"Calling all photographers who would like to display their own photographs on the theme “Identity” in the Window Exhibition of the Dark Peak Photography Festival 2026".

We will print all the selected images with the consent of the artist. You will retain copyright to your image but Dark Peak Photo hold the right to use the image for marketing purposes for 2 years.

Please resize your images to 30 x 40 cm (11.81 x 15.75 inches) or square size 30 x 30 cm (11.81 x 11.81 inches)

PARTICIPATION FEE

FREE Submission (send min. 1 - max. 5 images for consideration)
One artwork by each selected artist will be selected and exhibited.

Only the artists who get selected will be asked to pay the participation fee in order to cover the expenses (see list below).
Participation fee - £20.00

We prefer to charge a 'Participation Fee' that will share the costs of the exhibitions with the artists instead of charging for a 'Submission Fee' that artists pay just to submit their work and can often be rejected.

Cost: free to apply, £20 to have your art piece included in the window walk of the festival.

PARTICIPATION FEE INCLUDES

• Exhibition space
• Curating and organising the exhibition
• Printing each artwork (30x40cm or 30x30cm)
• Hanging the artworks or mounting depending on display space.
• Exhibition webpage
• Print material (poster, labels, etc)
• Marketing and promotion
• Pictures of each artwork in the venues

PAYMENT METHODS

Only the selected artists will receive the payment link and will have 3 days after selection to pay the participation fee and secure their spot.

Payments can be made through PayPal and Credit/Debit Card.

SELECTION PROCESS

All submissions will be reviewed and selected by the curation team.

Dark Peak Photo CIC is now in our third year of curation of photographic exhibitions, cultural take overs and book curation, we are experienced photographers some from academic backgrounds of the artist practice, professional and educators.

Whether you are an amateur just taking pictures locally or a professional experimenting with new pieces. The feedback and admiration from viewers can also inspire you to adapt your work and give you a new perspective when taking photos in the future.

It’s also important that it’s easy to participate and worth the cost.

Artworks can be selected before the deadline.

One artwork by each artist will be selected and exhibited.

Please note that the decisions are final and we are unable to offer feedback.

Exhibition: 20-23rdFebruary 2025

Please fill in the form and provide a high-quality image (max 4MB) of that you would like to exhibit at 2026 Festival

You can submit up to 5 pictures, with only one being selected for the festival.

This work must be your own copyright. We do not accept AI created images.

During the exhibition, the artists work will be arranged in a window display spanning the whole of Glossop High Street and online, where you will be able to sell your work if you wish. More detailed T&C's will be sent to photographers on acceptance into The Open Call.

We will not tell you which Window your work is displayed in to encourage you to seek it out and share your piece during the festival on social media. This also means you can be inspired by the exhibition as a whole.

Photographs be in any format but it must be digitised, we accept Phone photography, Digital Photography, Drone Photography, Athotypes, Cyanotypes, Film Photography, Black and white photography, abstract photography and any speciality of photography is welcomed except AI.   

We will be issuing on our website, social media some essay links to help inspire less experianced photographers on how they can respond to the theme.

Timeline:

• 9tt December 2025 - Open call is live
• 21th January 2026 - Deadline for submissions
• 25th January 2026  Successful candidates announced
• 1st February - Deadline for bio, text and images
• 16th February - Window images start to be installed
• 20th February - Festival and exhibition live
• 23rd February - Festival closes

About Dark Peak Photography Lite Festival 2026

Dark Peak Photo Festival 2026, staged across the market town of Glossop, on the edge of the Peak District.

For this edition of Dark Peak Photo Festival, artists will respond to the theme of IDENTITY – The theme invites photographers to explore Identity through their lens.

This exhibition aims to capture the many threads of individual experiences, beliefs, and perceptions and capture the multifaceted nature of identity through your lens.

We encourage submissions that reflect personal narratives, societal issues, or abstract interpretations of this theme.

Objective:

The primary objective of this exhibition is to create a platform for artists to express their interpretations of identity, fostering a dialogue about the human experience.

We aim to showcase a diverse range of photographic works that resonate with viewers on both emotional and intellectual levels.

Conclusion:

The "Identity" exhibition will serve as a poignant exploration of the complexities of personal and societal or collective identity and the potentially dynamic and emerging nature of these.

We believe that through the power of photography, we can create a meaningful experience that resonates with our audience and encourages reflection

We look forward to your support and participation in making this exhibition a success.

This activity is supported by a small engagement programme of workshops for 2026, working with people of all ages and levels of experience to develop new conversations and skills in photography. Allowing the Dark Peak Photo Festival to be shaped by those who take part in it.

Some of our workshops will be funded by Derbyshire Makes please sign up to the newsletter on our website.

The festival will run from 20-23rd February 2026 across multiple venues in Glossop. With the kindness and support of many local organisations and businesses, we will continue to bring an exciting, inspiring, and aspirational visual arts festival to the foot of the Dark Peak.

During the show:

The selection process and curation will be managed by Dark Peak Photo CIC  

Work will be displayed in the windows of Glossop High Street as part of the festival for the whole weekend and you will be able to sell your image

Photographic images can be collected and in late March 2026

Each artist will have their exhibition piece uploaded to Instagram, showing their work.

About Dark Peak Photos mission:

Founded in 2024, Dark Peak Photo CIC is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to inspire public enjoyment and participation by bringing contemporary photography to new audiences in fresh and unusual ways.

We believe in the power of photography as a tool to experience the world anew; to bring together communities, explore underrepresented issues, and to foster dialogue and exchange.

We want to provide opportunities for the local photography community by fostering opportunities to nurture their professional development and strengthen their practice.

Keeping them informed of current conversations within the international photography community, supporting their participation in the field.

Our work is locally grounded, co-created with those we serve, and internationally-focused. Look out for more events throughout the year.
Website: www.darkpeakphoto.co.uk
Instagram: @darkpeakphoto

The main challenge to making the photography festival (and the art world) more inclusive is that the “scene” imagines its users to be almost exclusively galleries.

This excludes all art institutions and universities, regional collectives, small galleries, geographically isolated individuals who share the same ethical, formal, or aesthetic concerns, and artists who are now achieving viral fame without any desire for traditional gallery representation.

Dark Peak Photo supports a “blended” photography festival approach. One that provides current photography leaders while also allowing access for those usually excluded.