I love the charm of photography festivals. They’re a wonderful way of diving deep into the minds of established and emerging artists, while simultaneously providing inspiration and education. So when I was invited to attend the opening day of The FORMAT International Photography Festival, it took me no time at all to confirm my attendance.

Introducing Conflicted

The FORMAT International Photography Festival is now open to the public. It runs from March 13th - March 30th at QUAD, Derby and until June 15th at various venues around the city. It features plenty of talented photographers, as they share their take on the festival's theme: “Conflicted”.

This year’s festival maintains the high bar set by previous iterations, and sticking to such standards involves a lot of work, time and energy.

Speaking with the festival’s curator, Jodi Kwok, she provided some insight into what the curation process had been like leading up to the opening day.

“This year, with a shorter turnaround period and a slightly smaller and restructured FORMAT team, the process has been both dynamic and demanding”, she explained. “I am pleased that everything has progressed smoothly, thanks to the dedication of the QUAD and FORMAT staff, as well as the invaluable support and flexibility of our partners and collaborators—including all of our freelance technicians and the local printing company—throughout the planning and installation period”.

Jodi Kwok (Photo by Orisunayo Akinnaran).

Agreeing on a theme for the festival requires lots of creative input and collaboration. I was curious to understand why the team settled on Conflicted as the theme for FORMAT25. Kwok told me, “…we’ve noticed that a significant number of projects submitted to the open call align with the concept of Conflicted”. She continued, “Given this, we’ve decided to center this year’s festival around the exploration of Conflicted, spanning from personal contradictions to broader societal issues”.

Although there’s a central theme, the FORMAT team has done a stellar job of presenting a diverse range of imagery, from artists all around the world. From the heartbreaking portrayal of war in Europe, to the powerful stories of domestic abuse victims, Kwok and her team were able to blend several parts of life where conflict may arise.

Exploring Derby

The exhibitions exist in six spots around the city. Think of it as a photographical treasure hunt, with each location displaying its own conceptual identity.

Take the work of Alicia Bruce, for example. Her project highlights the exclusivity of the Trump Golf clubs in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The FORMAT team strategically placed the work at Electric Daisy, an open community garden in the heart of Derby. Their contrast gave power to local communities that bring people together, and, for me, showed the sadness of clubs that strive to exclude others.

Although the festival is a global event, it still made space for the stories of Derby. Our first stop was at 13 Market Place, a slightly worn, bare bones space that enables artworks to give it a new lease of life.

Upon arrival I was greeted by FORMAT’s Festival Coordinator, Jenna Eady. She introduced me to the first installation - Dancing Through Time - a visual retrospective of Derby’s music culture dating back to the 1960s. Speaking to Eady and the project’s Coordinator, Ocean Farini it was clear this piece of work was more than just a trip down memory lane.

The instillation was an ode to Derby and its rich history of musical subculture. From photos to ticket stubs, Dancing Through Time places you in the vibrant music scene, either for the first time or as a nostalgic way of reliving the past.

On our next stop we were introduced to Thero Makepe, a young South African photographer who was showcasing his series, We Didn’t Choose to be Born Here. The work is somewhat autobiographical, as it explores Makepe’s relationship with his family history and his home country.

The term Conflicted was very personal in this series. Through his images I witnessed a young artist display internal conflict - conflicted with life choices, his relationships and the place he calls home. In my view, he was using photography as a means to soothe this conflict, trying to make things right in areas he felt had gone wrong.

The Selection Process

Continuing my conversation with Kwok, I wanted to know some of the challenges that come with selecting photographers to showcase in the festival. She explained…

“...while an artist's work may be of high quality, their project description may not fully align with the festival’s theme. In such cases, I assess whether the concept can be reframed to better align with the curatorial vision; however, if it doesn’t fit, I cannot move it to the final selection stage”.

“These decisions often lead to discussions within the team, as differing interests in projects, topics and artworks influence the selection process. I have a spreadsheet of artists whose work I find compelling, whether for immediate collaboration, further research, or potential future projects. In one instance, an artist submitted their work through an open call, and I had the opportunity to work with them two years later”.

Kwok and I then focused our attention on the crucial role of photography festivals, especially their influence on emerging photographers around the world.

