Welcome

Download the free Toureka! mobile app to have the SPARK exhibit details at your fingertips!

SPARK Photo Festival Update April 2022

The SPARK Photo Festival is a celebration of photography, and the artists, dreamers, innovators, storytellers, professionals and enthusiasts behind the camera lens. April 2022 brings the arrival of 26 photographic exhibits with participation of over 100 artists, in 22 locations throughout Peterborough city and county and the City of Kawartha Lakes regions. Technical workshops, lectures, talks, films, and other related photographic events and activities take place year-round as well as during the festival.

We’re welcoming many perennial-favourite SPARK exhibitors back for 2022 along with several new exhibitors–some exhibiting their work for the very first time. We send our appreciation to all photographers who are preparing their exhibits and the venues that will host them. Visit the Exhibits Page for all of the details and a sneak preview of images.

The SPARK Showcase Exhibit is Peterborough: Then & Now showing at the YMCA Basillie Family Branch on Aylmer Street, Peterborough. This exhibit features historical images from the late 1800s through the 1950s of locations around Peterborough city and county matched up with current images, captured by local photographers, of those same locations. It's fascinating look at our history and evolution of the region. Thanks to our partners, Lang Pioneer Village Museum, Peterborough Museum & Archives and Trent Valley Museum for helping us walk through history for our Showcase at the Y.

The 2022 Themed Juried Exhibit, Monochrome, is on display at Chasing the Cheese on Charlotte Street in Peterborough. The jury has made their selections of the Top 25 images from the record number of entries–an impressive 257 images!–and the selected photographers have been notified by email. The winners have been announced! View the video below or check out the news on social, and see the Award winners at the exhibit through April. There were so many quality images entered that more deserve recognition so we’ve launched a Virtual Exhibit of Judges’ Selects. Visit our Juried Exhibit page to view the online exhibit.

We extend our gratitude to the exhibitors and venues, sponsors, patrons and volunteers who continue to support the SPARK Photo Festival and allow us to bring photographic art to the community.

In particular, we appreciate the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation Community Building Fund, the City of Peterborough Investment Grant and our corporate and private sponsors. We also extend gratitude to the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund through Electric City Culture Council and the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough., for their support through 2021. Please see the full list of supporters and show your appreciation for our supporters by supporting their businesses and community endeavours.

We look forward to, once again, sharing the SPARK Photo Festival with the community through April 2022!

Sincerely,
Jennifer MacKenzie, Festival Director, and the SPARK Board of Directors