TALLINN.- Foto Tallinn has announced the dates for its 2026 edition, and open call for applications. Photographic artists and the galleries representing them are invited to apply with works created in recent years. Applications are open to artists and galleries until 23 March 2026.
Foto Tallinn is a biannual art fair, and the only international art fair in Estonia dedicated to contemporary photography. Presenting work selected by a jury of leading Estonian and international experts, this year, it takes place from 18 to 20 September 2026 at Kai Art Center in Tallinn.
“It is rarely appropriate to begin looking toward the future with a retrospective, yet I would like to thank all the art enthusiasts and artists who participated in the previous Foto Tallinn art fair. We hope it was inspiring and rewarding — something also reflected in the numbers,” commented Kadi-Ell Tähiste, Executive Director of Foto Tallinn. “With the last edition and the upcoming fair, I believe we have further strengthened Tallinn’s position on the international art scene, which is extremely important to all of us,” she added.
The Artistic Director of Foto Tallinn 2026 is Lilian Hiob-Küttis, a renowned curator, art expert, and lecturer active on both the international and local art scenes. “Foto Tallinn 2026 aims to connect art collectors, artists, and galleries who value high-quality photographic art, strong narratives, and unique visual perspectives that resonate with viewers,” Hiob-Küttis noted. “The fair will also highlight discussions, professional networking, innovative approaches, and artistic developments that have shaped artists’ practices over the past five years — while also looking ahead to the future. Photography must be recognised as an essential part of the art canon. It is not isolated, but deeply connected to broader social and cultural developments. There is a great deal of distinctive and internationally compelling work emerging from our region’s contemporary art field, and I look forward to discovering the artists and galleries applying to the fair,” the Artistic Director added, inviting artists and galleries to participate.
The selection for Foto Tallinn 2026 is made by an international jury of leading experts.
The jury members for the fair's 12th edition are Anna Tellgren, Jeppe Ugelvig, Margot Samel, and Sara Giuliattini.
“It is a true honour to introduce the members of the Foto Tallinn 2026 jury. They are internationally recognised experts in the art field, whose rich and diverse experience forms an exceptional whole. Among the jurors evaluating the works are representatives of highly influential institutions, voices with academic and critical perspectives, professionals with experience in contemporary and private galleries, and specialists engaged with the latest developments in contemporary photography,” says Hiob-Küttis. “This offers applying artists an excellent opportunity to come to the attention of key experts,” she added.
Anna Tellgren is Chief Curator of Photography at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, as well as a researcher and lecturer. She possesses extensive knowledge of the history of photography up to the present day, with particular focus on the Nordic and Baltic art scenes.
Curator and cultural critic Jeppe Ugelvig writes regularly for leading specialist publications such as Artforum, Frieze and Spike Art Quarterly, bringing to the jury a timely and critical perspective grounded in academic research.
New York-based gallerist and one of the organisers of the Esther art fair in New York, Margot Samel is known for discovering outstanding talents. With extensive experience representing artists at major international fairs, she assesses the potential of submitted works specifically within the context of art fairs. Originally from Estonia, Samel opened her eponymous gallery in Tribeca, New York, in May 2022.
Sara Giuliattini, Co-Director of the photography publishing house Polycopies, contributes in-depth knowledge of the history of photography and the latest developments in contemporary photographic practice.
