Press release: Copenhagen Photo Festival will make the city buzz with world-class star photographers and unrivalled audience events
PRESSEMEDDELELSE
Copenhagen Photo Festival will make the city buzz with world-class star photographers and unrivalled audience events
With its most comprehensive event programme ever, the focus of this year’s Copenhagen Photo Festival is to encourage community and the physical experience of photography. From 11 to 21 June, visitors can enjoy talks with Danish film director Christina Rosendahl and the musician Luna Ersahin, develop their own visual language in masterclasses with star photographers such as Roger Ballen and Carolyn Drake, and take part in countless social events and gallery crawls, all aimed at enhancing the experience of photography in good company – at this year’s 30+ exhibition venues.
In keeping with this year’s theme, Scenarios, the festival is inviting visitors to explore new possibilities and realities through photography. In the festival centre at the Royal Theatre and in galleries and museums in the different neighbourhoods of the city – not to mention jaunts to Malmö, Humlebæk, Elsinore and Lyngby – this year’s programme features some major exhibition experiences, including work by Roger Ballen, Carolyn Drake, Helge Skodvin (the Royal Theatre), Søren Solkær (Øksnehallen, Kvægtorvet), Cyprien Gaillard (Simian), Katharina Sieverding (Gammel Strand), Sophie Calle (Louisiana), Christina Capetillo (Fotografisk Center) and many, many others.
This year’s festival represents a unique opportunity for visitors to experience photography in new ways and in the company of other people.
The festival kicks off on 11 June with a Grand Opening at the Royal Theatre.
“We live in an age, in which images have become our main language. We are constantly scrolling, swiping and sharing visual content. And our understanding of the world is hugely shaped by images. On social media and in the news. Naturally, this year’s festival looks at that phenomenon. What we wanted was to enhance the experiences that connect us and to create a sense of community around photography. We look forward to learning more about the strengths and pitfalls of imagery together with visitors to the festival and this year’s exhibitors, and to challenging ourselves and each other through this year’s impressive audience programme,” says Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen, the festival director.
“Photography is an immensely powerful medium which, through our phones and television, has become radically democratised. However, the collective spaces where we pause and reflect on the medium are rather limited. That is why it is crucial for Copenhagen, as both a capital city and a cultural hub, to host events such as Copenhagen Photo Festival, which not only shine a spotlight on the medium itself, but also bring it into the city and into a variety of contexts. I hope this will influence the way we all engage with the medium, the city, and our wider surroundings,” says the City of Copenhagen’s Mayor of Culture and Leisure, Christopher Røhl (RV).
Below is a rundown of this year’s programme.
Photos: © Jytte Rex | @ Søren Solkær
Naked men, Swedish torpedoes, family secrets and women’s lives
On the opening night, 11 June, visitors are invited to an opening speech featuring this year’s headliner, the award-winning artist and Magnum photographer Carolyn Drake. She explores and challenges the way in which we view each other: in photos of naked men in her series Men Untitled; and in the staging of herself as the ideal woman in Glorify Yourself.
Nor should you miss out on the festival’s ‘FREMKALDT’ talks, in which Christina Rosendahl and Liv Helm will discuss dealing with taboos, trauma and family secrets. Jytte Rex and Luna Ersahin will talk about women’s lives and what it means to depart from society’s expectations across generations. Mads Nissen and Morten Pape will talk about conveying stories from the ghettos and gangster environments they have both intensively dealt with in their photography and writing.
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/samtaler-talks
Masterclasses og portfolio feedback from respected figures from Denmark and abroad
This year you can take part in workshops led by the festival’s headliners and get feedback on your photography from experts from the Danish and Nordic photography scene. On 12 and 13 June, in nine different masterclasses, the festival’s headliners will provide exclusive insights into processes and practices. On 11 June, there is a unique opportunity to receive professional feedback on your photography from curators, gallerists, artists and photojournalists from the Danish world of art and photography.
