Chester Photo Festival

19/04/2026

Trusting Voices and AI Symposium: Concluded

Many thanks to everyone who joined us for an insightful 3 day Symposium on Photography and AI.

Day 1: We were honoured to meet Professor Victor Burgin, to which we are grateful for his talk 'What is an author? The artist in the age of AI', and the subsequent seminar which provided more insights on his recent book ‘Returning to Benjamin – Art in the Age of AI’

Day 2: Eight excellent papers presented by Dr Tracy Piper-Wright, Holly Birtles, Dr Peter Ainsworth, Dr Paul Jones, Professor Martin Newth, India Lawton, Fergus Heron, and Guy Mayman.

Day 3: Our final day featured contributions from Neuza Morais, Alberto Gonzalez, Stephen Clarke, and Tom Hignett.

Chairs: Dr Cian Quayle, Professor Erik Knudsen and Dr Alexandru Modoi.

We also enjoyed a private exhibition view featuring the symposium participants and the CPF Team, along with a hangout place in Chester and other networking opportunities.

A sincere thank you to all participants for your invaluable contributions, and to the University of Chester, Storyhouse, and the dedicated CPF team - chesterphotofestival.com/about .


Chester Photo Festival

05/03/2026

Chester Photo Festival Symposium: Trusting Voices and AI

https://www.deeside.com/photography-and-ai-event-at-university-of-chester-brings-together-16-speakers/

Photography and AI event at University of Chester brings together 16 speakers Share WhatsApp Twitter Facebook A symposium exploring artificial intelligence and photography is coming to the University of Chester in April, with sessions open to the public as well as students. The inaugural Chester Pho...

20/02/2026

Trusting Voices and AI: The 2026 Symposium 🤖📸

We are pleased to announce the full programme for this year’s Symposium, taking place 16–18 April 2026. Join us in person for a 3-day exploration of photography, authorship, and the status of the image.

🎓 The Keynote: On Thursday 16th April Professor Victor Burgin will give an illustrated talk titled 'What is an author? The artist in the age of AI' at .

🎓 The Programme continues on Friday and Saturday at the , featuring 14 speakers including: Dr Tracy Piper-Wright, Holly Birtles, Dr Peter Ainsworth, Dr Paul Jones, Professor Martin Newth, India Lawton, Fergus Heron, Guy Mayman, Neuza Morais, Kypros Kyprianou, Nam Huh, Alberto Gonzalez, Emery C. Walshe, Stephen Clarke and Tom Hignett.

Tickets & Enquiries:
🎟️ Advance booking is essential as door sales are subject to availability.
🔗 Book now: chesterphotofestival.com
📧 Groups: [email protected]

Organised by Dr Alexandru Modoi and Dr Cian Quayle in partnership with the University of Chester, hosted by the Photography programme and the Division of Art, Design and Innovation.

04/02/2026

A series of free photography workshops exploring personal stories and feelings will take place every Thursday 5-6.30pm at Winsford Library from 19 February to 26 March.

To book your place, visit:
https://cwac.co/fdUE8

06/01/2026

📸 Call for Papers: Trusting Voices and A.I. Symposium!

🎉 We are pleased to announce that artist and theorist Victor Burgin will give an illustrated talk and lead a seminar on April 16th. Burgin’s recent book ‘Returning to Benjamin – Art in the Age of AI’ will provide the pretext for this event. 🎉

Key Details:
Symposium Dates: 16-18 April 2026
Abstract Deadline: 12 January 2026
Submission: Please send a 250 words paper abstract to [email protected] or via our website.

Please share this call with your networks.
See complete details at chesterphotofestival.com/Symposium

21/12/2025

📸 Call for Papers: Trusting Voices and A.I. Symposium!
We are excited to announce a Call for Papers for our upcoming symposium: Trusting Voices and Artificial Intelligence.

Key Details:
Symposium Dates: 16-18 April 2026
Abstract Deadline: 12 January 2026

Submission: Please send a 250 words paper abstract to [email protected] or via our website.

See complete details at chesterphotofestival.com/Symposium
We look forward to reading your abstracts! Please share this call with your networks.

01/12/2025

📸 Chester Photo Festival 2nd Edition Open Call! 📸
The 2nd edition of the Chester Photo Festival is returning, and we want to see your work!

🌟 Key Dates & Details
• 2nd Edition: 16 - 29 October 2026
• Early Entry Deadline: May 15, 2026 (or when 200 works are selected)
• FREE ENTRIES! Submit up to 5 works per participant.
Note: A participation fee of up to £45 per selected work is only requested if your work is chosen for exhibition.

✨ Why Participate?
• Make Your Voice Heard: Share your unique story and vision through the power of photography.
• Exhibit in Chester: Selected works will be showcased in various locations across Chester City Centre.
• Publication: Be featured in the official participants' festival book!
• Network: Join us for talks, workshops, and a dedicated Hangout Place to meet fellow artists (October 16-18, 2026).
• Open to everyone: We welcome entries from people at all levels of experience!
The Chester Photo Festival is dedicated to celebrating the democratisation of photography, offering space for innovation and networking.

🔗 How to Enter
Find the Entries Form and complete the details on our website:
👉 chesterphotofestival.com
Don't miss the Early Entry window! Tag a photographer who needs to see this! 👇

Image 3: We have prepared a display at the Grosvenor Museum Chester, Coins Gallery, a summary of 30 works and our book, presenting the May 2025 Chester Photo Festival 1st edition and announcing the upcoming 2026 festival.

We are planning new open calls for participation in various events leading up to the 16-19 October Chester Photo Festival 2nd Edition, which we’ll announce on our website section Open Calls (https://chesterphotofestival.com/Open-Calls/) and on our social media channels.

27/11/2025

📸 Call for Papers: Trusting Voices and A.I. Symposium!
We are excited to announce a Call for Papers for our upcoming symposium: Trusting Voices and Artificial Intelligence.
The Question: How can photography play a constructive role in encouraging 'Trusting Voices' in an Age of A.I.?
This call for papers invites responses and propositions related to artificial intelligence, apparatus, technology, and materiality. See complete details at chesterphotofestival.com/Symposium

Key Details:
Symposium Dates: 17-18 April 2026
Abstract Deadline: 12 January 2026
Submission: Please send a 250 words paper abstract to [email protected] or via our website.
We look forward to reading your abstracts! Please share this call with your networks.

Chester Photo Festival

05/09/2025

A series of free photography workshops will take place at Winsford Library every Thursday, 5pm-6.30pm, starting this Thursday until 9 October.

Workshops will be run by Dr Alexandru Modoi and explore personal stories and feelings.

Book your place:
https://cwac.co/Gpjtk

23/05/2025