We are delighted to invite you to submit photographic projects and images for the next edition of Fotofestival Lenzburg (Switzerland), a not-to-be missed event to be held in Lenzburg and Aarau between May and June 2026.
Renowned photographers and emerging talents from all over the world are invited to share their interpretation of the Festival theme by submitting a project or single images. The project and images can be new or already existing and previously exhibited.
FOREVER HAPPY explores the contradictions of happiness in contemporary society—both its fleeting nature and its pervasive influence. In a world where happiness is marketed as a commodity, shaped by social media, consumer culture, and personal expectations, how do images construct, reinforce, or challenge our understanding of joy? Can photography capture the essence of happiness, or does it merely reflect its impermanence and societal constraints?
What the winners will receive
Category Project
- Solo exhibition during the 7th edition of the Festival for three selected projects
- The Jury Award, supported by Artphilein Foundation with a reward of 1500 CHF
- The winning exhibition will also be showcased at Artphilein Focus in Paradiso / Lugano and be selected for a publication in the Artphilein Cahier series
- Dedicated feature on the Festival website and communication channels / features in Festival’s partners channels (up to 20 partners)
- Accommodation in Lenzburg for the opening’s weekend (May 2026)
Category Single Image
- Exhibition of the selected image during the Festival for more than 40 single images
- People’s Prize for best “Single Image”, with a reward of 1.000 CHF
- Dedicated feature on the Festival website and communication channels / features in Festival’s partners channels (up to 20 partners)
Jury
Amelie Schüle
Director of Photoforum Pasquart in Biel/Bienne
Amelie Schüle has been the Director of Photoforum Pasquart in Biel/Bienne since 2023. In this role, she oversees a dynamic program dedicated to supporting emerging and mid-career photographers while promoting contemporary photography. Her work focuses on the intersection of artistic production, culture, and society, with an emphasis on empowering people to actively engage with social structures, politics, and their surroundings. Before joining Photoforum Pasquart, Amelie worked at Foam Photography Museum and Unseen in Amsterdam, where she curated exhibitions, developed public programming, and supported emerging talents. She also has experience in the gallery sector in Switzerland. Amelie holds a master’s degree in Curatorial Studies from the Zurich University of the Arts. Beyond her institutional roles, she is actively involved in the photography community, participating in portfolio reviews, mentoring artists, and guest lecturing.
Anna Konstantinova
Curator and Gallery Manager at Lullin + Ferrari Gallery
Anna Konstantinova (*1990, RU) is a Zurich-based curator specializing in contemporary photography, post-photography, and curating in digital spaces. She is the Curator and Gallery Manager at Lullin + Ferrari Gallery and is responsible for art and architecture projects at the Canton of Zurich. Anna is also part of the team at Screen Walks, a collaborative project by Fotomuseum Winterthur and The Photographers’ Gallery that investigates the evolving role of photographic images in networked and digital spaces. Additionally, she is a member of the pool collective, a self-organized group of artists and creatives in Zurich working in photography, and serves on the committee of near.association, which promotes contemporary Swiss photography and fosters critical discourse in the field.
Arianna Rinaldo
Independent curator, photo consultant and freelance photo editor
Arianna Rinaldo is a freelance professional working with photography at a wide range. From 2012 to 2021, she was the artistic director of Cortona On The Move, international festival of visual narrative. She is the co-founder and curator of photography at PhEST, a festival on contemporary photography and arts in Puglia since 2016. Arianna’s relationship with photography started in 1998 as Archive Director at Magnum Photos, NY; and then, back in Italy, as photo editor for Colors magazine. From 2004 to 2011, in Milan, she worked as an editorial consultant and curator for exhibitions and special projects. For 4 years she was a photo consultant at D, the weekend supplement of La Repubblica. For almost 10 years she was the director of Ojode Pez, a bilingual documentary photo quarterly published by La Fabrica in Madrid. Based in Barcelona since 2012, Arianna is active as a curator, teacher, editor and consultant. She participates in photo events and festivals around the world as guest curator, speaker, educator and portfolio reviewer; and is regularly invited on jury panels and selection committees for international institutions and organizations. Arianna is intrigued by the amazing stories told through images. She is interested in contemporary documentary and original storytelling: visions on the current world and stories of humankind living on this planet, and beyond.
Caterina De Pietri
Director of the De Pietri Artphilein Foundation
Caterina De Pietri is the director of the De Pietri Artphilein Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to contemporary art and philosophy, with a particular interest in photography. In 2013 she founded the publishing house Artphilein Editions, focused on photobooks and artists’ books. In 2019 she opened the public library, Artphilein Library, in Lugano. In 2021-22 she inauguretes the exhibition spaces Focus and La Piscina. She graduated in law from the University of Zurich; from 1986 until 2005 she was a lawyer and public notary in Lugano. Today she is still active as an international legal consultant.
Margherita Guerra
Founder and director of Fotofestival Lenzburg
After earning a M.A. degree in Theology in Milan, she specialized in Publishing and Photography. She worked as a copyright manager and picture editor for several publishing houses and spent nearly a decade at the Alinari Archive in Florence, the world’s oldest still active photo archive. After relocating to Switzerland in 2013, she founded Yourpictureditor, an agency specializing in picture research and copyright clearances, supporting various publishing houses in Switzerland and Italy. In 2017, she launched the Fotofestival Lenzburg in her hometown, which has since grown into a recognized event in the photography community, fostering international artistic collaborations and partnerships. She curates exhibitions and regularly serves on international juries for photography awards.
Tim Clark
Editor in Chief of 1000 Words
Alongside the magazine, Tim is also Artistic Director for Fotografia Europea in Reggio Emilia, Italy, together with Walter Guadagnini, Director of CAMERA, Torino and Luce Lebart, curator, historian and researcher at The Archive of Modern Conflict (named as ‘Photo Festival of the Year‘ at the Lucie Awards 2022). He has previously been involved in a wide range of projects including curatorial advisor for the Discovery section of Photo London 2022 and 2023 and adjunct curator on Masculinities: Liberation through Photography (2020-22) at the Barbican Centre London, an exhibition which travelled to Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Les Rencontres d’Arles and FOMU Antwerp.
Past exhibitions
During the festival, the town transforms into an open-air photo gallery, featuring multiple exhibitions, photobook corners in cafés, and a diverse program of events, including portfolio reviews, workshops, and talks with photographers and experts. This unique setting creates an intimate and welcoming atmosphere, inviting a wide audience to immerse themselves in both professional and artistic photography.
