Each summer, Madrid becomes a reference event for the world of visual arts and photography. With exhibitions in the main museums, halls and art galleries, as well as diverse activities related to the chosen theme each year, PHotoESPAÑA offers the possibility to discover the latest tendencies in photographic art as well as the latest projects by the most internationally renowned artists. The 2025 edition will be held from 30 April to 14 September, featuring 103 exhibitions and the participation of 360 photographers and visual artists.
PHotoESPAÑA offers the possibility to discover the latest tendencies in photographic art as well as the latest projects by the most internationally renowned artists. Its first edition was held in June 1998 with the main objective of giving photography a relevant place in public institutions and raising awareness of the work of galleries.
As usual, the programme is divided into two sections: the Official Section and the Off Festival, awarding different prizes to recognise the work of some of the participating artists. Numerous museums and exhibition halls take part in these sections in order to boost the promotion and development of the photographic market.
The 28th edition is presented under the name of After Everything and the themes explored in this latest edition include the historic evolution of photographic practice and its relevance in light of the social, political, historic and cultural environment , not only as a document but also as a creative tool in times of uncertainty. After Everything is also the name of a joint exhibition that pays tribute to the legacy of Helga de Alvear. With works from her Collection, it spans a century of transformation of the European landscape through architecture and photography, from Eugène Atget to the Düsseldorf School.
The figure of Guest Country is incorporated for the first time in 2025 and a special section is devoted to Chile, which inaugurates this new approach with exhibitions by Lotty Rosenfeld, Julia Toro, Michael Mauney and Martin Gusinde. Four outlooks that can be seen at different venues bring the public closer to a photographic production influenced by the country’s recent history.
This year, PHotoESPAÑA 2025 brings together key figures from the past and present of world photography. From legends like Julia Margaret Cameron, Dora Maar, Ruth Orkin and Edward Weston, to leading contemporary photographers, such as Duane Michals, Joel Meyerowitz, Graciela Iturbide and Ayana V. Jackson. This edition also celebrates the wealth and plurality of national photography with photographers representing different generations and languages, such as José Guerrero, Nacho Criado, Joan Fontcuberta and Isidro Ferrer.
It also advocates for the documentary and symbolic value of the image as raw material of democratic memory. Marisa Flórez and Rui Ochoa feature in two essential exhibitions in the programme, reviewing five decades of political, social and cultural history in Spain and Portugal from the Transition to the present day. The programme offers a journey through different periods, styles and outlooks, connecting the visual memory of the past with more contemporary practices.
The OFF Festival will include the participation of more than 40 art galleries and a new Open Circuit will be added for the first time, enabling visitors to discover Madrid’s alternative exhibition spaces in September.
The Festival reinforces its presence in Madrid's museums, recovering the Prado-Castellana axis with the participation of key spaces such as the Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, which will once again feature in the programme. For the first time, the National Anthropology Museum and the National Archaeological Museum will be included in the Official Section, extending the dialogue between historical heritage and contemporary creation. This cultural route is rounded off with well-established institutions, such as Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Mapfre Foundation, Sala Recoletos, Fernán Gómez - Centro Cultural de la Villa, the Canal Foundation and Sala Canal de Isabel II.
Check the full program
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