A giant shimmering moth. A world-renowned Black, queer, ex-Jehovah’s Witness photographer. Boot scooting at the Ballarat Mining Exchange.
Yes, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale is back with a bang in 2025!
From 23 August until 19 October, this immersive art takeover will showcase more than 360 artists across 100+ indoor and outdoor venues.
Wander and explore curated exhibitions, city‑wide pop‑ups, workshops, talks and more.
The eight-week festival will bring the world’s leading photographers, digital creators and innovators together in a celebration of the vital energy and creative spark that animates both artist and audience.
Ballarat International Foto Biennale artistic director and CEO Vanessa Gerrans said Lifeforce was the central theme of this year's event.
“There is a life force in all of us – a spark that compels us to create, to connect, to capture the world around us," Vanessa said.
“From globally acclaimed photographers to emerging voices, the 2025 Biennale offers audiences exclusive Australian exhibitions, world premieres and large-scale outdoor installations that transform Ballarat into a walkable, immersive art experience.”
Tickets and full program at ballaratfoto.org
Headline exhibitions
I ❤ Campbell | Campbell Addy
Australian exclusive | Ballarat Mining Exchange
The British Ghanaian photographer, fashion visionary and activist presents a body of work defined by its celebration of beauty, diversity and visibility. Addy’s portraits of icons including Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé and Lizzo have redefined contemporary fashion photography, gracing the pages of Vogue, Time, and Dazed.
Enninful x Mapplethorpe | Robert Mapplethorpe
Australian exclusive | Post Office Gallery
Curated by British Vogue editor Edward Enninful OBE, this unprecedented exhibition pairs 46 of Robert Mapplethorpe’s iconic prints to invite audiences into fresh, powerful dialogues with the photographer’s legacy.
One Way Ticket to Vietnam 1966–1968 | Catherine Leroy
World premiere | Ballarat Town Hall
The fearless French photojournalist’s raw, emotive work from the Vietnam War is unveiled for the first time in this landmark retrospective.
Long Exposure: The Legacy of Prahran College
World premiere | Miners Tavern
Celebrating generations of photographers shaped by Melbourne's Prahran College, this collective exhibition showcases 50 artists whose work continues to resonate decades later.
Thành Phẩm | Lê Nguyên Phương
World premiere | Ballarat Library
Vietnamese artist Lê Nguyên Phương reclaims the narrative of the Vietnam War with a counter-archive of tender, familial images challenging dominant Western perspectives.
Nature~ista
World premiere | RACV Goldfields Resort
Featuring Leila Jeffreys, Maria Fernanda Cardoso and Troy Emmery, this exhibition celebrates the flamboyance and personality of the natural world through photography and sculpture.
Prompted Peculiar International AI Prize
World premiere | Miners Tavern
The cutting-edge competition returns to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and artistic creation.
Martin Kantor Portrait Prize
World premiere | GovHub
The prestigious $15,000 acquisitive prize celebrates excellence in photographic portraiture.
Public art highlights
Mumu Mirri | Dave Jones & Dr Deanne Gilson
Exterior of the National Centre for Photography
Following the success of Lisa Roet’s ‘Golden Monkey’ in 2023, this year’s centrepiece public artwork is Mumu Mirri – a shimmering moth sculpture celebrating resilience, transformation and interconnectedness. Mumu Mirri is a dazzling sculptural tribute to the Bogong Moth, a vital totem of sustenance and survival for First Nations people.
Memory Matrix | Jody Haines & Debasish Mukherjee
Bridge Mall & The Goods Shed
A cross-cultural collaboration exploring memory, place and identity through large-scale outdoor works.
High Exposure | Annelìse Seréna Belladonna, Max Deutscher, Jett Leduc
Various laneways around Ballarat
Featuring emerging Ballarat-based artists whose work reflects the theme Lifeforce across the city’s heritage architecture.
GradFoto | Monika Makour, Harry Merriman, Jesse Pretorius, Emily Raffaele
GovHub Precinct Gardens
Capturing a new generation of artists working in contemporary photograph.
Leicolhn McKellar | Guma
Art Screen, Alfred Deakin Place
Highlighting the ties between place and identity, Guma means blood in the Budjiti language.
Key events & experiences
Lifeforce Gala | Ballarat Mining Exchange
Saturday 23 August at 7pm
Celebrate the creative force of this year’s exhibiting artists in the company of fellow art lovers, cultural leaders and visionaries.
Todd Hido in person | The Goods Shed
Thursday 4 September at 6pm
Join acclaimed American photographer and photobook maker Todd Hido in conversation with RMIT University Professor Daniel Palmer.
Negotiating the Nude | Craig’s Royal Hotel
Saturday 13 September from 10am–5pm
Join photographer and educator Ali Choudhry and model Richard Musumeci (Artmodel Richard) to explore nude photography through theory, a live demonstration and by making photographs.
Women Shaping Photojournalism | 101 Lydiard
Sunday 14 September at 2pm
Join award-winning documentary photographer and photojournalist Christina Simons in conversation with photojournalists Carla Gottgens and Penny Stephens as they reflect on their careers, the challenges they’ve faced and the evolving role of women behind the lens.
Boot scooting with Country Struts | Ballarat Mining Exchange
Thursday 18 September at 5.45pm
Kick up your heels with the high-energy team from Country Struts for a fun-filled evening of line dancing—perfect for seasoned scootin’ pros and total beginners alike.
The Passion of Joan of Arc | Ballarat Performing Arts Community
Friday 19 September at 7.30pm
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) by Carl Theodore Dreyer is considered a masterpiece of early silent cinema. This screening will feature a curated score of gothic-inspired music by French composer Erik Satie.
Now in its 11th year, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale runs from 23 August until 19 October.
Tickets and full program at ballaratfoto.org
