Auckland Festival of Photography  

Maximum exposure

Our Trust’s priority is to look for projects that foster access, engagement and experience in the arts. On those measures, it’s hard to go past the Auckland Festival of Photography.

Northland photographer Frank Habicht’s exhibition celebrates his work as a freelance photographer.

Since it started in 2004 the free event has grown from an audience of 11,500 to more than 24,000 last year – establishing it as one of the fastest growing in the country.

This year’s festival featured a record 46 exhibitions, 11 events and work by more than 250 photographers.

Starting as a central Auckland event, it has spread out north and west, with the youngest exhibitor a nine-year-old West Aucklander, Willow Harfl eet, who has a passion for

photographing local characters.

The festival aims to promote photography as an art form, allowing popular audiences to see exhibitions and take part in a visual arts event that showcases some of the city’s and the country’s best photographic artists.

With four distinct themes: culture, identity, art and participation, it celebrates and refl ects Auckland’s diverse cultures, encouraging the development of community identity by the telling of stories through the photographic lens. To this end, ordinary local community spaces are transformed

into exhibition spaces – such as the Tepid Baths, the Migrant Resource Centre, Avondale Bowling Club, Avondale Racecourse, K Road, libraries and museums.

A highlight of the festival is the Olympus Auckland Photo Day, when photographers are given 24 hours to capture something special – a photo refl ecting a unique moment in the life of Auckland. Anyone with a camera can take part, as long as they are in Auckland on the day.