THE annual Belfast Photo Festival will bring a month-long celebration of photography and the visual arts to the city next month.
Featuring a programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops, screenings, masterclasses, reviews and tours, the 2017 event runs from June 1 to 30 across 25 venues while exploring 'how sexuality and gender relate to the perception and expression of identity social constructs' and demonstrating the 'role of photography in shaping opinion and the understanding of identity and selfhood'.
Highlights of this year's festival include the Ulster Museum exhibition, Fashion – A Matter of Attitude, curated by Diana Edkins, ex-of Conde Nast, a talk by Vogue picture editor Mike Trow, Juno Calypso's photographic mission The Honeymoon Suite and the return of the Royal Photographic Society's International Print Exhibition.
Festival director Michael Weir says: "Few media can capture the nuances and interplay of outward experiences and internal narratives like photography.
"This year, the festival has taken as its inspiration the visual politics of sexuality and the ways in which the camera can be used to construct and deconstruct gender binaries.
"We are delighted to be able to welcome such esteemed artists to Belfast for this year's festival and to present significant collaborations with international publications including Hello Mr, a magazine and community exploring the story of gay men today, and Dazed, the radical fashion and youth culture magazine."
:: Full festival information available via Belfastphotofestival.com
