AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF EXPERIMENTATION, WHAT COMES NEXT?
AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF EXPERIMENTATION, WHAT COMES NEXT?
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
NEW VISIONS. NEW IMAGES. NEW POSSIBILITIES.
For 2027, the festival is focused on strengthening the exhibitions and fostering closer collaboration between artists, curators and the production team. Selected artists will work together with the festival’s curatorial and production teams to develop their exhibitions in relation to the assigned space, scale, materials, technical requirements and context. There is no predefined theme; we are simply looking for the future of photography!
The exhibition programme is currently being developed across the following venues:
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Centre Cívic Pati Llimona
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Experimental HUB
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Agrupació Fotogràfica de Catalunya
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MUHBA Porta de Mar
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BORSÍ pel Barri
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Mont.BCN
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Lab Nau Especial
Additional venues may be incorporated as the programme develops. Artists do not apply for a specific venue. Spaces will be assigned according to the artistic, spatial, technical and production characteristics of each project.
The festival works with indoor and outdoor spaces, historical venues, courtyards, foyers, large-scale installations, site-specific proposals and unconventional exhibition contexts.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Each artist selected for an Individual Exhibition receives an artist fee of €150 as direct financial compensation for their participation. To receive the fee, the artist or collective must be able to issue a valid invoice. Each Individual Exhibition has access to a production budget of up to €200. This can be used for previously agreed expenses such as printing, exhibition materials, supports, graphic production, mounting systems and other production needs.
Artists selected for an Individual Exhibition also receive access to the Diploma in Experimental Photography at Ágora's School of Experimentation, valued at €999. The programme combines online learning, experimentation, project development, an international community of experimental photographers and direct contact with the teaching team. This is an in-kind educational benefit. The €999 represents the value of access to the programme and cannot be exchanged for cash.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Each artist selected for an Individual Exhibition receives an artist fee of €150 as direct financial compensation for their participation. To receive the fee, the artist or collective must be able to issue a valid invoice. Each Individual Exhibition has access to a production budget of up to €200. This can be used for previously agreed expenses such as printing, exhibition materials, supports, graphic production, mounting systems and other production needs.
Artists selected for an Individual Exhibition also receive access to the Diploma in Experimental Photography at Ágora's School of Experimentation, valued at €999. The programme combines online learning, experimentation, project development, an international community of experimental photographers and direct contact with the teaching team. This is an in-kind educational benefit. The €999 represents the value of access to the programme and cannot be exchanged for cash.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Each artist selected for an Individual Exhibition receives an artist fee of €150 as direct financial compensation for their participation. To receive the fee, the artist or collective must be able to issue a valid invoice. Each Individual Exhibition has access to a production budget of up to €200. This can be used for previously agreed expenses such as printing, exhibition materials, supports, graphic production, mounting systems and other production needs.
Artists selected for an Individual Exhibition also receive access to the Diploma in Experimental Photography at Ágora's School of Experimentation, valued at €999. The programme combines online learning, experimentation, project development, an international community of experimental photographers and direct contact with the teaching team. This is an in-kind educational benefit. The €999 represents the value of access to the programme and cannot be exchanged for cash.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Each artist selected for an Individual Exhibition receives an artist fee of €150 as direct financial compensation for their participation. To receive the fee, the artist or collective must be able to issue a valid invoice. Each Individual Exhibition has access to a production budget of up to €200. This can be used for previously agreed expenses such as printing, exhibition materials, supports, graphic production, mounting systems and other production needs.
Artists selected for an Individual Exhibition also receive access to the Diploma in Experimental Photography at Ágora's School of Experimentation, valued at €999. The programme combines online learning, experimentation, project development, an international community of experimental photographers and direct contact with the teaching team. This is an in-kind educational benefit. The €999 represents the value of access to the programme and cannot be exchanged for cash.
Each artist selected for an Individual Exhibition receives an artist fee of €150 as direct financial compensation for their participation. To receive the fee, the artist or collective must be able to issue a valid invoice. Each Individual Exhibition has access to a production budget of up to €200. This can be used for previously agreed expenses such as printing, exhibition materials, supports, graphic production, mounting systems and other production needs.
