PhEST returns to Monopoli: 11th edition from 7 August to 1 November 2026

PhEST 2026: three months of photography and visual arts in Monopoli

PhEST – See Beyond the Sea returns to Monopoli for its 11th edition, running from 7 August to 1 November 2026. The festival will turn the town into a widespread laboratory of exhibitions, projects and artist residencies, reinforcing its role as a platform for photography and visual arts.

The edition's theme is "What if?", inviting exploration of alternative scenarios and questioning perceptions of reality through diverse visual languages.

• Opening days: 7, 8 and 9 August;
• Programme: exhibitions, artist-led guided tours, free portfolio reviews during the opening days, residencies and special projects;
• PhEST Pop-Up Open Call: free international call active from 29 April to 13 May 2026, accepting photography, illustration, collage, animation, video and, for the first time, short films;
• Artistic team and curators: artistic director Giovanni Troilo; organisational direction by Cinzia Negherbon; photographic curation by Arianna Rinaldo; contemporary art curation by Roberto Lacarbonara;
• Supporters: Region of Puglia, PugliaPromozione, Puglia Culture, Municipality of Monopoli, University of Bari Aldo Moro and Fujifilm Italy.

After ten years the festival has presented hundreds of exhibitions and thousands of works, drawing national and international audiences. PhEST 2026 aims to continue this trajectory by fostering critical dialogue and imaginative visions through the expressive power of images.