Sharjah’s Xposure Festival Ends, Draws 34,000 Visitors

Sharjah, UAE: His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, attended the closing ceremony of the 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival on Wednesday evening.

The ceremony was held at the Photography Gallery in Al Manakh, Sharjah. The festival attracted 34,000 visitors, including photographers, filmmakers, visual arts enthusiasts, and people interested in photography and visual storytelling.

New Legacy Awards Launched

During the ceremony, Sheikh Sultan honoured the winners of the Xposure Legacy Awards, launched for the first time in the festival’s 10th edition. These awards reflect Xposure’s aim to establish photography as a long-term knowledge and cultural resource, beyond its artistic value.

The awards were presented in three categories:

• Noor Ali Rashid Legacy Award for Documentary Vision
  Awarded to Giles Clarke for his exhibition “A Decade Documenting Humanitarian Crises”.
  This category recognises documentary exhibitions that highlight humanitarian and social issues with honesty and responsibility.

• Saleh Al Ustad Legacy Award for Creative Photography
  Awarded to Dmitry Ersler for the exhibition “Russia at Dusk”.
  This award celebrates creative excellence and artistic innovation in photography.

• BEEAH Award for Environmental and Conservation Photography
  Sponsored by BEEAH, and awarded to Greg Lecoeur for his exhibition “A Vibrant Sea”.
  The category highlights powerful photography focused on the environment and conservation.

How the Awards Were Selected

The Xposure Legacy Awards were created as a new cultural initiative for this year and were given only to exhibitions participating in the 10th edition. The winners were selected using a dual evaluation model, combining public engagement and expert critical assessment.

Partners and Sponsors Honoured

Sheikh Sultan also honoured the festival’s partners and sponsors from government entities and private companies, appreciating their role in supporting the event and helping strengthen Xposure’s position as a global platform for photography and visual content creation.

Festival Focused on Real Global Issues

This year’s edition reinforced Xposure’s growing international status. The festival expanded beyond displaying photography and films and became a space for raising awareness about humanitarian, environmental, and social issues through:

• Panel discussions

• Film screenings

• Visual storytelling experiences

The festival also provided photographers and filmmakers opportunities to share real-world stories through cross-cultural visual language.

Workshops Supported Young Talent

Xposure also created an educational environment through specialised workshops. These sessions helped students, amateurs, and photography and filmmaking enthusiasts develop skills and learn directly from international experts, supporting their journey from passion to professionalism.

Deputy Ruler Visits Gulf Coast Exhibition

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Sheikh Sultan visited the exhibition “Photographic Encounters Along the Gulf Coasts”. The exhibition features 165 photographs and archival documents from the collection of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
The exhibition highlights the role of photography in understanding and interpreting history.

Officials Present at the Ceremony

Several senior officials attended the closing ceremony, including:

• Khaled Al Huraimel, CEO of BEEAH

• Idris Mohammed Al Rafi, CEO of Invest Bank

• Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority

• Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of Sharjah Government Media Bureau

• Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council

• Abdullah Abdulrahman Al Shamsi, Director General of Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority

The event was also attended by representatives of sponsors, partners, and a large number of photographers and visual arts enthusiasts.