PhotoMidwest Biennial

media release: In fall 2024, PhotoMidwest will produce its signature event, the PhotoMidwest Biennial Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. Festival exhibitions occur at various galleries, including the Arts + Literature Laboratory, Overture Center for the Arts, PhotoMidwest Studio, and the Pyle Center on the UW Campus.

The festival’s capstone event is the 13th PhotoMidwest Biennial Juried Exhibition, which showcases photographers from 13 Midwest U.S. states. PhotoMidwest seeks work from photographers living and working in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

2024 Juror | Kris Graves (b. 1982, New York, NY) is an artist and publisher based in New York and California. Graves creates artwork that deals with societal problems and aims to use art to inform people about cultural issues. Graves received his BFA in Visual Arts from S.U.N.Y. Purchase College. He has been published and exhibited globally, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Getty Institute in Los Angeles, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. Permanent collections include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Getty Institute, Schomburg Center, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

A message from Kris Graves: I am excited to serve as the juror for the PhotoMidwest Biennial Exhibition and eagerly anticipate all the wonderful artist submissions.

The universal language of photography has the power to provoke thought, evoke emotion, and change the world. It is of the utmost importance for artists to carve out their own voice, and this challenge leads to growth.

I eagerly anticipate the diverse range of perspectives and stories that will be showcased. With a keen interest in culture and agency, I look forward to encountering images that not only captivate visually but also resonate deeply with their intended messages.

Important dates

May 1 to July 1: The call for entry is accepting entries.

Sept 17 - Nov 9: Exhibition will be open at the  Arts + Literature Laboratory (ALL) in downtown Madison.   

Opening Reception: September 27, 2024, at 6-8 p.m. CST

This call is open to photographers in the 13-state Midwest area, and we strongly encourage PhotoMidwest members to enter. For more information and to Enter The Call. Questions? contact us at festival@photomidwest.org.