The Ballarat International Foto Biennale 2025 (BIFB 2025) is a Ballarat-wide celebration of photography that pulses with this year’s curatorial theme, “Lifeforce.” Running from 23 August to 19 October 2025, the eleventh edition turns Ballarat into an immersive, walkable gallery where ideas about vitality, connection and creative resilience come sharply into focus. For visitors planning a photography-themed weekend getaway from Melbourne this could be just the ticket.
In scope and scale, BIFB 2025 is one of the festivals to beat in regional Victoria: more than 360 artists are spread across 100+ indoor and outdoor venues, from historic buildings and laneways to cafes and civic spaces. The density of exhibitions means you’re never far from the next discovery - perfect for a slow travel itinerary and anyone searching “things to do in Ballarat this spring.”
Some of the venues are literally art on their own which makes viewing the photography that much more special.
Note that for the best experience you will have to pay for either a day or festival ticket and it's also probably best to purchase the program. Unfortunately this all adds to the cost but without visiting the paid exhibitions I don't know whether visiting the festival is worth your while if travelling from a significant distance away.
Fees range from $42 single day festival ticket, $62 for a season pass with children 0-15 age being free. The festival program will set you back $5.
Arguably one of the festival highlights is the Enninful x Mapplethorpe Exhibition with photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe. For lovers of black and white, a bit of fashion and celebrity this may well be your cup of tea.
For something with a bit more edge and a lot more contemporary then the "I Love Campbell" Exhibition with works by Campbell Addy at the beautiful Ballarat Mining Exchange could well be your highlight.
Of course you can still enjoy the festival without paying for festival tickets with many cafes and restaurants housing photographic works during the festival and certain laneways and alleyways also showcase exhibits and photography.
A personal favourite was the Catherine Leroy exhibition - "One-way ticket to Vietnam" which was particularly sobering given the current Hamas-Israel and Ukraine-Russia wars, the simmering Cambodia-Thailand conflict, the under-reported Sudan civil war and the short India-Pakistan military confrontation all occurring in 2025. Humanity just never learns.
If you love portraits or the human condition than make sure you check out the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize Exhibition. Not necessarily my favourite but most people do enjoy some people watching.
Whatever your photographic and art fancy there is sure to be something for you to enjoy.
If there was any complaint I would say that the festival runs too long and because of this the Ballarat International Foto Biennale 2025 doesn't seem to create a buzz or vibe that a shorter festival creates.
Virtual Photoshow - Ballarat International Foto Biennale 2025
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