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/portfolio-reviews
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/masterclasses
World-class photography at the Royal Danish Theatre
For the second year in a row, the historic Balcony Foyer of the Royal Danish Theatre will form the setting for the festival’s main exhibitions, featuring international photography and camera-based art in a league of their own. This year’s headliner, the artist and Magnum photographer Carolyn Drake has been given an entire floor for her comprehensive exhibition Turning the Gaze. This year’s four solo artists – Roger Ballen, Maja Daniels, Rhiannon Adam and Helge Skodvin – are presenting projects never seen before in Denmark, all tackling important current topics: for example, the most profound and secret imaginings of the psyche, witch hunts from the past, all-consuming trips to the moon and the biodiversity crisis. Audiences can also see a digital screening of this year’s CPF Selectees and the audience exhibition Imagine…?www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/featured-artists
Photos: © Carolyn Drake | @ Roger Ballen
New Nordic voices occupy Refshaleøen
On Refshaleøen, close to Copehagen Contemporary and the popular Reffen Streetfood, the spotlight is on young talent, experimental art and interdisciplinary exchange. Each year, the festival selects a number of young artists, each of whom in their own way reflect the direction in which photography is going:
Futures Nordic Talents 2026. This year’s selected talents – Liv Latricia Habel (DK), Mari Mäntynen (FI), Loulou Buxbom (DK), María Kristín Antonsdóttir (ISL) – explore and reflect on origin and identity in works that are both thought-provoking and humorous.
The programme VÆKST Creatives challenges and engages with the framework of photography. This year audiences can enjoy performance, dance, workshops and audiowalks with the six selected VÆKST Creatives: Alice Presence, Asta Oskarsdottír, Joachim Fleinert, Photofuss & Young Visual Art, Fredrik Fabó and Thomas Seest & Tora Balslev.
Meanwhile, the three Nordic photography schools – DMJX, Oslo Fotokunstskole and Fatamorgana – are presenting exhibitions featuring students’ work in the FRAME building and the exhibition park at Beddingen.
Admission is free to the entire VÆKST area.
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/vaekst-refshaleoen-26
Photos: @ Joachim Fleinert – VÆKST Creatives 2026 / © Mari Mäntynen FUTURES Nordic Talents 2026
Explore more than 30 galleries and exhibition venues
In addition to the festival area at the Royal Theatre and VÆKST on Refshaleøen, this year’s festival programme includes more than 30 galleries and exhibition venues in Copenhagen and Malmö – from Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, the Royal Danish Library and Malmö Konsthall to Det Grønlandske Hus, Fotografisk Center, Davis Gallery, Gammel Strand, the Museum of Copenhagen, to name but a few.
See the complete list of galleries and exhibition venues at the bottom of the press release and here: https://copenhagenphotofestival.com/cpf-x-venues-2026/
Attend creative workshops and exhibition openings and join Gallery Crawls
The festival features a myriad of experiences and exhibition openings where the audience can meet artists, industry professionals and new voices. They can also get involved and learn about photography in a number of creative workshops covering analog photography, collages or polaroid transfer processes. Or join this year’s Gallery Crawls and visit not only the neighbourhoods of Copenhagen, but also Moderna Museet Malmö, Galleri Format and Malmö Konsthall in Malmö. This year there are both walking and cycling tours.
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/workshops
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/social-events
www.copenhagenphotofestival.com/news-gallery-crawls-2026
Mads Nissen, Luna Ersahin og Morten Pape are part of the talk programme. @ Mishael Fabohunda | © Mads Nissen | @ Morten Pape
All partner venues this year:
AFTRYK · BANJA RATHNOV KUNSTHANDEL & GALLERI · BASEMENT · CHRISTIANSHAVNS BEBOERHUS · DARK GALLERY · DAVIS GALLERY · DET GRØNLANDSKE HUS · DET KONGELIGE BIBLIOTEK · EX NIHILO · FOTOGRAFISK CENTER · GALLERI FORMAT · GALLERI KREBSEN · GAMMEL STRAND · KBH FILM&FOTOSKOLE · KVÆGTORVET (ØKSNEHALLEN) · KØBENHAVNS MUSEUM · LOKALE KIOSK · LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART· M/S MUSEET FOR SØFART · MALMÖ KONSTHALL · MAXUS101 · MODERNA MUSEET MALMÖ · NIELS BOHR INSTITUTET · NORDATLANTENS BRYGGE · ODP3 | OVENPÅ · PROSPEKT · SIMIAN · SOPHIENHOLM · STRANDGADE 6 · WONDERLAND ART SPACE · VERA SKOLE FOR KUNST & DESIGN·
Get discount at Donkey Republic and Kamerahuset
A festival ticket not only includes admission to the exhibitions at the Royal Danish Theatre, but also gives you 20% discount when you rent a bike from Donkey Republic. If you book a ticket for a masterclass, you also get benefits at Kamerahuset, Denmark’s leading camera-equipment retailer.
Partnerships across art and culture
This year’s festival would not have been possible without the support of a huge range of partners and cultural actors from Denmark and abroad. They include: the City of Copenhagen, the Obel Family Foundation, Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond Augustinus Fonden, Futures, Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and Knud Højgaards Fond.
About Copenhagen Photo Festival
Copenhagen Photo Festival takes place in Copenhagen from 11-21 June 2026.
