PhEST, the International Festival of Photography and Art, celebrates its tenth edition this year with an expanded three-month programme running from 8 August to 16 November 2025, in the southern Italian town of Monopoli. Known for its blend of photography, contemporary art, and regional engagement, the festival continues to position itself as a leading cultural event in Southern Europe.
The 2025 edition introduces two key developments: an earlier start date and a longer duration aimed at boosting Monopoli’s cultural tourism. This year’s theme, This Is Us – A Capsule to Space, reflects on humanity’s collective identity, legacy, and aspirations, drawing inspiration from NASA’s Golden Record—a message sent into space aboard the Voyager probes in 1977.
British photographer #Martin Parr# headlines the festival as its honorary guest. A former Magnum Photos president, Parr will exhibit a broad retrospective in Puglia for the first time and host a public talk and film screening in Monopoli on 27–28 September. His participation also links PhEST to the Yeast Photo Festival in Matino, where he will present a solo show focused on food culture.
A diverse range of international artists joins the lineup. #Alexey Titarenko# brings selections from his iconic City of Shadows series, while Phillip Toledano presents his AI-driven project We Are At War. Other contributors include #Zed Nelson# (The Anthropocene Illusion), #Rhiannon Adam# (Rhi-Entry), #Lorenzo Poli# (Geoglyphs of the Anthropocene), and Italian photographer #Piero Percoco#, who will present the outcome of a new artist residency in Brighton developed in partnership with Photoworks and the Italian Cultural Institute in London.
PhEST’s signature features return, including free portfolio reviews by leading photography editors from The Guardian, ZEIT ONLINE, Fotografiska, Photoworks, and Landskrona Photo Festival. Artist-led guided tours and public talks will also be offered throughout the festival’s opening weekend and subsequent weekends.
Founded in 2016, PhEST has grown from a local initiative into a prominent platform for visual culture. Over ten years, it has hosted 216 exhibitions by 374 artists and welcomed more than 1.2 million attendees. Past participants include Alex Majoli, Azadeh Akhlaghi, Antoine D’Agata, and Man Ray. Its impact is also felt locally through artist residencies that spotlight Puglia’s unique landscape and social fabric.
The 2025 edition promises an immersive experience across photography, installation, sculpture, and interactive media.
More information is available at www.phest.it.
