JIPFest 2026: Capturing What Endures Amid Change

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Jakarta International Photo Festival (JIPFest) 2026 features more than 50 photography, installation, and multimedia projects from 19 countries. JIPFest 2026 is taking place from September 11 to 20, 2026, at the Trisno Soemardjo Building, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Cikini, Central Jakarta.

Under the theme “Resilience,” JIPFest 2026 explores stories of how people face uncertainty, adapt to change, maintain hope, and envision the future. The theme responds to various changes shaping people's lives today, ranging from climate and environmental crises to social and cultural changes, economic pressures, and political dynamics.

Over the ten-day festival, JIPFest presents 29 public programs involving 52 photographers, artists, speakers, and practitioners from various disciplines. Through exhibitions and public programs, the festival invites audiences to view resilience not merely as the ability to survive, but also as a process of adapting, recovering, building solidarity, and finding new ways to continue growing amid change.

In a press release received by RRI Voice of Indonesia (VOI) team on September 9, 2026, JIPFest 2026 curators Chelsea Chua and Yoppy Pieter, said the exhibited works offer diverse perspectives on resilience, hope, and solidarity. Photography serves as a medium for exploring human experiences of change from different contexts and perspectives.

Through the JIPFest Open Call 2026, the two curators selected 22 photography projects from 408 proposals submitted by practitioners from 58 countries. The selected projects represent 19 countries and showcase both personal and collective experiences of navigating uncertain circumstances. This year's JIPFest also introduces JIPFest Connect, expanding the festival's collaborations with organizations, communities, institutions, and creative industry players.

The public can take part in various programs, including Walking Tours, Artist Talks, Discussions, Portfolio Reviews, Workshops, and Public Lectures. These programs provide opportunities for photographers, artists, curators, practitioners, and the public to meet, exchange experiences, and explore the issues presented at the festival from diverse perspectives.

JIPFest 2026 is organized by Panna and is part of the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia. The festival is also supported by the Central Jakarta Administration's Tourism and Creative Economy Sub-Department, as well as various national and international partners.

JIPFest is also connected with the Indonesia Photo Fair (IPF), which will take place from September 18 to 20, 2026, at Taman Ismail Marzuki, as part of efforts to strengthen Indonesia's photography ecosystem and provide wider public access to photographic works.