FOTO Bali Festival 2026 wrapped up its second edition by reinforcing photography’s role as a vital artistic medium in the age of artificial intelligence while announcing the launch of the FOTO Bali Award, a new annual recognition program for Indonesian photographers and lens-based artists.
Held from June 3 to July 12 under the theme “Afterimage,” the festival showcased more than 500 photographic works by over 90 artists from 24 countries, attracting more than 25,000 visitors to Nuanu Creative City through exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, screenings, and public programs.
The festival’s conclusion marks another step in Nuanu’s long-term commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s contemporary photography scene by creating sustainable opportunities for artists beyond temporary exhibitions and festivals.
“FOTO Bali is great because it finds a way to further professional conversation while creating something exciting for the general public,” said Lev Kroll, CEO of Nuanu Creative City. “The biggest value is the exchange of ideas and projections of the future—and as lens-based artists are all about perspective, we are grateful for the new optics and perspective they bring for Nuanu.”
Photography as a platform for dialogue
Festival activities were spread across four venues within Nuanu Creative City—Labyrinth Art Gallery, Labyrinth Dome, Popper’s Triangle, and Block 42—bringing together photographers, curators, educators, students, publishers, collectors, and cultural practitioners from Indonesia and abroad.
Throughout its 40-day run, FOTO Bali Festival positioned photography as a platform for critical dialogue, artistic research, education, and cultural exchange.
This year’s edition also expanded collaborations with organizations including MTN Seni Budaya, ISI Bali, and Bali Motion Club, creating more opportunities for emerging visual artists while strengthening ties between local communities, educational institutions, and Indonesia’s photography ecosystem.
FOTO Bali Award supports long-term artistic practice
Coinciding with the festival’s closing, FOTO Bali Festival and the Nuanu Social Fund officially introduced the FOTO Bali Award, an annual recognition program designed to support outstanding Indonesian photographers and lens-based artists.
Unlike traditional project grants, the award recognizes an artist’s overall body of work instead of evaluating proposals for future projects. Applicants will be assessed based on the originality, quality, relevance, and long-term potential of their artistic practice without requiring production budgets or funding proposals.
“Festivals are temporary. Artistic practice isn’t,” said Kelsang Dolma, Festival Director of FOTO Bali Festival. “We created the FOTO Bali Award because we wanted our support for photography to extend beyond the duration of the festival itself. If the festival gives artists visibility, the award is our way of investing in what comes next.”
Two award categories
The inaugural FOTO Bali Award will recognize two recipients through equal categories:
- Artists whose work is rooted in Bali
- Artists whose work explores broader Indonesian realities beyond Bali
Each recipient will receive unrestricted financial support, allowing them to continue developing their artistic practice independently.
The inaugural jury panel includes I Made Bayu Pramana, photographer, researcher, and lecturer at ISI Bali; Ng Swanti, Program Director of the Jakarta International Photo Festival (JIPFest) and Managing Director of the PannaFoto Institute; and Dr. Wiyu Wahono, one of Indonesia’s leading contemporary art collectors.
Applications now open
Applications for the first FOTO Bali Award are now open to Indonesian photographers and lens-based artists aged 18 and above.
The initiative joins Nuanu’s growing portfolio of cultural programs—including FOTO Bali Festival, Art & Bali, Labyrinth Art Gallery, and year-round arts initiatives—reflecting its continued investment in Indonesia’s contemporary creative community.
