Sharjah lines up ‘biggest and best’ Xposure

Galleries, awards, talks and workshops at week-long event starting next month

The Xposure International Photography Festival is returning for its seventh edition at Expo Centre Sharjah from February 9 to 15, with organisers saying “it’s set to be the biggest and best yet”.

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), the festival will feature 74 top photographers and 1,794 prints on display. There will also be 68 solo and group exhibitions; 41 talks; 63 workshops and focus groups; 50 portfolio reviews, a conservation summit, photo fair, equipment trade show, book signings, and an awards ceremony.

Filmmakers and industry experts at Xposure will be hosting a programme consisting of 41 sessions delivered by masters of the craft.

Honing skills

The festival will offer a range of 63 workshops designed for amateur, intermediate, and professional levels. These workshops provide attendees with the opportunity to learn from the best.

Focus on climate change

This year Xposure continues its tradition of supporting environmental awareness through its second year of the dedicated Conservation Summit. This year’s theme is ‘Climate Change’. Photographers and experts will discuss the role of photography in preserving and protecting the natural world and the observations that have been made that record the effect we have on the world around us.

Portfolio reviews

In addition to the immersive exhibitions and talks, Xposure will offer portfolio reviews for over 50 emerging photographers, directors of photography, and creators by Nine experienced instructors.

The festival will also host 12 focus groups, giving attendees the chance to delve deeper into specific genres and techniques and expand their understanding of the world around them.

Tariq Saeed Allay, SGMB’s director-general, said: “At Xposure we have an enduring belief in the power of photography. Over the years, Xposure has gained a formidable reputation as a global platform for photography and film experts.”