this year's competition.