Greater Cincinnati’s biggest event celebrating lens-based art will return next year for its eighth iteration, and organizers are letting us in on the newest theme.
FotoFocus, a local nonprofit arts organization that helps create dialogue between contemporary lens-based art and the history of photography, will host its next Biennial — a month-long series of exhibitions taking place across various venues throughout the region — in October 2026, with the theme “The Long View.”
The phrase is literal when it comes to photography, with long view serving two primary functions: long-distance vision and long-duration viewing. But “long view” also implies a broader perspective, says FotoFocus, with an emphasis on distance, duration and how we should consider both the past and the future.
The theme comes at a time when the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and FotoFocus wants this Biennial to encourage attendees to reflect on the country’s history, as well as its future. Selected art will focus on the aspects of time and perspective in photography and film and how these media shape our understanding of the world.
“Our country is undergoing a lot of turbulence as it approaches its 250th anniversary, and a lot of us are anxiously caught up in the moment, worried about what the future holds,” FotoFocus artistic director and curator Kevin Moore said in a press release. “The Long View suggests we might benefit from gaining a broader perspective by looking to the past to better imagine a future.”
This Biennial will also mark the first in FotoFocus’ new space, where it will host select events. Other venues will include museums, galleries, universities and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Northern Kentucky. Venues are welcome to apply with proposals that embody “The Long View” theme, focusing on a range of topics like:
- Addressing history and collective memory
- Imagining life in the near or distant future
- Addressing time and duration
- Exploring the technical challenges of distance and perspective as factors contributing to the meaning of lens-based imagery
- Considering the present moment within a longer historical framework
Applications are available here and will be due Sept. 5, 2025. Curators and artists will also be able to pitch an exhibition, with up to $10,000 to be awarded in support of each project. That application link will go live on Aug. 1, with the deadline also on Sept. 5.
Since its inception in 2012, FotoFocus’ Biennial has attracted over 1 million visitors. The Opening Weekend will be held on Oct. 1-3 and include programming like talks, tours, panel discussions, and receptions.
You can learn more about FotoFocus here.
This article appears in Apr 16-29, 2025.