Artists selected for an Individual Exhibition also receive access to the Diploma in Experimental Photography at Ágora's School of Experimentation, valued at €999. The programme combines online learning, experimentation, project development, an international community of experimental photographers and direct contact with the teaching team. This is an in-kind educational benefit. The €999 represents the value of access to the programme and cannot be exchanged for cash.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
In addition to the twelve individual exhibitions, the jury may select a small additional group of artists to participate together in a collective exhibition.
Artists receiving a Collective Exhibition Mention receive the following benefits:
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€150 artist fee
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Ágora Diploma valued at €999
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Festival access
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Merchandising
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Meals
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Curatorial and production support
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Festival promotion
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Workshop exchange
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Priority access to accommodation booking
The collective exhibition has a shared production budget of €600, managed directly by Experimental Photo Festival. This budget applies to the exhibition as a whole and will be allocated according to its production and installation needs.
The exhibition will remain installed and open to the public until December 2027, extending the visibility of the selected artists beyond the festival dates.
In addition to the 12 Solo Exhibitions in Barcelona, 20 artists will be selected for a special online feature in collaboration with Analog Forever Magazine. The aim of this selection goes beyond publication. These projects become part of a group that Experimental Photo Festival can continue promoting internationally through future exhibitions, screenings and collaborations across its network. In the previous edition, artists from this selection were later presented in an exhibition in China and through video screenings at three museums in India.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Registration is available through Picter. Participation is simple and takes no more than ten minutes:
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Go to Picter.com.
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Create an account and complete your personal information.
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Each person may submit more than one project, but each must be submitted as a separate application.
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Pay the registration fee: €20 per project.
That's all! Submit your work and be part of the transformation of photography. We look forward to hearing about your project and discovering the future of photography with you.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Benefits
Selected artists develop and present an individual exhibition in Barcelona with the support of the Experimental Photo Festival’s curatorial and production teams. They also receive financial, educational and production support, and become part of the Experimental Photo Festival community, with opportunities to meet other artists, take part in workshops and activities, and connect with the international network surrounding the festival.
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€150 artist fee
-
€200 for exhibition production
-
€999 Ágora Diploma, School of Experimentation
-
Festival access
-
Official Experimental Photo Festival merchandise
-
Meals during the festival
-
Curatorial support
-
Production and installation support
-
Promotion through the festival’s communication channels
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Priority access to accommodation at Col·legi Major Penyafort-Montserrat
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Access to the workshop exchange programme
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For selected exhibitions, additional professional visibility during the IPFA Meeting
WORKSHOP EXCHANGE PROGRAMME
A selected exhibition artist who teaches one workshop can attend two festival workshops in exchange. Artists who teach two workshops become part of the separate Artists: Workshops + Conferences programme.
TEACH 1 WORKSHOP
ATTEND 2 WORKSHOPS
Participation Commitments
Selected artists must be present in Barcelona to carry out the installation of their exhibition and participate in the activities of Experimental Photo Festival 2027. Installation and dismantling are the responsibility of each artist, with the support and assistance of the festival’s production team.
Depending on the assigned venue, some exhibitions may be installed from June 30, 2027, coinciding with the international meeting of photography festivals, and some may remain installed until December 2027. The specific installation, opening and dismantling dates will be communicated individually to each artist according to the venue and the characteristics of their project.
In all cases, selected artists must be present during the main festival dates, July 21–25, 2027, and participate in the opening and activities related to their exhibition. Once participation has been confirmed, artists will receive a mandatory contract for signature detailing the conditions of participation, payment arrangements, exhibition production, image rights and intellectual property.
Application to the Open Call is final: submitted documents cannot be modified and the application fee is non-refundable. In addition to their exhibitions, artists are encouraged to propose workshops, conferences and other activities. The festival may also invite them to participate in these formats, reinforcing the exchange of knowledge and processes that characterises Experimental Photo Festival.
The works presented will not be for sale during the festival. Selection results will be communicated individually by email in January 2026.
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Benefits
Selected artists develop and present an individual exhibition in Barcelona with the support of the Experimental Photo Festival’s curatorial and production teams. They also receive financial, educational and production support, and become part of the Experimental Photo Festival community, with opportunities to meet other artists, take part in workshops and activities, and connect with the international network surrounding the festival.