Under the theme Scenarios, Copenhagen Photo Festival explores our ability to create worlds and new realities through images and storytelling, and how our imagination and empathy are challenged in an image-driven age where fiction and fact intertwine more than ever before – and where dystopia and utopia often go hand in hand.
Tickets for the festival and individual events can be purchased via the website.
More information and full programme: www.copenhagenphotofestival.com
Contact information
Press contact
Christina Holm Hansen
christina@gatheragency.dk
+45 2932 9867
Head of Communication
Christine Almlund
christine@copenhagenphotofestival.com
Press photos: Artist Highlights 🔗
Header: © Christina Rosendahl
Fotomarked | Photo Market 13.-14. juni
Fotomarked på Det Kgl. Teater
Vær med lørdag den 13. og søndag den 14. juni, når Copenhagen Photo Festival åbner dørene til årets Fotomarked i den historiske Balkonfoyer i Det Kongelige Teater og samler passionerede danske og internationale fotobogaktører og kunstnere, der udstiller bøger og tryk.
Festivalgæster er inviteret til at udforske et kurateret udvalg af moderne fotobøger og tryk, mens de møder uafhængige forlag, kunstnere, boghandlere og forhandlere af vintage fotobøger, der præsenterer bøger og værker og deler indsigt i deres processer og perspektiver.
I løbet af weekenden ledsager et offentligt program med foredrag, kunstnerpræsentationer og boglanceringer markedet, der giver yderligere kontekst og åbner op for samtaler om fotografi og udgivelse i dag. Blandt talerne vil være kunstnere, der præsenteres på teatret og på vores partnersteder i hele regionen. Programmet annonceres den 21. maj.
Markedet er åbent fra kl. 12 til 18 både lørdag og søndag. Under dit besøg kan du selvfølgelig også udforske festivalens hovedudstillinger med Carolyn Drake, Roger Ballen, Maja Daniels, Helge Skodvin, Rhiannon Adam og vores CPF-udvalgte. Udstillingerne er åbne fra kl. 11 til 20.
Markedet, foredragene og udstillingerne er åbne for alle med entrébillet.
Photo Market at the Royal Theatre
Join us in the historic Balcony Foyer of the Royal Danish Theatre Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June, when Copenhagen Photo Festival opens the doors to this year’s Photo Market, bringing together Danish and international publishers and artists showcasing books and prints.
Festival guests are invited to explore a curated selection of contemporary photo books and prints, while meeting independent publishers, artists, book sellers and vintage photo book dealers who present books and works and share insights into their processes and perspectives.
Throughout the weekend, a public programme of talks, artist presentations, and book launches accompanies the market, offering further context and opening up conversations around photography and publishing today. Among the speakers will be artists featured at the Theater and at our partner venues across the region. The programme is announced 21 May.
The market is open from 12 to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday. During your visit you can of course also explore the main festival exhibitions with Carolyn Drake, Roger Ballen, Maja Daniels, Helge Skodvin, Rhiannon Adam and our CPF Selectees. The exhibitions are open from 11 am to 8 pm.
The market, talks and exhibitions are open for anyone with an entry ticket.
UDSTILLERE | EXHIBITORS
BOOK & MUSIC · COSTA INSTITUTE · FRAGMENT · FRYDENLUND · HARRIET · K.E BOOKS · KFAK · NOOSCOPE · NULL & VOID BOOKS · NW GALLERY · OLE C BOOKS · SALIH BASHEER · TAMAKA · ZONE
Photo credits: © Teresa Halbreiter, © Irene Stewart
CPF X: Oplev fotoudstillinger i hele byen | Experience photography exhibitions across the city
CPF X Partners 2026: Explore Photography Across Copenhagen
Discover the richness of the Nordic photography scene through more than 30 participating galleries and exhibition spaces, showcasing a wide range of artistic voices and contemporary perspectives.
Copenhagen Photo Festival is proud to present this year’s diverse and dynamic CPF X Partner Programme. Bringing together galleries, artist-run spaces, and museums across Copenhagen, Malmö, and the greater Copenhagen area. The programme celebrates photography in all its forms and creates a vibrant network of exhibitions and events throughout the region. Across all venues, visitors can explore a rich mix of exhibitions, talks, workshops, and social events during the festival days.
