Programme

From June 5 to September 22, eleven exhibitions will be on show at eight renowned museums and art institutions in the city as part of the 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026. Under the artistic direction of Mark Sealy, the international festival is dedicated to the significance of photography in our time and reveals that the medium can do more than just observe: photography connects, challenges and highlights social issues. Alliance, Infinity, Love – in the Face of the Other forms the thematic framework for all eleven exhibitions and invites visitors to experience photography as a space of responsibility, justice and humanity.

With Triennale Expanded, the 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026 is once again promoting the visibility of Hamburg's independent photography scene and connecting regional and international players. As part of a call for entries in the summer of 2025, Hamburg-based artists were invited to explore the theme Alliance, Infinity, Love – in the Face of the Other. A jury selected the projects to be funded, which will be presented during the Opening Days from June 4 to 14, 2026.

The International Symposium of the 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026 took place on November 7 and 8, 2025. The event provided a space for exchange and dialogical acts of generosity. It explored how photography and other cultural practices inspire actions guided by responsibility, love, recognition and justice. By linking philosophical, performative and critically reflective perspectives, the symposium shed light on the relationship between cultural freedom and ethical responsibility. This laid the theoretical foundation for the 9th Triennial.