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Event History

Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) is an international platform that aims to promote the arts and the appreciation of photography arts, as well as critical thought and academic discourse on photography in SEA

The theme of the upcoming 7th edition of SIPF is Departing and Arriving, which addresses the sense of identity, belonging and journey in artistic creation. The theme connects to the heart of Singapore, a nation built up of migrants over the last two centuries. As a young nation we question, search, trace and grow into being ”Singaporean” – a nationality of diverse religion, beliefs, and languages. We reflect on questions such as: “Why do we trace? What have we found? What is our connection to our ancestral or cultural roots that have shifted over generations? What have we chosen to keep or discard to be who we are?”

From a global perspective, Departing and Arriving also points to ongoing human movement, of which there may be commonalities between the experiences and encounters of different societies around the world. The theme hopes to uncover stories from communities and individuals of the past and present, of both completed and ongoing works. Apart from personal narratives, it can also touch upon the characteristics of the artistic journey – where an idea or vision is expanded to a myriad of possibilities expressed through installation, videos, drawings and multimedia works. Ultimately, the theme is open to interpretation, and SIPF seeks diverse proposals from the international community to present in Singapore.

Unrestricted by any themes or subject, the International Portfolio Showcase is likened to a survey of the preoccupations of the practitioners, the works they choose to create, and the issues and subjects that can lend a new perspective to the world we are living in. All approaches and genres of photography are welcome, from documentary or staged to conceptual or abstract photography. The jury panel for the Open Call is formed by esteemed professionals in the field of photography, who have a keen interest in the works of photographers from diverse communities in the world. All submitted entries will be reviewed critically and earnestly by the jury. Selected works will be displayed prominently in art and public spaces across the city as part of SIPF.