The Month of Photography in Krakow has established itself as one of Europe's leading photography festivals, since beginning life in 2002. Featuring over a hundred artists from all around Europe and beyond, the Photomonth Festival hosts nearly fifty displays each year along with a healthy smattering of workshops, seminars, lectures and moving picture shows.
For the last couple of years Photomonth has taken place during the month of May, turning the city of Krakow into one big exhibition space. The festival utilizes dozens of venues across the city, and apart from the draw of cutting edge photography, quite often the venues themselves are worthy of interest. Many of the displays are in exhibition spaces of bars or cafes which are normally hidden from the public eye, whilst some are in more extraordinary locations still, such as the 2006 and 2007 opening days at the deserted Okocim brewery on Lubicz Street.
With each exhibition boasting its own launch party, usually attended by the photographer in question, photo enthusiasts (many of whom prove to be budding shutterbugs themselves) race around the city to catch the festival in full flow... Either that or they're in it for the free wine, but let's not be cynical!
Whether you're a photo fanatic or simply a wino, the Photomonth generates a lot of excitement in the city each spring and has already proved itself to be an invaluable addition to Krakow's annual festivals. Long may it continue!
