Ballarat International Foto Biennale

Founded in 2005, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale is Australia’s most significant and prestigious photographic festival. The not-for-profit event is held in the historic town of Ballarat, immersing the city in photographic art across its galleries, laneways and cultural spaces. Now in its 19th year, the 60-day event attracts incredible international and Australian photographers, enriching the cultural landscape of regional Victoria every two years.

BIFB 2023 is a catalyst for conversation. This year our theme, The Real Thing is a provocation and a nostalgic call to come and see what is real.

BIFB opens the conversation about photography as an art form to a wider audience, not only championing the work of local, national and international photographers but also offering masterclasses, competitions, community programs, interactive exhibitions and more.

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is currently developing a permanent gallery and art institution. The National Centre for Photography will be located in a beautiful heritage-listed former bank building in the heart of Ballarat.

Jeff Moorfoot OAM is the founder of the organisation, starting the event in the regional Victorian town of Daylesford before it relocated to Ballarat as the festival expanded. Jeff retired in 2015 as the driving force behind Australia’s largest and most comprehensive international festival of photography. Future festivals have featured renowned artists including David LaChapelle, Liu Bolin and The Linda McCartney: Retrospective.

Since its inception, BIFB has seen audiences grow to over 240,000 and has contributed more than $17 million in direct economic impact.

BIFB is an invited member of the International Biennale Association and led the formation of the Asia Pacific Photoforum. It is the only Oceanic Member of the Festival of Light and is now in the process of establishing a National Centre for Photography (NCFP) in Ballarat.