Auckland Festival of Photography [Whakaahua Hākari] is proud to announce a new partnership for the 2025 Community Commissions with Auckland Council Libraries | Ngā Pataka Korero o Tāmaki Makaurau. This initiative will support Auckland-based photographers in creating contemporary works that expand and enrich the visual record of Tāmaki Makaurau.

"Auckland Festival of Photography is excited about this new partnership with Auckland Council Libraries," says AFP director and founder, Julia Durkin, MNZM. “Through these Commissions, we aim to capture diverse perspectives of our communities, ensuring Auckland’s photographic heritage is reflective of the people who live here today.”

AFP is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Community Commissions: Edith Amituanai, MNZM, Tuāfale Tanoa'i - the artist formerly known as Linda T, and Emily Mafile'o. 

The 2025 Community Commissions will contribute to and highlight Auckland Council Libraries’ substantial Special Collections, helping to ensure that Auckland’s photographic archives better represent the city’s dynamic and evolving communities. The newly commissioned works will be produced over several months and made available later this year via the Auckland Libraries Research portal – Kura Heritage Collections Online.

“This project is an important step in broadening our photographic collections to be more inclusive of the many cultures, identities, and stories that make up Tāmaki Makaurau,” says Stacey Smith, Research and Heritage Services Manager at Auckland Council Libraries. “We are committed to ensuring our collections remain relevant and representative, providing future generations with a richer, more diverse visual history of our city.”

The initiative builds on two long-standing Auckland Festival of Photography projects: AFP’s digital archive from the Auckland Photo Blog, which houses thousands of contemporary images, and the AFP Annual Commissions series (2011–2020), which supported talented emerging and mid-career photographers to create a new body of work for exhibition during the Festival. https://www.photographyfestival.org.nz/awards/annual-commission.cfm

Auckland Festival of Photography [Whakaahua Hākari] is a regional strategic arts and cultural organisation funded by Auckland Council. AFP will announce its full Festival programme, on 17 April.

More information:

Victor van Wetering, media liaison, vvanwetering@gmail.com 

Stacey Smith, Research and Heritage Services Manager, stacey.smith@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Notes for editors

Image credit: Bin Bai, Simple Breakfast 2024 Auckland Photo Day submission

2025 Auckland Festival of Photography 

AFP 2025 runs May 29 to June 15 this year. This year’s theme is: Sustain/Tautīnei

The 2025 programme will be released on 17 April at  https://www.photographyfestival.org.nz/ 

Since 2004 

In its 22 years, more than 1.2 million visits have been made to festival exhibitions, talks, and events across the region. More than 1350 exhibitions and events have been presented, partnered and attended - including a substantive, curated, public programme and themed exhibitions.

AFP Annual Commission

Between 2011 and 2020, the Auckland Festival of Photography has commissioned Auckland-based photographers to create work for exhibition during the annual Festival. In that period, the Annual Commission created a unique body of work comprising 33 artworks with diverse projects showcasing the work of emerging and mid-career photographic artists including: Roberta Thornley, James K Lowe, Jennifer Mason, Tanu Gago, P J Paterson, Russ Flatt, Janet Lilo, Alex Plumb, Yvonne Shaw, Qiane Matata-Sipu, Saynab Muse and Raymond Sagapolutele.

The Auckland Festival of Photography Trust

• Supports local emerging photographers to develop and exhibit work 
• Develops region-wide community partnerships and participation, and strengthens regional identity
• Partners with individuals, arts and cultural organizations in the art education and private sectors
• Serves photographic arts stakeholders, including galleries and professional exhibiting artists
• Provides accessible indoor, outdoor and online exhibitions, and events like Auckland Photo Day
• Represents cultural diversity and strengthens cultural tourism

More information:

Victor van Wetering, vvanwetering@gmail.com 

AFP Founder Julia Durkin, MNZM, 0274 735 443