Exposure Photography Festival

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Exposure Photography Festival

Alberta's Photography Festival
Next edition: February 2027 🎉

07/28/2026

📣 EXHIBITION, JULY 27-AUGUST 7
📍Historic Firehall No. 1
🌀A Ritual of Wishing: Community Cyanotype Project

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, we held a free art-making workshop at Calgary’s Historic Firehall No. 1. Led by artists cy yang - smith and Leia Guo, members of the public were invited to create cyanotypes to embody a personal wish. Through the alchemy of sunlight and water, their wishes are revealed and offered to the community as a collective tapestry of longing and hope.

Thanks to City of Calgary for funding this project! And to the incredible team of volunteers and collaborators that made it possible.

The Camera Store
Made by Marcus Ice Cream
Neat. Film Lab
Public Eye
Calgary Print Shop
Paul Jackson Fine Art Services
Jolie Bird

07/17/2026

Here’s a look back at “A Ritual of Wishing: Community Cyanotype Project” held Saturday, July 4th at Calgary’s Historic Firehall No. 1! Over 100 of you joined us under a blue sky to turn your wishes into photographic prints using sunlight and water, guided by artists , .guo, and an INCREDIBLE team of volunteers. Stay tuned, as we work to transform these beautiful pieces into a collective art installation, set to be exhibited at the Firehall from July 27 to August 7!

Tremendous thanks to all who helped bring this vision to life: the artists, volunteers, participants, and our friends , , , and . This project was generously funded by .

06/29/2026

A Ritual of Wishing: Community Cyanotype Project ✨

This summer, we're turning the Historic Firehall courtyard into an open-air photography studio!

On Saturday, July 4, join artists Cy Yang-Smith and Leia Guo for a free community cyanotype workshop. Guided by a reflective prompt, participants will arrange stencils and natural materials to create their own unique sunprints using sunlight and water.

Each cyanotype created during the workshop will become part of a large collaborative installation that will be exhibited at Historic Firehall No. 1 later this summer.

No experience is required. Drop in for five minutes or stay for an hour—everyone is welcome.

☀️ Free
📍 Historic Firehall No. 1
📅 Saturday, July 4
⏰ Drop in between 10 AM–4 PM

🍦 Rumour has it that Made by Marcus will be dropping by with some free scoops!

Fun for all ages! Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Thanks to the for funding this project, and to our generous community partners for their support:

06/15/2026

✨ A Ritual of Wishing: Community Cyanotype Project ✨

This summer, we’re turning the Historic Firehall courtyard into an open-air photography studio!

On Saturday, July 4, join artists Cy Yang-Smith and Leia Guo for a free community cyanotype workshop. Guided by a reflective prompt, participants will arrange stencils and natural materials to create their own unique sunprints using sunlight and water.

Each cyanotype created during the workshop will become part of a large collaborative installation that will be exhibited at Historic Firehall No. 1 later this summer.

No experience is required. Drop in for five minutes or stay for an hour—everyone is welcome.

☀️ Free
📍 Historic Firehall No. 1
📅 Saturday, July 4
⏰ Drop in between 10 AM–4 PM
🍦 Rumour has it that Made by Marcus will be dropping by with some free scoops!

Fun for all ages! Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Thanks to the for funding this project, and to our generous community partners for their support: .

Image courtesy of .

06/13/2026

📣 We’re looking for volunteers!

Join us on July 4 at Historic Firehall No. 1 for A Ritual of Wishing, a free community cyanotype project led by artists Cy Yang-Smith and Leia Guo.

Help welcome participants, support art-making activities, and be part of a large-scale collaborative artwork that will be exhibited later this summer.

No experience required. Training provided.

Volunteer perks include:

🍦 Made by Marcus ice cream
📷 Free North West Showcase submission
🎁 Camera Store swag
🎞️ 20% off film developing at Neat Film Lab
🥨 Snacks + hands-on cyanotype training

Interested? Sign up through the link in bio!

Thanks to the for funding this project, and to our generous community partners for their support!

Images courtesy of .

05/28/2026

The 2026 Exposure Photography Festival brought together more than 200 artists across 84 exhibitions, events, and workshops presented throughout Alberta. To everyone who attended an exhibition, submitted work, partnered with us, volunteered, shared our programming, or simply spent time looking closely with us this year: thank you.

Exposure has always been community-built, and this Festival would not have been possible without the artists, audiences, funders, venues, collaborators, and supporters who continue to believe in what photography can do.

We would especially like to acknowledge support from , , .1991, , , , .artspace, , , , and .

💛

A full Report to Community can be found on our website. (⛓️ Link in bio.)

Photos by: , , , , , and .michel. 📸

05/27/2026

We’re pleased to announce that Stasia Schmidt has been elected as the Exposure Photography Festival’s new President and Chair of the Board, succeeding Dona Schwartz following a decade of extraordinary leadership and service.

Many in our community already know Stasia through her longstanding connection to Exposure — first as an artist, later as Emerging Photographer of the Year, and more recently as a volunteer and board member. Her appointment reflects the kind of artist-centred, community-rooted future we’re continuing to build together.

In her new role, Stasia will help guide Exposure into its next chapter with a focus on supporting artists, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the Festival remains sustainable, accessible, and internationally connected for years to come.

A link to the full press release is available on our website. (⛓️ Link in bio.)

04/28/2026

Congratulations to the high school students whose work is on display at as part of the Flash Forward Incubator Program!

The Flash Forward Incubator Program builds an inclusive arts community that fosters diversity in our future leaders and art stars. This dynamic, coast-to-coast program creates a vibrant and connected community, one that brings youth from diverse backgrounds together to share their art with each other and the rest of Canada. Through an online platform, hands-on mentorships and leadership opportunities, Flash Forward Incubator promotes specialized training in arts, culture, and new media, where unique voices are empowered and a sense of belonging and inclusiveness is cultivated. This year’s theme is “Analogue Futures”.

Alcove Arts Centre is a community hub that provides space to connect around a shared love of art and creativity. Located in downtown Calgary, they serve as a platform for local emerging artists to share their work and access meaningful paid opportunities. Find them just off the train line, at 244 7 Ave SE.

03/20/2026

One week left to see “Here, Together” – an outdoor exhibition curated by Jasmine Piper and Beth Kane, presenting the work of twelve artists who share life on Treaty 7 territory. Through diverse identities and lived experiences, these artists explore how they belong, find home, and make relationships with this place. However these questions are answered, we all have one thing in common; where we are.

The exhibition features five public art presentations across Mohkinstsis and Treaty 7, in spaces where the artwork can live and breathe on the land it was created. Through encounters with other people’s stories - some familiar, some new - these installations inspire empathy and care for those around us. The artists are in conversation with one another, sharing space and perspectives on what it means to be here, together.

Find the installations on Stephen Avenue, and outside , , and . Exhibiting artists include aina paguergan, Angeline Teoh Simon, Brendan McDonnell, Christina Yao, Danny Luong, Glenna Cardinal, Katie Wackett, Levin Ifko, Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung, Saeed Abdollahi, Sikapinakii Low Horn, and Winona Julian.

This exhibition was made possible through a Downtown In Motion Grant from the The City Of Calgary, with support from , , , and . Thanks to for documenting this project, and to the incredible team of volunteers who helped bring it to life.

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Calgary, AB

Website

http://www.exposurephotofestival.com/

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