Xposure 2026 Festival Opens in Sharjah with Big Public Turnout

The Xposure International Photography Festival 2026 opened at Aljada in Sharjah with a large public turnout on its first day. The festival is celebrating its 10th edition under the theme “A Decade of Visual Storytelling.”

Visitors explored exhibitions, interactive displays, and introductory sessions as the seven-day festival began its programme focused on photography, film, and visual storytelling. The event offers workshops for children and adults, public talks, panel discussions, portfolio review sessions, and opportunities to meet photographers and documentary filmmakers from around the world.

This year, the festival introduced a new interactive experience combining photography and live music. In one hall, photographic exhibitions were accompanied by musical performances of classic songs by Umm Kulthum and Fairuz. The music was performed by Julie Al Bahiri, a media student at the American University of Sharjah, along with Abdulrahman Tawfiq on the oud. The performance attracted visitors and created a lively creative atmosphere.

Xposure 2026 also focuses on education and professional development, with 280 portfolio review sessions, hands-on workshops, and discussions on editorial, documentary, and creative visual storytelling.

The festival is held across indoor and outdoor spaces covering 49,000 square metres at Aljada. It features 95 exhibitions with more than 3,200 artworks and over 570 visual events organised in 12 thematic zones.

The 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival will run from 29 January to 4 February 2026 in Sharjah.