Shoot UKREiiF 2026 like a city‑wide story, not a conference. We’re offering three separate £500 documentary photography commissions (one per day of the event) to capture candid, street‑level moments across Leeds – no submission fee, open to documentary, street and editorial photographers from the Leeds/ West Yorkshire creative community, at any career stage and especially those from diverse backgrounds.

About UKREiiF and this commission

The UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) is a major annual event bringing together public and private sector leaders to discuss the future of the UK’s towns, cities and infrastructure, hosted across the Royal Armouries and wider Leeds city centre .

For 2026, we are commissioning three documentary‑style photographers (one per day) to create a new, story‑led body of work that looks at the event and it's themes from a more journalistic perspective.

Rather than traditional stage and speaker‑driven conference photography, we are looking for candid, street‑level imagery that captures real moments: people moving between venues, informal conversations, the atmosphere in public spaces, and how UKREiiF sits within the fabric of Leeds.

The final selection will form a long‑term image library for UKREiiF and will act as a visual style guide when commissioning future event photography.

Please be aware the UKREiiF site will be very busy, with an expected 16,000 delegates visiting across the three days.   Please only apply if you're comfortable working in very busy, high energy environments.

Focus on diversity and local creative engagement

A core aim of this opportunity is to work with a diverse group of photographers and to engage the local creative community.

We actively welcome applications from photographers who are under‑represented in the creative and commercial photography sectors, including (but not limited to) women, people of colour, disabled photographers, LGBTQ+ photographers and people from lower‑income backgrounds.

We are particularly keen to hear from photographers with a connection to Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region, including final‑year and postgraduate students or recent graduates from courses such as photography at Leeds Arts University or other regional institutions.

We are interested in different ways of seeing the city and the event. You do not need prior corporate event experience if you can demonstrate strong documentary, street or editorial work in public spaces.

What we’re looking for

Across the three days, we want to build a portfolio that shows:

• People: candid networking, informal conversations, arrivals and departures, walks between venues, environmental portraits of delegates, speakers, organisers and residents.
• Programme: key moments within sessions and pavilions, audience reactions, crowd scenes and interaction, rather than only lectern shots.
• Place: Leeds streets, docks, public spaces and architecture, including how UKREiiF signage, pavilions and activations interact with the city.
• Details: small interactions, objects, textures and views that give a sense of atmosphere and scale.

Each photographer will receive a shared brief and schedule, but we want you to interpret the event in your own way, in a documentary/journalistic style. We expect each photographer to edit and deliver a strong set of images from their day, with an emphasis on quality and coherence rather than high volume.

What you will receive

A paid full‑day commission to photograph one day of UKREiiF 2026 in Leeds (approx. 8–10 hours including breaks).

• A clear day rate of £500.  All expenses are expected to be covered by the photographer.
• Accreditation and access to relevant UKREiiF sites and public‑facing sessions, with on‑site support from the UKREiiF team.
• Credit wherever your images are showcased by UKREiiF, where practical (website, social media, exhibitions, campaign materials).

You will grant UKREiiF a broad licence to use the commissioned images for ongoing marketing, communications, PR and stakeholder materials (non‑exclusive, with clear terms agreed in the contract). You will retain authorship of the work.

Post‑event campaign, exhibition and awards

We plan to highlight this commission and the work created through:

• A post‑event digital and PR campaign showcasing selected images and short profiles of each photographer.
• Exploring options for a physical or pop‑up exhibition in Leeds in partnership with local venues or universities, or an online gallery, to present the work to a wider public audience.
• Supporting photographers in submitting selected images for relevant photography and design awards (where appropriate), positioning both the photographers and UKREiiF as champions of diverse creative talent.

The final image selection will also be used internally as a visual style guide to shape how we brief and commission event photography in future years, helping us maintain a recognisable, editorial look and feel across all UKREiiF imagery.

Who should apply

This opportunity is open to:

• Documentary, street or editorial photographers at early career stage (including students in their final year, recent graduates and emerging professionals).
• Photographers able to work confidently and sensitively in busy, public, multi‑stakeholder environments.
• Photographers who are happy to collaborate with the UKREiiF team, follow event guidelines and respect privacy where appropriate.

We particularly encourage applications from photographers who live, work or study in Leeds or the wider West Yorkshire region.

How to apply

Please submit via CuratorSpace:

• A short statement (max 300 words) on your interest in this commission and how you would approach documenting UKREiiF 2026.
• A link to your website or portfolio, or up to 10 images that demonstrate your documentary / street / event work.
• A short bio (max 150 words), including any connection to Leeds/Yorkshire and whether you are a student, graduate or practicing professional.
• Confirmation that you are available on at least one of the event days (19–21 May 2026) and can commit to a full‑day shoot in Leeds.

We will shortlist based on portfolio strength, alignment with the brief and our aim to build a diverse group of photographers.

Shortlisted photographers will be invited to a short online conversation before we confirm the three commissions.