This Year’s CPF X Partner Venues
AFTRYK · BANJA RATHNOV KUNSTHANDEL OG GALLERI · BASEMENT · CHRISTIANSHAVNS BEBOERHUS · DARK GALLERY · DAVIS GALLERY · DET GRØNLANDSKE HUS · DEN SORTE DIAMANT · EX NIHILO · FOTOGRAFISK CENTER · GALLERI FORMAT · GALLERI KREBSEN · KUNSTFORENINGEN GL. STRAND · KVÆGTORVET · KØBENHAVNS MUSEUM · LOKALE · LOUISIANA · M/S MUSEET FOR SØFART · MALMÖ KONSTHALL · MAXUS101 · MODERNA MUSEET MALMÖ · NIELS BOHR INSTITUTET · NORDATLANTENS BRYGGE · ODP3 I OVENPÅ · PROSPEKT · SIMIAN · SOPHIENHOLM KUSTHAL · STRANDGADE 6 · WONDERLAND ART SPACE · VERA SKOLE FOR KUNST OG DESIGN
CPF X Gallery Crawls
To make the most of it, we invite you to join one of our Gallery Crawls – guided tours designed to explore multiple partner exhibitions in a single experience.
Led by a CPF guide, each crawl offers deeper insight into the artists, themes, and spaces that shape this year’s programme. It’s a unique opportunity to discover the diversity of CPF X Partner venues while moving through the city together by bike or on foot.
This year, we’re expanding the format with a range of curated routes across different neighborhoods in Copenhagen as well as Malmö. Each crawl has its own character, guiding you through a unique combination of exhibitions, spaces, and artistic voices.
GRAND OPENING 2026 – MARK THE DATE!
Mark the date for a grand celebration: Grand Opening 11 June!
The official opening of this year’s Copenhagen Photo Festival at the Royal Theatre is just one month away and we cannot wait to see you for the official opening event at The Royal Danish Theatre 11 June!
From 11–21 June, CPF connects all photography lovers in Copenhagen and renowned artists world-wide for its 17th edition.
We cannot wait to celebrate the opening of the festival with spectacular exhibitions at the theatre by highlight, Magnum photographer and artist Carolyn Drake, world renowned Southafrican photographer Roger Ballen, Norwegian documentarist Helge Skodvin, Swedish photographer and artist Maja Daniels and Irish-British artists and photographer Rhiannon Adam at the Royal Danish Theatre.
This year’s theme, Forestillinger | Scenarios, invites us to imagine new worlds, challenge perspectives, and explore the powerful role images play in shaping how we see ourselves and each other. The festival once again takes place at The Royal Danish Theatre and across the city, with exhibitions and events spread throughout Copenhagen.
With more than 50 exhibitions and countless events across the city of Copenhagen stretching out to Malmö, Humlebæk, Elsinore and Lyngby thanks to our 30+ partner venues the festival offers something for photography connoisseurs, enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Discover must-see exhibitions, plan your festival visit, and make sure you don’t miss the events that speak to you most. This festival is all about exploring, sharing and celebrating photography together.
The exhibition and event programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops, gallery crawls, masterclasses and more is ready for you, so be sure to book your tickets soon!
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Oplev festivalen i selskab med Donkey Republic
Oplev festivalen på cykel med Donkey Republic
ENGLISH TEXT BELOW
Copenhagen Photo Festival er glade for at kunne annoncere et partnerskab med Donkey Republic under årets festival, der vil gøre det nemmere for festivalgæsterne at bevæge sig mellem udstillinger, events og oplevelser i hele København. Alle med en festivalbillet får 20% rabat i hele perioden. Samarbejdet introducerer også en ny serie af Gallery Crawls på cykel som en del af festivalprogrammet.
“Vi er begejstrede for at annoncere, at Donkey Republic slår sig sammen med Copenhagen Photo Festival. Hos Donkey Republic tror vi på, at bykultur og byliv bedst opleves på to hjul. Ved at samarbejde med festivalen fejrer fælleskabet mellem kunsten, bevægelsen og Københavns pulserende liv,” siger Amalie Gottschalk Hallgren, kommerciel chef hos Donkey Republic.
Alle festivalbilletindehavere får 20% rabat på cykeludlejning i hele festivalperioden. Koden er inkluderet i din billet og kan bruges direkte i Donkey Republic-appen, hvilket gør det nemt at komme rundt og opleve mere af programmet på samme dag.
Fra udstillingssted til udstillingssted – fleksibelt og bæredygtigt
Med udstillinger spredt over hele København bliver transport en integreret del af oplevelsen – og København er som bekendt fantastisk at opleve på cykel. Donkey Republic tilbyder en fleksibel og tilgængelig måde at komme rundt til festivalens mange oplevelser, til dig der ikke lige har en cykel i byen – og så du nemmere kan opleve mere fotografi.
