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Mallorca, capital of photography with PhotoFest 2026
A biannual festival that brings photography to all of Mallorca and connects the island with contemporary European creation.
Between April 25 and August 30, 2026, Mallorca will become the capital of photography with the first edition of PhotoFest Mallorca (PHOF), a biannual festival promoted by Art Palma Contemporani. Inspired by the experience of PhotoPalma, PHOF places photography at the center of the island's artistic life, with the aim of reaching the entire territory and consolidating it as a first-rate art.
This inaugural edition is presented as "a letter of introduction", with very positive feelings thanks to the involvement of all the most relevant institutions of art in Mallorca. Among them, the Casal Solleric stands out, which will host an exhibition by Joan Fontcuberta, and Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum, a reference in the local artistic scene. The Cultural Center of La Misericòrdia also participates, which will host three exhibitions: the Mallorca Contemporary Photography Award, the Talent Illenc, dedicated to emerging creators, and an international exhibition in the chapel. The International Center of Photography Toni Catany will reinforce the photographic offer with complementary activities.
The project's promoter, Xavier Fiol, also founder of PhotoPalma, is working on this new stage with Xisco Bonnín, Montse Torras and Fran Reus, with the support of the Consell de Mallorca. Fiol recalls that PalmaPhoto's previous experiences brought nationally and internationally renowned artists to the island, exhibitions, photobooks and complementary activities. However, he stresses that those years were somewhat precarious and states: "photography is the poetry of the visual arts: wonderful, but not at all commercial".
Several town councils on the island, such as those of Calvià, Santanyí, Alaró, Marratxí and Pollença, contribute to decentralizing the festival, bringing photography to different parts of Mallorca. This institutional collaboration, which combines museums, cultural centers and local administrations, reinforces the PHOF as an ambitious and cohesive initiative, capable of positioning the island as a photographic reference at a national and international level.
PHOF seeks to reach a wide range of audiences and perspectives, adopting a transversal and transgenerational approach. To this end, it proposes activities such as Photostreet, Phototalks, Phototour and Photoworkshop, combining urban experiences, conferences, guided tours and practical workshops, with the aim of encouraging participation and learning at all levels.
In addition, the Mallorca PhotoFest aims to connect the island with the European photography network, strengthen the local artistic ecosystem and consolidate a Mediterranean node of contemporary creation. The festival is part of the set of projects that are driving Palma towards the European Capital of Culture 2031, reaffirming the city's commitment to an open, inclusive and transformative cultural model, and establishing links with other festivals, institutions and creative communities at an international level.
