Photo London returns for its 11th edition this year with a major shift: the UK’s leading photography fair has moved to a new home at Olympia in Kensington, marking the start of what organisers describe as a new phase for the event.
The historic venue, currently undergoing a £1.3 billion redevelopment led by Heatherwick Studio, provides a dramatically expanded setting for the fair, allowing Photo London to rethink its format as it enters its second decade.
Founders Michael Benson and Fariba Farshad say the move signals both growth and renewed international ambition.
“We are incredibly proud of the team who have brought together an impressive group of galleries for the launch of this new era at Olympia, including newcomers from as far afield as India and Africa,”
“It proves London remains a powerful draw for international galleries.”
The 2026 edition brings together a strong global roster of exhibitors, with returning galleries such as HackelBury Fine Art, Akio Nagasawa (Tokyo), FishEye (Paris) and Curatorial (London), alongside newcomers including Photo Ink (Delhi), presenting work celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The fair also introduces several expanded sections. Discovery, curated by critic Charlotte Jansen, continues to spotlight emerging photographers and experimental practices, while Positions, curated by Maria Sukkar, focuses on artists working without gallery representation.
A new curated trail titled Source, overseen by photography specialist Tristan Lund, highlights historically significant artists whose work has been overlooked by institutions, with presentations ranging from Rosalind Fox Solomon’s AIDS-era portraits to Alfredo Jaar’s Searching for Africa in Life.
Another new addition this year is a dedicated screening room for artists’ films, reflecting photography’s increasing overlap with moving image. The programme includes work by Wu Chia-Yun, Carolina Baldomá, Alys Tomlinson, and Sarah Moon, among others.
Photo London director Sophie Parker says the relocation has created space to expand many of the fair’s most popular elements.
“The move to Olympia creates a unified experience that has sparked incredible enthusiasm from new and returning galleries alike,” she said. “Discovery, Positions and Publishing are bigger than ever, and new initiatives such as the screening room deepen our commitment to the many forms photography now takes.”
Among the fair’s headline presentations is a special exhibition dedicated to legendary fashion photographer Steven Meisel, who rarely exhibits publicly. The show focuses on portraits made in London early in his career, capturing the anarchic energy of the city’s fashion scene.
© Steven Meisel
Elsewhere, Autograph presents We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, a group exhibition of women and non-binary artists from its collection, including Zanele Muholi, Carrie Mae Weems, Ingrid Pollard and Joy Gregory, exploring how photographers have reshaped the visual archive over the past four decades.
Photo London’s publishing programme has also expanded significantly, bringing together independent publishers and photography book specialists from around the world, reinforcing the central role of the photobook within the medium.
With new sections, international exhibitors and expanded programming, the move to Olympia signals an ambitious new chapter for the fair as it enters its second decade.
Photo London 14th-17 May 2026, photolondon.org
Preview: Wednesday 13 May 2026
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