Festivalen har igen i år base på Det Kongelige Teater på Kongens Nytorv samt på VÆKST på Refshaleøen. Derudover kan publikum opleve fotografi på 25 andre steder i København samt 6 steder i Malmö, Helsingør, Humlebæk og Lyngby. Så der er mange steder at gå på opdagelse i årets program. Og cykling er en hel naturlig og effektiv måde at komme rundt og opleve gallerier og udstillingssteder i byens forskellige kvarterer.
I år præsenterer Copenhagen Photo Festival derfor også tre kuraterede Gallery Crawls på cykel, hvor deltagerne guides mellem udstillinger i forskellige dele af København. Donkey Republic-samarbejdet understøtter dette format direkte og gør det nemt at deltage uden at skulle have sin egen cykel.
Partnerskabet afspejler en fælles ambition om at gøre kulturelle oplevelser mere tilgængelige og samtidig støtte en mere bæredygtig måde at udforske byen på.
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Praktisk information
· 20% rabat på cykeludlejning fra Donkey Republic
· Gyldig i hele festivalperioden
· Rabatkode medfølger din festivalbillet
· Cykler låses op og administreres via Donkey Republic-appen
Experience the festival by bike with Donkey Republic
Copenhagen Photo Festival is pleased to announce a partnership with Donkey Republic for this year’s festival, making it easier for festival guests to move between exhibitions, events, and venues across the city. The collaboration means that all festival visitors with a ticket get 20% discount on a bike. The collaboration also introduces a new series of Gallery Crawls by bike as part of the festival programme.
“We are thrilled to announce that Donkey Republic is joining forces with the Copenhagen Photo Festival. At Donkey Republic, we believe that urban culture and city life are best experienced on two wheels. By partnering with the festival, we’re celebrating the intersection of art, movement, and the vibrant pulse of Copenhagen,” says Amalie Gottschalk Hallgren, Head of Commercial at Donkey Republic.
All festival ticket holders receive a 20% discount on bike rentals throughout the festival period. The code is included with your ticket and can be used directly in the Donkey Republic app, making it simple to get around and experience more of the programme.
From venue to venue – flexibly and sustainably
With exhibitions spread across Copenhagen, transport becomes part of the experience. Donkey Republic offers a flexible and accessible way to navigate the festival, whether you are visiting the city or simply want a smoother way to move between venues. It removes practical barriers and makes it easier to see more in a single day.
The partnership aligns closely with how the festival unfolds across the city, where multiple venues and parallel events invite audiences to explore beyond a single location. Cycling becomes a natural and efficient way to connect these experiences while staying close to the rhythm of the city.
This year, Copenhagen Photo Festival also presents three curated Gallery Crawls by bike, where participants are guided between a selection of exhibitions across Copenhagen. The Donkey Republic collaboration supports this format directly, making it easy to join without needing your own bike.
The partnership reflects a shared ambition to make cultural experiences more accessible while supporting a more sustainable way of exploring the city.
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Practical information
· 20% discount on Donkey Republic bike rentals
· Valid throughout the festival period
· Discount code provided with your festival ticket
· Bikes are unlocked and managed via the Donkey Republic app
Gallery Crawls: Explore the exhibitions
Gallery Crawls: Explore exhibitions across the Copenhagen and Malmö
Do you want to explore multiple photo exhibitions across Copenhagen during the festival? This year we have upgraded our Gallery Crawl programme and offer seven different tours spanning all the districts of Copenhagen as well as three exhibitions in Malmö
To spread the festival atmosphere around the City, we collaborate with museums, galleries and exhibition venues around Copenhagen. This year, more than 30 venues are part of the CPF X Partner Programme, spanning from smaller galleries and exhibition spaces to established museums and we are also proud to extend our collaboration to three partners in Malmö.
What is a Gallery Crawl?
At our gallery crawls you get the opportunity to visit some of the many photography exhibitions in the city withins a couple of hours. Together with a guide from CPF we explore 3-6 photo exhibitions at museums, galleries and small exhibition venues.
We will get around on food or cycle between the venues. Through our collaboration with Donkey Republic, you can rent a bike at a 20% discounted rate using a special code provided with your ticket.
Dive into the Gallery Crawl Programme and find the one that interests you the most. The tours have limited availability, so don’t hesitate to book your spot!
FULL PROGRAM AVAILABLE 1 MAY 2026
Photo credits: © Aijing Ji, © Mia Richelieu, © Balassa Dorottya, © Mauro Benitez, © Loukia Maritsa
FUTURES Nordic Talents of 2026
Get to know the FUTURES Nordic Talents of 2026
Copenhagen Photo Festival is excited to introduce this year’s FUTURES Nordic Talents. Four young artists with distinct and unique approaches to photography. Their work spans across fine art and documentary photography, representing a new generation within the Nordic region.