-
€150 artist fee
-
€200 for exhibition production
-
€999 Ágora Diploma, School of Experimentation
-
Festival access
-
Official Experimental Photo Festival merchandise
-
Meals during the festival
-
Curatorial support
-
Production and installation support
-
Promotion through the festival’s communication channels
-
Priority access to accommodation at Col·legi Major Penyafort-Montserrat
-
Access to the workshop exchange programme
-
For selected exhibitions, additional professional visibility during the IPFA Meeting
WORKSHOP EXCHANGE PROGRAMME
A selected exhibition artist who teaches one workshop can attend two festival workshops in exchange. Artists who teach two workshops become part of the separate Artists: Workshops + Conferences programme.
TEACH 1 WORKSHOP
ATTEND 2 WORKSHOPS
Participation Commitments
Selected artists must be present in Barcelona to carry out the installation of their exhibition and participate in the activities of Experimental Photo Festival 2027. Installation and dismantling are the responsibility of each artist, with the support and assistance of the festival’s production team.
Depending on the assigned venue, some exhibitions may be installed from June 30, 2027, coinciding with the international meeting of photography festivals, and some may remain installed until December 2027. The specific installation, opening and dismantling dates will be communicated individually to each artist according to the venue and the characteristics of their project.
In all cases, selected artists must be present during the main festival dates, July 21–25, 2027, and participate in the opening and activities related to their exhibition. Once participation has been confirmed, artists will receive a mandatory contract for signature detailing the conditions of participation, payment arrangements, exhibition production, image rights and intellectual property.
Application to the Open Call is final: submitted documents cannot be modified and the application fee is non-refundable. In addition to their exhibitions, artists are encouraged to propose workshops, conferences and other activities. The festival may also invite them to participate in these formats, reinforcing the exchange of knowledge and processes that characterises Experimental Photo Festival.
The works presented will not be for sale during the festival. Selection results will be communicated individually by email in January 2026.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
Share your techniques, processes, research and ideas with the Experimental Photo Festival community through workshops, conferences and conversations.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
The Experimental Photo Festival 2027 marks the eighth edition of an international project that has spent the past years bringing together artists, photographers, curators, educators and photography professionals around experimental photography.
Since its first edition, the festival has grown as a meeting point for experimentation, exchange and community. Every year, Barcelona becomes a place to discover new approaches to photography, share processes and knowledge, and create connections between analogue and digital practices, historical techniques, alternative processes, expanded photography and new ways of producing and experiencing photographic images.
Experimental Photo Festival 2027 is open to photographers, visual artists, multidisciplinary artists and collectives from anywhere in the world. You do not need to identify as an experimental photographer to apply. We welcome experimental, creative and contemporary photographic practices, from established approaches to projects that question or expand how images are made, presented or experienced.
Your project can be finished, in progress, previously exhibited or still developing into an exhibition.
What could your project become in Barcelona?
with the collaboration of
Develop your practice, explore new processes and work alongside artists from different countries in Barcelona before Experimental Photo Festival.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
General Conditions
By submitting an application, participants confirm that they have read and accepted the following conditions:
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Artists grant the Associació Experimentalphotofestival the non-exclusive right to distribute and reproduce the photographs submitted digitally, always crediting the photographer’s name and the title of the work, for promotional purposes, including newsletters, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, the festival’s websites, Ágora, participating exhibition venues and collaborating institutions, as well as for exhibition, educational and commercial purposes. No royalties or compensation will be paid for these uses. The photographer retains all copyright and ownership rights over the works. However, it is important to note that third parties, such as educational institutions, journalists, search engines, social media platforms, digital platforms or individuals, may download, save, store or archive images from our websites or communication channels, with or without our knowledge. The Associació Experimentalphotofestival has no control over such downloads or their subsequent use and therefore cannot accept responsibility for any improper or unauthorised use by third parties. Artists assume and accept full legal and financial responsibility for any infringement of third-party privacy, property or copyright rights arising from the creation or public presentation of their work.
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Artists grant their image rights to the Associació Experimentalphotofestival, and the Association may not transfer these rights to third parties without the corresponding express consent. By applying, artists authorise the Association to capture, reproduce and distribute photographs and video footage of the festival in which they appear, free of charge and without geographical or time limitations, in connection with Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, IPFA and the activities organised by the Association.
