The European Month of Photography, or EMOP for short, is an association of various photography festivals held in European capitals. Founded in 2004 by the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris, together with the cities of Berlin and Vienna, the network was subsequently joined by other European capitals such as Athens, Bratislava, Brussels, Budapest, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Luxembourg, Moscow, and Rome.

Currently, the cities of Berlin, Brussels, Lisbon, Luxembourg, and Vienna are actively collaborating. What all partners share is the commitment to hosting a photography festival in their respective capitals, either annually or biennially.

The European EMOP Network is dedicated to strengthening the culture of photography festivals, a field that has been steadily growing over the years, and to making this culture more visible. It reaches beyond national boundaries, demonstrating that more and more spaces are being created for photography – the defining visual medium of our time – where its social and artistic dimensions are continually explored and redefined.

At the heart of the European Network lies the exchange of ideas around historical and contemporary artistic photography, the support of emerging international artists, and the presentation of photography through exhibitions and other forms of mediation.

aim

The aim of the European Month of Photography Network is to foster cooperation at the European level, strengthen the international photography scene, enhance the exchange of knowledge and experience, and support emerging artists. The results of this collaboration are showcased in exhibitions and/or other mediation formats as part of each city’s respective photo festival. These may include publications, artist talks, or panel discussions.

young talents: arendt award

A key initiative of the EMOP Network is the biennial nomination of five international artists for the
ARENDT AWARD.
Nominations are made based on a theme announced in advance by the network. The nomination process includes an exhibition of the artists’ work in Luxembourg, as well as the acquisition of their work and a publication highlighting their artistic practice.

Since 2014, the award has been presented by the Luxembourg-based law firm Arendt & Medernach and is awarded every two years as part of the Luxembourg edition of the festival, EMOPLUX.

festivals of the EMOP network