Every year through our open call the festival’s programme committee selects young artists, who reflect the diversity of photography in their own personal way. As part of the FUTURES Photography platform, these artists will gain access to professional development opportunities, networking, and mentorship within an international photography community. Their project will be exhibited as part of this year’s festival at our venue in Rafshaleøen.
This year’s Talents
For 2026, the CPF programme committee has selected four artists, two from Denmark, one from Finland, and one from Iceland, for their strong and individual works.
Photos: © Liv Latricia Habel
Liv Latricia Habel (DK) – Belonging
In 2017, Liv Latricia Habel met her family in Philadelphia, USA, for the first time. By combining archival family photographs from her African American heritage with still and moving images from her life in Denmark and Germany, she explores the gap between her sense of self and her cultural and biological roots.
Read more
Mari Mäntynen (FI) – Stranger
By participating in her own images with strangers on a first encounter with them, Mäntynen urges us to question the unspoken rules and preconceptions around meeting people, and the effects these have on our interactions with one another. The images are a collaboration between artist and subject, inviting conversations with her subjects and her viewers on how we can challenge social norms and alter our reality.
Read more
Photos: © Mari Mäntynen
Photos: © Loulou Buxbom
Loulou Buxbom (DK) – Too stupid to die on a Wednesday
An ongoing, intimate portrait of Buxbom’s mother and her three siblings in Denmark and Cuba, exploring their differences in adult life and the inherited characteristics and generational influences which unite them. Her investigation takes form in two honest, raw documentary films depicting family dynamics and personal insights into the daily struggles of her relatives, with a third installment in the works.
Read more
María Kristín Antonsdóttir (ISL) – Family Album
Through collaging and manipulating family photographs and home videos, Antonsdóttir explores themes of attachment and origins. Family Album is a deeply personal, process-driven project that looks at how images shape our understanding of who we are and where we come from. Through this process, she both holds on to and challenges these narratives, revealing how we actively construct and reshape our own realities. Read more
Photos: © María Kristín Antonsdóttir
Congratulations to this year’s FUTURES Nordic Talents!
We’re excited to present their work at Copenhagen Photo Festival 2026 and to follow their future paths.
Header photos: © María Kristín Antonsdóttir
Star-studded Exhibition Programme for Copenhagen Photo Festival: International Stars and Strong Nordic Voices
PRESS RELEASE
Star-studded Exhibition Programme for Copenhagen Photo Festival: International Stars and Strong Nordic Voices
Copenhagen Photo Festival will feature the acclaimed Magnum photographer and artist Carolyn Drake and the world-renowned photographer Roger Ballen, alongside other leading international names and powerful Nordic voices. The festival opens 11 June 2026 at the Royal Danish Theatre.
This year’s theme is Forestillinger/Scenarios. Copenhagen Photo Festival explores how we use images and narratives to create worlds and new realities, and how today our imaginative power and empathy are at risk in a world that bombards us with images. Where fiction and facts merge like never before. And where dystopia and utopia are often inseparable.
The festival will transform the beautiful, historical Royal Danish Theatre into a vibrant photography hub with a vibrant programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops and a photo market.
Naked men and masked women invert stereotypes
This year’s international headliner is Carolyn Drake, whose work is being presented for the very first time in the Nordic region in a comprehensive solo show. Drake’s photos of naked men and masked women, and her performative self-portraits upend established notions of gender and identity. They are all infused with a generous dose of humour, empathy and anger. Visitors can look forward to a startling universe that questions prevailing conceptions of gender, photography and genres.
Four other stars selected from 1,019 Open Call applicants
In addition to Carolyn Drake, the festival will feature four international stars, who were selected as solo artists from 1,019 applicants in the festival’s 2026 Open Call: Helge Skodvin (NO), Maja Daniels (SE), Rhiannon Adam (US) and Roger Ballen (SA).Over the past four decades the latter has developed a unique, internationally acclaimed black-and-white universe. In his most recent project Spirits and Spaces which will be exhibited in Copenhagen, he has opted to use colours for the very first time, adding new dimensions to his world famous oeuvre.
Each of the four photographers will have their own solo show in the Royal Theatre’s foyer. “Visitors will be joining Rhiannon Adams on her life-changing trip to the moon. Maja Daniels will transport the audience back in time to the age of witch hunts in the forests of Sweden. Helge Skodvin will take them on a safari through Norwegian suburbs in search of endangered animals. The work of Roger Ballen will confront them with a psychological tour de force and a glimpse of the human subconscious,” says Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen, Festival Director.
