The inaugural Cape Town Photography Festival, taking place from 3 to 27 September, explores the multifaceted theme of HERITAGE through photography, showcasing local, national, and international visual narratives.
Inspired by South Africa’s Heritage Month, the festival promises to be a vibrant new addition to the city’s cultural calendar.
Festival Director Heidi Erdmann explains: “Heritage is a powerful thread connecting past, present, and future. It fosters belonging, grounds us in time and place, and shapes our identity. Photography, as visual memory, is the perfect medium to capture and share these stories.”
The programme ranges from landmark exhibitions and AI-driven projects to rediscovered archives, student showcases, and children’s initiatives. Highlights include:
● Naoya Yoshikawa and Suok-Won Yoon, the festival’s co-curators, will each present solo exhibitions of their own work.
● Yoon curated the Future Heritage exhibition, inviting Boris Eldagsen (Berlin), a global leader in the use of AI in photography, to participate. The exhibition also features work by Mohau Modisakeng (South Africa), Ahn Jun (South Korea), and Goo Gijeong (South Korea), with a not-to-be-missed discussion forming part of the festival programme.
● Yoshikawa curated a student photography exhibition from Japan, which will be presented in dialogue with work by students from the University of Stellenbosch as well as the Cape Town University of Technology.
● Karen Pang and Meha Desai of Mauritius will curate an exhibition that powerfully reflects the island’s complex heritage.
● Critical conversations on Cape Town’s past and memory will be sparked by District Six: People Lived Here by Jansje Wissema at the Cape Institute for Architecture in Hout Street. A few prints from the Van Kalker Photo Studio Collection (1939 – 1978) will be included in this exhibition.
● The historically important exhibition on loan from the remarkable Kilbourn Collection will be on view at the Sanlam Art Gallery. (Please see notes to the editor.)
● Music writer Carsten Rasch curated an exciting music photography exhibition with a vibrant programme of events.
● A conversation with Banthatile Rwasoka led to a collaboration with Senzeni, while a separate exchange about Margaret Courtney-Clarke from Namibia quickly evolved into a confirmed project.
● The children’s exhibition, Through Kids’ Eyes, brings together both rural and urban perspectives.
The festival will present a dynamic programme of exhibitions, talks, and workshops, designed to engage diverse audiences and foster meaningful connections, especially with younger generations through educational workshops. Full Programme HERE
Erdmann adds that photography has undergone a significant transformation since the last festival in 2014. “The number and diversity of practitioners have grown, and audiences are more curious and receptive to the medium. Cape Town itself has matured into a vibrant, cosmopolitan centre for art and culture. This growth, in both the city and the medium, makes now the perfect time to relaunch the festival.”
The festival will capture the full spectrum of the photographic ecosystem, spotlighting not only image-makers but also the thinkers, facilitators, and institutions shaping the field. Erdmann adds: “We live in a world saturated with images, where everyone is a photographer. In a festival context, photography reclaims its power as a storytelling medium. Our programme shows just how elastic the medium is – from hard-hitting documentary and narrative-rich constructed images to work shaped by AI. It’s a visual language that continues to adapt to the way we live now,” says Erdmann.
South Africa has a long and rich relationship with photography. From the powerful struggle images that documented the liberation movement to today, where the medium remains deeply tied to questions of identity, memory, and justice.
Erdmann continues: “This festival is about widening the lens. Photography can be poetic, political, and personal; sometimes all at once. From hard-hitting documentary to playful AI experiments, we want to create a space where multiple voices and visions can meet and be seen.”
Beyond its cultural value, the festival also promises a meaningful economic impact for Cape Town. “Cultural tourism is a powerful driver of growth. Festivals bring visitors, fill restaurants and hotels, and create seasonal jobs. By positioning Cape Town as a global hub for photography, we’re not just investing in culture – we’re investing in the city’s future,” Erdmann concludes. [see Welcome to Cape Town’s Colourful Culture]
The Cape Town Photography Festival is set to draw audiences from across South Africa and the globe, further cementing the city’s reputation as a place where art, heritage, and innovation converge.
WHAT: Cape Town Photography Festival – Full Programme HERE
WHERE: Participating galleries including Sanlam Gallery, THK Gallery, Iziko SA National Gallery,
WHEN: All participating galleries will be open on the night of First Thursday 4 September 2025
INFO: Full Programme HERE | E Heidi Erdmann Rasch rasch.heidierdmann@gmail.com | Instagram | See also NEW! Cape Town Photography Festival 1 – 30 September 2025 |
Another reason Cape Town is placed 3rd in Time Out’s World’s Best Cities for Culture!
