The Cape Town Photography Festival, taking place from 1 to 30 September 2025, is a celebration of heritage coinciding with South Africa’s Heritage Month.
The festival’s inaugural edition will explore the multifaceted concept of heritage through photography, offering a platform to engage with visual narratives from local, national, and international perspectives.
Heritage is a powerful connection between past, present, and future. It fosters a sense of belonging, grounding individuals in their place and time while helping us understand where we come from and who we are. The festival will use photography as a tool to convey these vital stories, making it a pivotal event for both the art world and communities globally.
The festival includes a dynamic programme of EXHIBITIONS, TALKS, DEMONSTRATIONS, WORKSHOPS, and PORTFOLIO REVIEWS. It aims to present an overview of how heritage is understood globally, with a particular focus on the role of photography in capturing and communicating these diverse histories and experiences.
CONFIRMED EXHIBITIONS
1. The Black and White Fifties. Jurgen Schadeberg, Sanlam Gallery, Bellville.
2. Van Kalker Photo Collection. District Six Museum, Cape Town.
3. Family Album. Naoya Yoshikawa (Japan). Solo exhibition. Laubscher Gallery, Ruth Prowse
School of Art.
4. Nou/Now. Student photography exhibition curated by Naoya Yoshikawa (Japan) and Ashley Walters (SA).
5. Fish. Suok-Won Yoon (South Korea). Solo exhibition.
6. Future Heritage. Group exhibition curated by Suok-Won Yoon.
7. Tweede Nuwe Jaar. Brenton Geach, Cape Medical Museum.
8. Jansje Wissema. District Six c1970.
9. Shooting Stars. Group exhibition of historical and contemporary live music photography, WorldArt Gallery.
10. Sue Williamson Retrospective – Iziko South African National Gallery (ISANG).
11. Motherhood – Curated by Andrea Lewis. Zanele Muholi, Nomusa Makhubu, Lindokuhle Sobekwa and Lebohang Kganye. ISANG.
12. Mauritian Heritage. Curated by Karen Pang and Meha Desai. Alliance Française Gallery.
13. Until All Birds Can Sing: On Being Queer in South Africa. Moena Weiss.
14. Attached to the Soil. Peter Glendinning. Simonstown Museum.
15. Margaret Courtney Clarke. Artvark Gallery. Kalk Bay.
CONFIRMED TALKS
• Darryl David: The art of creating photography books.
• Dr. Geraldine Frieslaar: The Van Kalker Photo Collection.
• Rita Potenza: Understanding picture research.
• Nic Bothma, Brenton Geach & Omar Badsha: Reportage/News photography.
• Lindeka Qampi: Teaching photography as a skill.
• Virginia Mc Kenny: The photography of Margaret Courtney Clarke.
• Sue Williamson: The use of photography in Williamson’s work.
• Ingrid Masondo: South African Photography as an essential part of heritage.
“We anticipate a diverse audience drawn from across the globe, including local, national, and international visitors, professionals, and enthusiasts of photography” – Festival Director, Heid Erdman. The festival is designed to attract:
• Photography professionals: Artists, curators, critics, and scholars.
• Photography enthusiasts: Amateurs, students, and the general public.
• Educational institutions: Schools, universities, and colleges with a focus on art and photography.
• Cultural tourists and international visitors: Given Cape Town’s growing reputation as a vibrant arts capital, the festival is expected to draw attention from around the world.
Through a series of workshops, talks, and interactive events, the Festival will engage audiences in both artistic and educational aspects of photography. We also aim to foster deep connections with the youth through educational programmes for school and university students.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Heidi Erdmann is the award-winning curator and art historian behind the Cape Town Photography Festival. She has extensive experience in contemporary African photography and the founder of The Photographers Gallery ZA. Her vision for this festival was inspired by a visit to the Panoramic Festival in Barcelona, and she aims to elevate Cape Town’s profile as a global hub for
photography and visual arts. The Cape Town Photography Festival is set to become a key cultural event in South Africa, connecting photographers, art lovers, and heritage enthusiasts from around the world. The festival promises to highlight South Africa’s rich cultural heritage and the global significance of photography. We invite you to join us in making this inaugural edition a resounding success. Your support will contribute to a deeper understanding and appreciation of heritagethrough the lens of photography.
WHAT: Cape Town Photography Festival
WHERE: Cape Town & surrounds
WHEN:1 to 30 September 2025 – SA Heritage Month
INFO: E Heidi Erdmann Rasch rasch.heidierdmann@gmail.com | Instagram |
PHOTO: Nomusa Makhubu
