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                               WELCOME TO THE BALLARAT INTERNATIONAL FOTO BIENNALE

BALLARAT PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL JOINS WORLD GROUP

December 2009

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale [BIFB] has  just been accepted for membership into the Festival de la Luz or Festival of Light [FOL], a grouping of 32 festivals of photography worldwide, including some of the biggest and most important similar events on 5 continents. The announcement was made in Buenos Aires by  FOL Director and Director General of the Argentina Festival 'Enceuntros Abiertos' Ms Elda Harrington.

Ballarat is the first Australian photography festival to be accepted as a member festival, following  the hugely successful BIFB’09 in September, and membership gives recognition to the impact that such a young festival has already made on the international photography stage. The application for Ballarat to join was proposed by BIFB board member Senga Peckham at the FOL directors meeting in Paris in November, and was considered along with applications by festivals from Luxembourg and Turin by the  directors of 15 festivals which make up the FOL executive. The BIFB received a unanimous 15 votes for admission while Luxembourg was also accepted as a new member with 13 votes.

Membership of the FOL confirms the Ballarat festival as Australia’s pre-eminent photographic event, and opens the door for exchange of dialogue, exhibitions and ideas between Australian photographers and international photographic artists. As well as giving the BIFB a truly world-wide profile, inclusion into the group will also benefit potential multi-national sponsors with branding into the huge international arts and culture market.

Said festival director Jeff Moorfoot “being accepted as a member of FOL is a significant step in the evolution of the BIFB. It acknowledges the status of the Ballarat festival on the international stage, and affords us the ability to attract bigger and better overseas shows and audience to future Ballarat events. But more importantly, gives the opportunity to promote Australian photographers and photography at international festivals around the world. We look forward to working with fellow Festival of Light members in the promotion of the global photographic milieu ".

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale started out as the Daylesford Foto Biennale [DFB], with its inaugural event in 2005. Following the success of  the second Daylesford event in 2007, and due to its exponential growth and popularity, which stretched the capacity of Daylesford to stage the growing event, the festival relocated to Ballarat in 2009. The BIFB has an agreement with the City of Ballarat to stage the festival again in 2011 and 2013.

Preparations for the next Ballarat International Foto Biennale in 2011 are well under way.  Exact festival dates are expected to be announced soon.

BIFB HAS A NEW POSTAL ADDRESS

March 1st 2010

To consolidate the relocation of the festival office to Ballarat we have a new postal address - PO Box 41 Ballarat Vic 3353. Please amend your records to reflect the fact.  Don’t despair if you have sent something to the old address as we will continue the Daylesford  po box for a few months yet.

BECOME A BIFB INC MEMBER

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is a not for profit incorporated association. Running the festival is a huge logistical exercise for a largely volunteer organisation, and membership is one of the limited opportunities we have to generate income. For just $40 [plus a once off joining fee of $15] you can become a BIFB member.

Memberships are per festival, and renewals fall due at the Annual General Meeting following the festival. Apart from helping us to keep festival events free or at the lowest possible cost, members are also entitled to discounts on festival merchandise, event registrations, workshop registrations and a range of other benefits. Members are also eligible to nominate for board or committee positions and to vote at the AGM and special general meetings.

Click this link and we will send you out a membership application form.

LAUREN SIMONUTTI SHOW OPENS IN  CHICAGO

January 8th 2010

BIFB’09 Core Program artist Lauren Simonutti opened her debut show at the Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago. The show is a coup for Lauren, as the gallery also represents such luminaries as Joel-Peter Witkin, Michael Kenna, Roger Ballen,  and a host of other important contemporary names [although Lauren qualifies by stating that it has taken her 25 years to attract gallery representation

         ARE YOU ON OUR EMAIL LIST?

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Register tday so you don’t miss out on any vital information regarding BIFB’11 - one of the biggest, most important and respected photographic event in Australia.

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