SPARK Photo Festival Welcoming Submissions From the Community, Celebrating Ten-Year-Anniversary

April 2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of the SPARK Photo Festival, and plans are underway to celebrate the past decade and focus toward the future of photography through Open Call Exhibits.

Photo courtesy of SPARK Photo Festival.

Each year since 2013, photography exhibits are displayed in public places throughout Peterborough, Northumberland and City of Kawartha Lakes and the festival has become a much-anticipated arts event.

All photographers are welcome to the Open Call Exhibits, whether you shoot with high-tech equipment, smart phone or a vintage film camera. Displays can be printed, framed, on canvas, posters or even a projection project, as long as it features still photography, it fits into SPARK.

“The SPARK Photo Festival exists for the community. Our free-to-visit festival is accessible to all and highlights the local photography talent that abounds in the region,” says Ken Powell, chair and board of directors member. “We are delighted to be marking this 10th anniversary and have many favourite festival components returning, plus new innovations.”

The Juried Exhibit has been growing each year with a record number of entries from photographers across Ontario for 2022. SPARK is now accepting photographers’ entries for next year’s theme of Water.

The competition is open to all Ontario residents, and each photographer is eligible to submit up to 3 images. All submitted images are judged by a jury of photography professionals. The top 25 images will be exhibited at Chasing the Cheese in Peterborough, and the best of the best will be awarded with cash prizes. Submissions close Feb. 1.

Photographers interested in showing their work but don’t know where to start will have the opportunity to apply for a program for first-time exhibitors. Full details of the new Emerging Artists Exhibit program are to be released soon.

For all details for the Open Call Exhibits and Themed Juried Exhibit and online entry, visit the SPARK website.

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Photography Contest Takes Place of Postponed Festival

SPARK Photo Festival has teamed up with Sparkplug Coffee and PhotoED Magazine for a new Canada-wide photography competition announced on Friday.

The contest calls for the best, most captivating, unique Coffee-at-Home images for the “Focus on Coffee” competition.

“We're looking for images that catch our attention, tell us your story about your at-home coffee experiences and nourish us like the first coffee of the day, “ said Jennifer MacKenzie, Festival Director. “We want to stay home and stay inspired creatively — together in 2021.”

First place will earn a year of Sparkplug Coffee and a year’s subscription to PhotoED Magazine.

The winning image will be featured on the packaging of a special edition Sparkplug X SPARK Photo Festival 2021 Coffee and the image will be exhibited at the 2021 SPARK Photo Festival.

The event was created after the festival was postponed to September by the SPARK Photo Festival Board of Directors.

“In the current pandemic environment, the health and safety of our community’s citizens, our photographers and those working at our venues, are the most important considerations at this time,” said MacKenzie.

Submission is free and open to Canadian residents except for Quebec. Photographers of any level are welcome and encouraged to submit before March 21 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

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PTBOCanada's Fall Photo Contest

We received quite a few photos for PTBOCanada's Fall Photo Contest and want to thank everyone who entered!

Congratulations to Linda Mac for this great example of a scenic moment in Peterborough's Jackson Park. You win a copy of The Digital Colour Printing Handbook by Tim Daly!

We will host more photo contests in the future, so keep your eyes out for more scenic moments in Peterborough.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Calling All Photographers: PTBOCanada Fall Photo Contest

The days are getting shorter, the colours are fading... and we want you to show us your photos to liven things up. Send your best outdoor photo(s) taken in the Peterpatch to PTBOCanada's creative director Evan Holt for the chance to win The Digital Colour Printing Handbook by Tim Daly. Evan will pick the winning photo on November 30th, and it will be displayed here.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.