“Photography festivals provide important exposure, networking and career opportunities for emerging photographers. They foster industry connections, stimulate innovation, promote knowledge exchange, and engage audiences, thereby strengthening the photography ecosystem and supporting artistic and professional growth”.

Polarizing Topics

After a bite to eat and a cup of tea, we were taken to the University of Derby. Amongst the array of energetic students were several photographic installations. Two in particular really stood out to me.

In a long, wide corridor were images of the conflict in Ukraine. OUR RIUKZAK, a collection of photographs and essays, highlights the hardships families - especially the children within them - have to endure when living within a conflict they never wanted. The work was commanding, it transported me out of my safe comfort bubble in the UK and positioned me amongst the pain, fear and despair felt by victims of war.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the University was a series by Linda Alterwitz. Injection Site: Making the Vaccine Visible shows the internal impact the vaccine has on different individuals. From neutral responses, to blood bursting veins the work highlights that not everyone's the same, and there’s a conversation we must have about a topic many of us are fearful of exploring.

The work certainly had an impact. While viewing the images, some of the other attendees and I began a respectful and open dialogue about the vaccine and its role within the global pandemic. Regardless of any conflicting stances, the power of photography was on full show, as Alterwitz's work generated meaningful conversation.

Supporting Development

While exploring the festival, it became clear it was about more than hanging work on the walls. FORMAT really wants to invest in developing photographers and offering them valuable education. Throughout the festival, photographers can access portfolio reviews, attend artist and curator talks, plus watch panel discussions from a range of experts working in the industry.

Marina Tsaregorodtseva. Portfolio review bursary recipient.

Kwok and I discussed the importance of having photography festivals outside of large creative hubs like London and Manchester. Her thoughts on the topic…“Photography festivals outside major creative hubs play a vital role in decentralizing and expanding opportunities and making photography more accessible for photography enthusiasts and grassroots photographers”.

She was also quick to point out the significance of the festival being in Derby, a city in the UK that has a population of around 260,000 people, and one that’s often overlooked when we consider the foundations of the photographic community.

“Derby has a strong photographic heritage, being home to Winter’s Studio—the longest-running photography business in Britain—and Constance Fox Talbot, considered by many to be the first woman to take a photograph, born and raised in Derbyshire. These deep-rooted connections and Derby's location make it an ideal location for a photography festival, offering vital support and visibility for Midlands-based photographers and creatives”.

“Utilizing non-traditional art spaces engages wider audiences beyond the local community, fostering a more inclusive creative network. Additionally, it strengthens both local and international photographic communities, bringing diverse perspectives to Derby and further enriching its cultural landscape, which is also beneficial for the local economy during the festival period, according to our previous evaluation and report”.

Award Winner

Arriving back at QUAD, the last stop of the festival tour, we were introduced to Sujata Setia. She’s the winner of the FORMAT25 Award after submitting her series A Thousand Cuts. Drawn in by the beautiful works of art that combine photography with hand-carved patterns, I wanted to learn about the motivation for the work.

A Thousand Cuts focuses on survivors of domestic abuse. Setia, a survivor of domestic abuse herself, told me “the process, although challenging, was very healing”. She describes the people in the portraits as participants, rather than subjects, as she “didn’t want to hold any power over them”.

The series goes beyond the installation. Setia, a clearly empathetic woman, wanted to ensure her participants received any support they needed to help them process the painful experiences they had - she was a worthy winner of the award.

“कितनी गिरह_” (How many more Knots_).jpg

“कै़द-ए-क़फ़स ” (Prisoner of the prison) .jpg

Signing Off

My last stop at the festival was on the first floor at QUAD. FORMAT gave the floor to photographers 25 years or younger, with some being as young as 10 years old. There was a range of fearless imagery on the walls, highlighting the experimental nature of young people who are encouraged to create as they please.

It was a beautiful ending to the festival, one that highlights the strong position of the photo world, the powerful stories we can tell and the bright future that awaits us.

This was my first time in Derby and the strategic positioning of the exhibition allowed me to learn about the creative minds within the city. It also helped me learn about the city itself, its compelling history and the strong position it should hold within the creative and photographic space.

You can learn more about FORMAT International Photography Festival and see what’s on by visiting the website.

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