When the first Exposure Photography Festival appeared on Calgary’s arts calendar in the mid-2000s, it arrived quietly, but with ambition. At the time, photography was still struggling to gain recognition as a fine art in Alberta. Painting and sculpture dominated gallery walls, while photography was often treated as either commercial or documentary. This festival would help change that perception.
The origins of Exposure can be traced back to 1998 at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff, where Craig Richards, a Curator of Photography, launched a mentorship initiative called Through the Lens. The Camera Store was a proud supporter of this program from the very beginning. The program brought together high school students from Banff, Canmore, and Morley, guiding them through months of photographic exploration that culminated in a public exhibition each February.
Image Description: George Webber (front and centre) at the Canmore Collegiate High School with Through the Lens students.
Richards invited nationally and internationally recognized photographers to speak with students and the public, creating a bridge between education and exhibition. Over time, the February shows began drawing broader audiences, not just families and teachers, but artists, curators, and photographers from outside the Bow Valley. By the early 2000s, local photographers and arts organizers in Calgary were in conversation about expanding the idea beyond Banff and Canmore. Calgary, with its growing gallery scene and larger audiences, seemed like the missing piece. Internationally renowned photographer Dianne Bos, along with Janet Naclia and Yves Trepanier, and all of the early participating galleries, were instrumental in getting the first festival off the ground.
Image Description: Craig Richards and Dianne Bos with Canmore Through the Lens students at the SAIT darkroom, Calgary.
Later retrospectives echoed in early newspaper features, which quoted Richards as describing the move as a natural progression. Expanding into Calgary wasn’t a departure from his work in Banff, but a continuation of it. The same commitment to photography, simply “on a bigger level.” In 2005, that idea materialized as the first iteration of what would soon be called the Exposure Photography Festival. To help kick off the first official year of the festival, The Camera Store sponsored an artist talk and book signing by the legendary photographer, Mary Ellen Mark.
Image Description: First two pages of the Exposure 2005 Program
By its second year in 2006, the festival had expanded significantly with the support of more community partners. Coverage at the time noted exhibitions in more than a dozen venues, ranging from major institutions like the Glenbow Museum and the Whyte Museum to artist-run centres and alternative spaces. The first board of directors was made up of individuals from the Alberta photographic community who helped expand the festival in many ways, including Anita Dammer, Arthur Nishimura, Craig Richards, Dianne Bos, Janet Nacia, Julian Ferreira, Peter Jeune, and Sarah Fuller.
What stood out most in those early years was the sense that Exposure filled a gap. Photographers who had previously shown work sporadically now had a dedicated platform. Audiences encountered photography not as isolated prints on a wall, but as a diverse practice.
What began as a mentorship program in Banff classrooms evolved into a festival that reshaped how photography was presented in Alberta. Today, Exposure is firmly rooted in Calgary, drawing international artists while continuing to support emerging voices, a reflection of the original vision.
Image Description: Pages four and five of the Exposure 2005 Program
Since the beginning, Exposure has been more than just a series of exhibitions; it’s a conversation, supported by artist talks, workshops, and public events, that encourages audiences to think more critically about images in an increasingly visual world. Over the last 20+ years, pillars of our community have continued to maintain and foster growth in line with the festival’s mission.
Image Description: Exposure 2026 Newsletter
Today, the Exposure Photography Festival has expanded to include more communities and photographers than ever before. Overseeing that growth, the current President and Board Chair of the Exposure Photography Festival, Dona Schwartz, has been with the festival since 2015. The festival has been sustained and invigorated by the collaboration of countless incredible community builders, volunteers, partners, and board directors, past and present. The current festival manager, Emma Palm, is now in her second year, following Beth Kane, who led five editions of the festival. The 2026 festival, headquartered at Contemporary Calgary, represents over 200 artists across Alberta and has continued to gain momentum and respect in the community and internationally. To read more about the Exposure Photography Festival, and to get involved, visit: exposurephotofestival.com
