Day Program
12:00-17:00
Stage talks
What can images teach us about where we’ve been—and where we’re going? Curator and photo historian Saskia Asser joins World Press Photo’s Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury to reflect on the organization’s rich legacy, its role in shaping global visual storytelling, and the future of photojournalism.
13:30-14:15
Authentic collaboration
Ruth OssaiNigerian-British photographer Ruth Ossai brings a fresh perspective to portraiture, blending fashion, performance, and community storytelling. In this presentation, she shares how her vibrant imagery challenges stereotypes and reimagines how African identities are seen and celebrated.
14:15-15:00
Noorderlicht presents: Rauw Vermogen
Jedidja SmalbilInland shipping is the lifeblood of Groningen—an often unseen world of skippers whose work and pride connect the region to the wider world. Photographer Jedidja Smalbil, herself from a family of skippers, brings these stories to light in intimate portraits that honor both tradition and resilience on the water.
15:00-15:45
Changing the Frame
Andrew EsieboFrom documenting everyday life in Lagos to exploring themes of identity, migration, and urbanization, Andrew Esiebo has built a practice that bridges local stories and global conversations. In this presentation, he reflects on his photography practice, the development of his various bodies of work, and how they speak to shifting perspectives.
15:45-16:30
Challenging Erasure
Ashfika RahmanBangladeshi artist Ashfika Rahman uses photography to confront issues of justice, human rights, and collective memory. Working closely with marginalized communities, she creates powerful visual narratives that challenge silence and erasure. In this presentation, Ashfika speaks about her practice, the stories behind her projects, and how art can become a form of resistance.
Workshops
12:30-13:30 and 15:00-16:00
Visual Thinking Workshop: See What I See?
Anita Huynh, Mercedes Almagro Ocana, Naomi Purswani, Saba Askary
In today’s hyper-fast media landscape, we scroll past thousands of images a day, often on autopilot. But what happens when we slow down and truly see? In this Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) workshop, where we’ll pause to carefully observe and make meaning together from photographs in the What Have We Done? exhibition. Through collective looking and dialogue, participants will discover new ways of seeing, not only the details within an image, but also the perspectives of others who bring different experiences and understandings of the world.
You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation of what it means to look – thoughtfully, critically, and collectively.
13:30-14:30 and 16:00-17:00
Interactive session: Diving into archives
Beatrice Harbour and Mercedes Almagro Ocana
Since 1955, World Press Photo has been building an archive of photos, publications, posters, educational materials, and much more. Join us for an interactive workshop exploring how archives are selected, described, curated, and contextualised. We will look back over 70 years of the World Press Photo Contest through the stories that the archive tells us, and read between the lines to consider the voices that are missing.
Museumnacht Program
19:00-00:00
19:30-20:30
Workshop: See What I See?
Step into a world where images speak louder than words. In this accessible but hands-on workshop, we will dive into the fascinating art of visual learning together with World Press Photo. How do we make meaning, spark emotion, and ignite understanding through what we see in a picture? You’ll learn to look differently, think visually, and communicate what you see.
Whether you're a visual thinker, a curious creative, or just tired of words doing all the talking, this workshop invites you to see, feel, and learn in full color.
20:30-21:00 and 22:00-22:30
The Great Big Angry Fake News Quiz
Think you can separate AI from a real picture? Or spot the truth in a sea of false headlines and Facebook news posts? You can put your skills to the test in this quiz. We welcome queen of drag, Lola Lasagne, as our beloved presenter, and winners will have to fight for the ultimate prize: a Fujifilm Instax camera. And if you fail? Well, we will be very angry (especially Lola), and you will be going home without knowing if you will ever be able to trust the news again. Sad.
21:00-22:00
Workshop Mug Shots & Masterpieces
Did you know that your face tells a story? This informal workshop, partnered with World Press Photo, will teach you the magic of portraiture. What story does your face tell? It is all about personality, presence, and attitude. In any case, we will teach you how to capture real emotion, frame character, and how to tell a story with just a face. Pictures will be made with a Fujifilm Instax camera, and you can take the results home with you
22:00-00:00
Tiny Factory Fuif
Small, intimate disco party inside the supervisor station room in the factory. We don’t know what more to say. We have a DJ, drinks and some cool lights. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, if we have any say in it.
