Welcome to this year’s 20th annual PhotoNOLA Festival of photography here in New Orleans. PhotoNOLA celebrates photography the month of December throughout the city with exhibitions, artist talks and workshops. A portfolio review, PhotoBOOK Fair and educational programming will take place December 10-14th.
SCHEDULE – TICKETS
EXHIBITIONS – AUCTION
Opening Night at NOMA
Wednesday, December 10 | New Orleans Museum of Art | NOMA Auditorium, City Park | 1 Collins Diboll Circle
Join us to open the 20th PhotoNOLA Festival with a screening of Chasing the Light: A Life Through Photographs — a new documentary celebrating the life and legacy of renowned New Orleans photographer and gallerist Joshua Mann Pailet.
Presented in partnership with the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA).
Thursday Keynote Lecture with Zanele Muholi + Black & White Gala
Thursday, December 11 | Le Petit Théâtre & Tableau | French Quarter, New Orleans
The night begins with a Patron Reception at Tableau with music by Sunpie Barnes followed by a keynote lecture by Zanele Muholi at Le Petit Theatre. Muholi is an internationally acclaimed South African visual activist whose powerful work honors and uplifts the lives of LGBTQIA+ communities. Muholi’s keynote promises to be a powerful and inspiring highlight of the festival.
Due to construction at the corner St. Peter and Chartres Streets, the entrances of La Petite Theatre and Tableau are not directly accessible via vehicle. La Petite Theatre and Tableau can still be accessed via sidewalks, which are open. Parking is available in public lots on Toulouse between Chartres and Decatur and across Decatur Street.
Following the keynote, the Black & White Gala (7:30–10:30 PM) continues next door at Tableau — with an evening of live music, food, drinks, a Photo booth by NOLA Photo Lounge, and a curated auction in support of the New Orleans Photo Alliance.
Guests may also attend the Patron Party (6:30–7:30 PM) for early access and mingling with artists, curators, and sponsors.
This year’s events are presented with generous support from the Feinman Foundation and mark a milestone 20th anniversary for PhotoNOLA.
Schedule
6:30–7:30 PM — Patron Party at Tableau
7:00–8:15 PM — Music by Sunpie Barnes followed by the Keynote Lecture with Zanele Muholi at Le Petit Theatre
7:30–10:30 PM — Black & White Gala at Tableau
Dress Code: Black & White — Cocktail or Artist Funky
Tickets: Festival Pass ($50, includes Keynote) • Gala Ticket ($100, sold separately)
All proceeds support the New Orleans Photo Alliance and PhotoNOLA’s year-round exhibitions, education, and community programming.
Friday Night at the Ogden Museum: CURRENTS + PhotoWALK
Friday, December 12 | 5:30 PM-9:00 PM Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Spend Friday evening immersed in photography at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
Begin with a curator-led walkthrough of The Unending Stream at 5:30 with Richard McCabe, followed by the opening of CURRENTS 2025 and a curator talk with Brian Piper at 6:30 PM.
The night culminates in the PhotoWALK 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM— featuring work by photographers from PhotoNOLA’s Portfolio Reviews, Book Publishers and Sponsors. Meet the artists, explore and take home new work and photo books.
Saturday Highlights: PhotoBOOK Fair, Citywide Exhibition Openings + Closing Party with fstop/504
Saturday, December 13 | 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Ogden Museum of Southern Art – Patrick F. Taylor Library + venues citywide + 4th Wall
Begin your day at the PhotoBOOK Fair at the Ogden Museum’s Patrick F. Taylor Library, featuring independent publishers, photobook launches, and artist signings and presentations.
Later, join us for citiwide exhibitions in venues across New Orleans. Reconnect and celebrate at the official PhotoNOLA closing party at Fourth Wall in partnership with fstop/504.
Sunday: The 2025 Jules L. Cahn John H. Lawrence Photography Lectureseries + Community Gathering
Sunday, December 14 | 1:00–4:00 PM I Presented in partnership with The Historic New Orleans Collection
Wrap up PhotoNOLA Festival with the annual Jules L. Cahn John H. Lawrence Lecture, exploring the theme “New Orleans in the ’90s.” This special program reflects on the city’s photographic life before the digital era — from fine art and photojournalism to the community snapshots that captured everyday culture before Hurricane Katrina.
The afternoon will feature conversations with photographers, curators, and journalists who documented and shaped this pivotal time in New Orleans’ visual history, followed by a relaxed reception and community photo sharing.
Presented in partnership with The Historic New Orleans Collection, supported by the Cahn Family
