© James Farr, courtesy of Head On Photo Festival.

More than 700 photographers capture stories of conflict, culture, identity and life around the world

6–29 November 2026

Bondi Beach Promenade | Bondi Pavilion | Paddington Reservoir Gardens

Head On Photo Festival, Australia’s leading international photography event, returns for its 17th year this November with 93 free exhibitions and more than 700 photographic artists from over 30 countries.

Taking place across Sydney, Head On’s 2026 program is anchored by major Featured Program exhibitions at Bondi Beach promenade, Bondi Pavilion and Paddington Reservoir Gardens, spanning conflict and migration, intimate portraiture, Australian identity, body image, childhood, climate change and playful experiments in how we see the world.

“Photography has an extraordinary ability to take us somewhere we may never otherwise go, or make us look differently at something we see every day,” said Head On Photo Festival Director Moshe Rosenzveig OAM.

“This year we’re bringing together photographers from more than 30 countries, documenting everything from conflict, migration and displacement to identity, humour and everyday life. What connects them is the human story behind the image.

“Head On is about discovery. We want people to encounter photographs and stories they weren’t expecting, to stop and look, and hopefully walk away seeing the world a little differently.”

© Gideon Mendel, courtesy of Head On Photo Festival.

The Festival launches at Bondi Pavilion on 6 November, when the winners of the 2026 Head On Photo Awards will be announced. Across Portrait, Landscape and Exposure, 110 finalists and three winners will share an $80,000 prize pool, with all works selected through Head On’s anonymous judging process. The Awards exhibitions will be presented across Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Bondi Beach promenade and Paddington Reservoir Gardens.

The opening weekend also brings photographers and audiences together for a program of talks, panels and professional events. Highlights include Women in Focus, a discussion on conflict photography, a session examining the business of photography in the AI era; and a conversation on collecting, buying and selling photography. 

The Head On Photobook & Zine Market returns with more than 20 self-published photographers, while Faces of Bondi will grow throughout the Festival as local residents and visitors contribute portraits and selfies to an evolving community artwork at Bondi Pavilion.

Beyond the Featured Program, Head On’s Open Program extends the Festival across Australia with 51 independent exhibitions in galleries, community spaces, bookstores and cafes across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.

Head On Photo Festival runs 6–29 November 2026, with exhibitions free to the public.

For further information, click here.

 

© Patrick Wack, courtesy of Head On Photo Festival.