About Us
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale (Ballarat Foto.) is a world-class arts organisation delivering an internationally significant photographic arts festival, activating the city of Ballarat and enriching the cultural landscape of Victoria and Australia, every two years.
2025 is the 11th anniversary of the festival which was established in 2005. Since its inception, Ballarat Foto has seen audiences grow to over 250,000 and has contributed more than $28 million in direct economic impact.
Over 60 days from August to October Ballarat Foto delivers
– A curated Core Program showcasing Australian and international artists;
– An Open Program of new artists;
– Workshops and public programs, artist-in-residence and more.
Jeff Moorfoot OAM is the founder of the organisation, starting the event in the regional Victorian town of Daylesford before it relocated to Ballarat as the festival expanded. Jeff retired in 2015 as the driving force behind Australia’s largest and most comprehensive international festival of photography. Future festivals have featured renowned artists including David LaChapelle, Liu Bolin, The Linda McCartney: Retrospective and Platon’s People Power.
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is also currently developing a permanent gallery and art institution. The National Centre for Photography will be located in a beautiful heritage-listed former bank building in the heart of Ballarat.
Ballarat International Foto Biennale is an invited member of the International Biennale Association and led the formation of the Asia Pacific Photoforum. It is the only Oceanic Member of the Festival of Light and is now in the process of establishing a National Centre for Photography (NCFP) in Ballarat.
2005 to 2015 Jeff Moorfoot OAM – founder and Artistic Director
2016 to 2021 Fiona Sweet – Artistic Director and CEO
2022 to current Vanessa Gerrans – Artistic Director and CEO