Fotos: Spirits and Spaces © Roger Ballen
Digital programme with topical agendas and clear visual storytelling
In the foyer, the festival will also present digital exhibitions of work by six selected artists. As well as tapping into current agendas, all six share a clear connection to this year’s theme and a striking visual storytelling power that expands our notion of what photography can be today. Their works feature such topics as collective and personal memory, political structures, technological future scenarios and alternative realities.
An invitation to reflect on the stories we share
According to the Festival Director, what distinguishes the ten selected projects is their dramatic, highly inventive approach, their innovative practice and the consistency of their visual narratives.
“Through art and documentary photography, performance, archive material and staged pictorial stories, they invite visitors to reflect on the power and importance of ideas and imagination – and the scenarios we create for ourselves and each other,” says Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
Photo exhibitions and events in a historic setting
All the exhibitions will be presented in the magnificent, historic foyer of the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen from 11 to 17 June 2026. Every day, in addition to visiting the atmospheric space of this historic theatre – which usually requires a ticket for a performance – guests can attend a variety of events; from the opening event on 11 June to talks, portfolio reviews, workshops and various guided tours to photography museums and exhibition venues in Copenhagen.
The festival programme is being continuously updated, and the festival expects tit to be finalised 1 May. Ticket sales for admission to the festival centre at the Old Stage are already open. Other tickets for workshops, talks etc. will be released on an ongoing basis from mid March.
About Carolyn Drake
Copenhagen Photo Festival is presenting the first-ever solo exhibition in the Nordic region of work by the award-winning artist Carolyn Drake.
Drake is a Guggenheim Fellow and Magnum photographer. Her impressive list of credits includes a comprehensive solo show at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation in Paris.
The exhibition at Copenhagen Photo Festival features works from Drake’s most recent, award-winning projects – Knit Club (2012–2020), Men Untitled (2020–2023) and Glorify Yourself (2020–2023) – which strikingly and humorously tackle society’s prevailing identity norms, expanding our understanding of each other and of ourselves.
She is represented by the Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York.
Read more here: Highlight 2026: Carolyn Drake 🔗
Foto: Dias Eternos © Ana María Arévalo Gosen
Artists selected for solo exhibitions in 2026:
Helge Skodvin (NO) – read more
Maja Daniels (SE) – read more
Rhiannon Adam (IE/US) – read more
Roger Ballen (SA) – read more
CPF Selectees 2026 selected for digital exhibition in the foyer:
Adam Rouhana (PL/US) – read more
Ana María Arévelo Gosen (VE/ES) – read more
Antone Dolezal & Lara Shipley (US) – read more
Cassandra Klos (US) – read more
Mohamed Hassan (EG/GB) – read more
Sasha Velichko (BY/PL) – read more
Read more here 🔗
Fotos: Rhi-Entry © Rhiannon Adams
Contact
Press contact
Christina Holm Hansen
christina@gatheragency.dk
+45 2932 9867
Head of Communications
Christine Almlund
christine@copenhagenphotofestival.com
Fotos: Man Untitled © Carolyn Drake
Highlight 2026: Carolyn Drake
Highlight Announcement 2026: Carolyn Drake
It is with great excitement that Copenhagen Photo Festival announces acclaimed American artist and Magnum photographer Carolyn Drake as the exhibition highlight at the Royal Danish Theater in the centre of Copenhagen from 11 to 17 June 2026. It will be the first time that a Nordic audience can experience the award-winning artist with an extensive solo exhibition.
Older men lay nude on sofas posed like the sex workers photographed by EJ Bellocq, women in a rural Mississippi town disguise themselves mischievously behind flower arrangements and death masks, the artist herself is seen enacting absurd interpretations of a beauty and charm guide for women in the 1940’s. The photographic work of artist Carolyn Drake playfully brings forward important discussions around gender, culture, and identity, bringing new color to the grey zone between documentary and conceptual photography. Her work is ignited by wonder with tints of anger and empathy.
Playing with gender rules and identity standards
Carolyn Drake endeavors to understand the inner workings and ‘rules’ of gender and cultural identity, enriches us with new perspectives on these deeply embedded patterns, and leaves us speculating about their influence on culture and identity. The result is often surprising, intriguing and with stints of humorous self-reflection.
