Emerging photographers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland are being invited to apply to a new Fotografiska Tallinn platform, culminating in a group exhibition in May 2026.
Fotografiska Tallinn, the contemporary photography museum based in the Estonian capital and part of the international Fotografiska network, is launching a new regional platform aimed squarely at photographers who are still shaping their artistic voice.
The initiative, Fotografiska Emerging Artists: The Baltics + Finland, seeks to identify, support and amplify emerging talent from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, while connecting those voices to Fotografiska’s growing global network.
The programme’s first major outcome will be a group exhibition opening in May 2026 at Fotografiska Tallinn, featuring up to six artists selected through an open call. Applications are open until the end of January 2026, with artists chosen annually thereafter.
Unlike age-limited talent schemes, the platform is open to photographers of all ages who are at an early stage of their creative journey or whose work has yet to gain wider regional visibility. The emphasis is on strong visual language and coherent, previously unexhibited projects that engage with contemporary and topical themes. While photography remains at the core, the call also welcomes video works, mixed media and installation-based approaches rooted in photographic practice.
For selected artists, the programme offers more than just wall space. Participants will receive personalised mentorship, opportunities to engage with curators and field experts, visibility through Fotografiska’s communication channels, and a role in public programming and workshops. The aim, organisers say, is to provide a professional yet supportive environment in which emerging practitioners can experiment, take risks and develop alongside peers within an internationally connected exhibition context.
“We have long wanted to create a platform that focuses intentionally on artists who are shaping their path in photography,” said Margit Aasmäe, executive director and co-founder of Fotografiska Tallinn. “Offering them visibility through Fotografiska’s stage, alongside a supported space for growth, felt like a natural next step.”
Aasmäe stressed the importance of the programme’s cross-border scope. “A cross-regional perspective allows different voices, themes and visual approaches to come together – those currently energising young contemporary art. We hope to see representation from every country in the first exhibition and to continue that momentum in the years to come,” she said.
Applications must be submitted as a single PDF in English, including 15–20 images or reproductions, a project description and, preferably, a short artistic statement. While the January deadline applies to the 2026 exhibition, the application form will remain open on a rolling basis for future projects. Artist selection will be made by the Fotografiska Tallinn exhibitions team in collaboration with Fotografiska’s international team.
The programme is led by Kulla Laas, a curator and arts and education professional who served as director of the Tallinn Photomonth Contemporary Art Biennial from 2021 to 2025 and sits on the board of the Estonian Association of Photographic Artists.
At an institutional level, the Tallinn initiative is tied to Fotografiska’s wider global Emerging Artists programme, which aims to curate and showcase new voices working in lens-based, time-based and prompt-based image-making across its international venues. That global initiative is set to launch formally in spring next year.
