Rovinj Photodays is one of the most important photography festivals in Southeast Europe, and its 19th edition takes over Rovinj from May 15 to 17, 2026. Over 3,000 photographs from artists across 30 countries were submitted to this year's competition — the strongest entry field yet.
Exhibitions Across the City
Finalists' work will be exhibited at venues throughout Rovinj: the Multimedia Center (MMC), CVU Batana, the Community of Italians (ZT-CI Pino Budicin), Grand Park Hotel, and outdoor installations on the main square and waterfront promenade. The festival transforms the entire old town into an open-air gallery for the weekend.
Competition Categories & Finalists
This year's categories are Architecture, Landscape, Portrait, Nude/Body, and Documentary Photography. Finalists come from Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Mexico. The Grand Prix winner — selected by an international jury of seven curators, photographers, and festival directors — receives €2,000, a solo exhibition at Photodays 2027, and complimentary accommodation at Island Hotel Istra.
Workshops & Lectures
Beyond the exhibitions, the festival programme includes hands-on workshops: wet-plate collodion portrait sessions run by Vienna's Rotlicht Festival, retro instant camera demonstrations, and a lecture on AI and applied photography. Artist talks by past Grand Prix winners round out the programme.
Jury 2026
This year's jury is chaired by Sabina Salamon (Senior Curator, MMSU Rijeka) and includes Dubravka Lazić (Serbia), Dino Rekanović (Austria/Rotlicht Festival), Stefania Rossi and Massimo Sordi (Italy/SIFEST), Hrvoje Slovenc (USA), and Jano Viazo (PARADAJS PHOTO platform).
Closing Ceremony
The Grand Prix and category awards will be announced at the closing ceremony on Saturday, May 16 at Island Hotel Istra — a fitting setting on the car-free island just a short boat ride from Rovinj's harbour.
For the full programme, finalist galleries, and registration details, visit the official website: photodays-rovinj.com