The work of Carolyn Drake perfectly intersect with this year’s theme ‘Forestillinger | Scenarios’. With images that twist and spin preconceived notions about gender in our society and culture on the head – from the historical concepts of femininity in the 1940s to confronting us with reframings of male nudity – she evokes a new sense of sensitivity to established cultural frameworks. We look forward to presenting Drake’s performative works with The Royal Danish Theatre’s foyer as the perfect playful backdrop. – CPF Managing Director Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
The exhibition at the Royal Danish Theatre in June will feature works from Drake’s most recent and prize winning oeuvre based on collaborative practices and self portraiture, specifically her projects Knit Club (2012-2020), Men Untitled (2020-2023) and Glorify Yourself (2020-2023).
Subverting power dynamics through collaboration and role reversals
In her early career, Drake often worked with communities and people on the margins of power, including Uyghurs in western China and young women sequestered in an ex-Soviet orphanage. Over time, her photographic projects have paid increasing attention to the power dynamics inherent in human relationships, including those formed through documentary practices. She draws attention to and tries to subvert these dynamics through collaboration, performance, role reversals, and creative play.
Award winning Magnum photographer
Carolyn Drake has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work. Since 2019 she has been part of the renowned photographic community, Magnum Photos. She is a Guggenheim Fellow, was awarded with a Fulbright Fellowship in connection with her work in Ukraine and winner of The Lange Taylor Prize. She had major solo exhibitions at the Henri Cartier Bresson Foundation in Paris, SFMOMA in San Francisco and at Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York, who also represents her. ‘Knit Club’ was Paris Photo Aperture Book of the Year finalist in 2020. She has a degree in media culture and history from Brown University.
Knit Club (2012-2020)
Knit Club’ is a collaborative project that imaginatively explores the lives of a group of women living in Mississippi who are united by manual work, motherhood, and friendship. The project portrays a lively yet not fully knowable community that manages to exist beyond the gaze or control of men.
Glorify Yourself (2020-)
With this project Drake looks at her own relationship to misogyny. By using a beauty and charm guide that proliferated widely in the US during the 1940s and 50s, she interferes with gender-codes by employing humor, conflating past and present, and distorting scale.
Men Untitled (2020-2023)
In this project Drake places men in front of the camera, vulnerable and naked. She faces the strangely ‘dangerous’ act of looking at men, observing how the male body is not a subject that dominant western culture has encouraged its audiences to scrutinize the way it does women’s bodies.
Header photo: Knit Club, 2012-2020 © Carolyn Drake
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Announcement: Solo Artists and Selectees 2026
Copenhagen Photo Festival is thrilled to announce the 10 artists carefully selected from 1019 applications to be presented with a solo or digital exhibition at Copenhagen Photo Festival 2026. In the evaluation process, the quality of the applications has this time been exceptionally high, making the jury process more challenging than usual, director of the festival, Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen says.
In the selection process finding next year's headliners the programme committee has keenly focused on consistency in the connection between concept and content of the individual projects, diversity in approach as well as coherence with the theme, ‘Forestillinger | Scenarios’ and how the projects engage and interact with the curatorial context.
"The final 10 selected projects stand out for their eyeopening, thought provoking and innovative approaches, fresh perspectives, and consistent visual storytelling – enriching the next year’s festival and the theme with new and diverse perspectives," Maja Dyrehauge points out.
Forestillinger / Scenarios doming to life
The 2026 lineup of headliners selected through the open call this summer all engage with the theme Forestillinger / Scenarios in profound ways. They invite you to reflect on imagination, narrative, and the ways we stage reality. They explore how scenarios — imagined, real, or somewhere in between — shape our perception, emotions, and understanding of the world (read more about the theme).
The selected projects explore a mix of themes — from personal and collective memory, identity, to society, technology, and imagined futures. While many artists work with classic photographic approaches, others experiment with AI, archival imagery, staged scenes and speculative storytelling.
Together, these projects unfold across time, space, and experience and bring new Scenarios to life. They ask us to engage with our complex world, question predefined assumptions, and imagine new futures and pasts.
We want to congratulate the 10 selected photographers for being featured at
Copenhagen Photo Festival 2026
CPF Solo Artists 2026
Helge Skodvin · Maja Daniels · Rhiannon Adam · Roger Ballen
The four solo artists will be headlining the festival and presented with a solo exhibition
at The Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen
CPF Selectees 2026
Adam Rouhana · Ana María Arévelo Gosen · Antone Dolezal & Lara Shipley · Cassandra Klos ·
Mohamed Hassan · Sasha Velichko
The six CPF Selectees will be presented with a digital exhibition
at The Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen
All 10 exhibitions will be presented at
the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen
from
11–17 June 2026
Read the programme committee’s full selection statements here.
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For more information or images for printed or digital media, please contact:
Christine Almlund | Head of communications | press @ copenhagenphotofestival.com
Photos credit: courtesy of the artists; for Roger Ballen - Marguerite Rossouw