THE NORTHERN EYE 2025
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL
COLWYN BAY - OCTOBER
We can’t wait to welcome you back to the 2025 festival!
Our North Wales based biennial photography festival is now in its 6th edition.
Hosted in the town Colwyn Bay on the odd years, we’re a friendly festival that kind of likes being a little ‘odd’, different and non-exclusive with an overarching desire to champion photography and widen it’s reach.
Our honouring of photography is centred around a core Speaker’s Weekend, this year held on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th October, and hosted in the historic Theatr Colwyn building, the oldest working theatre in Wales and home of Oriel Colwyn.
Full Weekend Ticket - £60 (Student £35)
Individual Day Tickets - £35 (Student £20)
SPEAKERS WEEKEND
Saturday 4th / Sunday 5th October
FESTIVAL EXHIBITIONS
In an important addition to the speakers weekend, our popular FREE festival exhibition programme runs throughout the whole of October. It sees festival exhibitions pop-up across the town in an eclectic range of buildings and public spaces and allows us to playfully share, introduce, and showcase an incredible range of stories and images with the public.
OPEN CALL
Show us what you see…
PHOTOGRAPHS RENDERED IN PLAY-DOH
Eleanor Macnair
YOUTH CULTURE
Derek Ridgers
WHERE THE CARNEDDAU MEETS THE SEA
Mike Abrahams
UNBROKEN SOLUTIONS
Mark Phillips
THE INCONGRUOUS WALL
Aled Rhys Hughes
NOW DOLGARROG
Mark McNulty
THE EDGE OF RUIN
Marc Wilson
EXTRA{ORDINARY}
The Caravan Gallery
WHERE THE SOUL LIVES
Emily Hulme
WHAT WE DON’T SEE - UNLESS WE LOOK
Ethan Beswick, Rolf Kraehenbuehl & Robert Law
TAKE AWAY
David Garner & Emyr Payne
THE GREENHOUSE PROJECT
Calum Heywood
IN PRESENCE OF STILL WATER
Orrin Saint-Pierre
AN ORDINARY EDEN
Margaret Mitchell
SWIFT RIVER
Holly-Marie Cato
FREE FESTIVAL EVENTS
FREE FFOTO BOOTH
@ Porth Eirias
WEDNESDAY 22nd OCTOBER
(7pm / doors 6.30pm)
Talk Photo with Craig Easton
Photographer Talk hosted in Oriel Colwyn - Limited FREE/Donation based tickets
FRIDAY 31st OCTOBER
(7pm / doors 6.30pm)
Festival Short Film Premiere
Halloween Screening - FREE/Donation based tickets
PAST EVENTS
THURSDAY 16th OCTOBER
(7pm / doors 6.30pm)
Nick Hedges: Home in the Shadows
- film screening (with director’s talk by Dan Watts)
Hosted in Oriel Colwyn - limited tickets
FRIDAY 3rd OCTOBER - (11am - 4pm)
Walk and Process: Photo Walk with Eddie OtChere
FRIDAY 3rd OCTOBER - (4pm - 6pm)
The Caravan Gallery - extra{ordinary} - 10 years on
- GALLERY EXHIBITION Opening with Jan and Chris
SOCIAL
The Northern Eye is renowned for its exceptionally friendly social atmosphere, and you will be thrilled to know that this year will be no different!
Our beloved Saturday night social ‘Curry Night’ event for Speakers’ Weekend attendees is making a welcome return, offering a wonderful opportunity to connect with speakers and fellow festival goers in a fun and informal setting. Spaces are limited - find out more info and reserve your space HERE
The Northern Eye Photography Festival is organised by the Oriel Colwyn photography gallery and works in partnership with Aberystwyth's The Eye Festival (which is usually hosted on the even years) to ensure a yearly photography festival in Wales.