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The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to exclude from the Open Call or the festival any applications or artists that fail to comply with the general conditions of participation or that violate our values, copyright, human rights, privacy rights or any other applicable rights.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival is the organiser of Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, and IPFA (International Photography Festivals Association). This means that the granting and authorisation of rights to the Association automatically permits their use by these programmes within the purposes described above.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to make changes to the programme, venues, exhibition schedules and organisational arrangements for the 2027 edition whenever necessary.
General Conditions
By submitting an application, participants confirm that they have read and accepted the following conditions:
-
Artists grant the Associació Experimentalphotofestival the non-exclusive right to distribute and reproduce the photographs submitted digitally, always crediting the photographer’s name and the title of the work, for promotional purposes, including newsletters, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, the festival’s websites, Ágora, participating exhibition venues and collaborating institutions, as well as for exhibition, educational and commercial purposes. No royalties or compensation will be paid for these uses. The photographer retains all copyright and ownership rights over the works. However, it is important to note that third parties, such as educational institutions, journalists, search engines, social media platforms, digital platforms or individuals, may download, save, store or archive images from our websites or communication channels, with or without our knowledge. The Associació Experimentalphotofestival has no control over such downloads or their subsequent use and therefore cannot accept responsibility for any improper or unauthorised use by third parties. Artists assume and accept full legal and financial responsibility for any infringement of third-party privacy, property or copyright rights arising from the creation or public presentation of their work.
-
Artists grant their image rights to the Associació Experimentalphotofestival, and the Association may not transfer these rights to third parties without the corresponding express consent. By applying, artists authorise the Association to capture, reproduce and distribute photographs and video footage of the festival in which they appear, free of charge and without geographical or time limitations, in connection with Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, IPFA and the activities organised by the Association.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to exclude from the Open Call or the festival any applications or artists that fail to comply with the general conditions of participation or that violate our values, copyright, human rights, privacy rights or any other applicable rights.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival is the organiser of Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, and IPFA (International Photography Festivals Association). This means that the granting and authorisation of rights to the Association automatically permits their use by these programmes within the purposes described above.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to make changes to the programme, venues, exhibition schedules and organisational arrangements for the 2027 edition whenever necessary.
General Conditions
By submitting an application, participants confirm that they have read and accepted the following conditions:
-
Artists grant the Associació Experimentalphotofestival the non-exclusive right to distribute and reproduce the photographs submitted digitally, always crediting the photographer’s name and the title of the work, for promotional purposes, including newsletters, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, the festival’s websites, Ágora, participating exhibition venues and collaborating institutions, as well as for exhibition, educational and commercial purposes. No royalties or compensation will be paid for these uses. The photographer retains all copyright and ownership rights over the works. However, it is important to note that third parties, such as educational institutions, journalists, search engines, social media platforms, digital platforms or individuals, may download, save, store or archive images from our websites or communication channels, with or without our knowledge. The Associació Experimentalphotofestival has no control over such downloads or their subsequent use and therefore cannot accept responsibility for any improper or unauthorised use by third parties. Artists assume and accept full legal and financial responsibility for any infringement of third-party privacy, property or copyright rights arising from the creation or public presentation of their work.
-
Artists grant their image rights to the Associació Experimentalphotofestival, and the Association may not transfer these rights to third parties without the corresponding express consent. By applying, artists authorise the Association to capture, reproduce and distribute photographs and video footage of the festival in which they appear, free of charge and without geographical or time limitations, in connection with Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, IPFA and the activities organised by the Association.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to exclude from the Open Call or the festival any applications or artists that fail to comply with the general conditions of participation or that violate our values, copyright, human rights, privacy rights or any other applicable rights.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival is the organiser of Experimental Photo Festival, Ágora, School of Experimentation, and IPFA (International Photography Festivals Association). This means that the granting and authorisation of rights to the Association automatically permits their use by these programmes within the purposes described above.
-
The Associació Experimentalphotofestival reserves the right to make changes to the programme, venues, exhibition schedules and organisational arrangements for the 2027 edition whenever necessary.