Held every two years, Foto Tallinn has established itself as one of the leading platforms for contemporary photography in the Nordic and Baltic region. Beyond presenting new artistic practices, the fair offers an opportunity to explore current developments in photographic art through exhibitions, conversations and encounters with artists, galleries and international art professionals.
According to Artistic Director Lilian Hiob-Küttis, this year’s edition reflects the growing complexity of image culture in an era shaped by AI-generated imagery, manipulated visual information and the rapid circulation of photographs.
“Photography is a complex medium, and I believe that is precisely what makes it particularly valuable today. It gives us an opportunity to develop our critical thinking: what has been staged, what actually happened, what has been manipulated, and what has been artificially generated? Understanding an image often depends on whether we know something about its author, its narrative, its history and its cultural references.”
The selected artists share distinctive photographic practices, strong narrative frameworks and clearly defined visual languages. Across the fair, visitors will encounter works exploring identity, memory, family histories, community, personal mythologies, and the ways individual perspectives shape our understanding of reality.
Foto Tallinn Director Kadi-Ell Tähiste emphasises that each edition is shaped by a different international jury, ensuring that the fair reflects current developments in contemporary photography while maintaining a high curatorial standard.
The international jury for Foto Tallinn 2026 consisted of Anna Tellgren (Moderna Museet, Stockholm), Jeppe Ugelvig (New York), Margot Samel (New York), Sara Giuliattini (Polycopies, Paris) and Lilian Hiob-Küttis.
Galleries and artists
This year’s gallery programme features participants from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Hungary and Norway, including Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Kogo Gallery, FOKU Gallery, Punctum Gallery, Tütar Gallery, Gallery Halmetoja, Helsinki Contemporary, ISSP Gallery, Drifts, Māksla XO, TOBE Gallery and Vasli Souza.
Among the participating artists are Elina Brotherus, Emma Sarpaniemi, Flo Kasearu, Krista Mölder, Sigrid Viir, Tanja Muravskaja, Dénes Farkas, Paul Kuimet, Maria Kapajeva, Kristina Õllek, Līga Spunde, Vika Eksta and Rasa Jansone, alongside 15 independently exhibiting artists selected through the international open call.
Public programme
Alongside the fair, Foto Tallinn presents a 15-event public programme featuring guided tours, artist talks and panel discussions. A dedicated programme for collectors will run in parallel, while more than 90 international guests—including collectors, curators, museum professionals, foundation representatives, journalists and gallerists—are expected to attend.
As one of the region’s key meeting points for contemporary photography, Foto Tallinn continues to connect artists, galleries, collectors and institutions while offering audiences a concise overview of current photographic practices from across Northern and Central Europe.
Foto Tallinn 2026
18–20 September 2026
Kai Art Center, Tallinn
For the full programme and list of participants, visit www.fototallinn.ee.
