In celebration of the 15 years anniversary for Darat Al Tasweer and after producing 9 successful editions of the Image Festival Amman, We are pleased to announce the 10th edition of the festival under the theme “Gratitude” “امتنان” celebrating the Festival editions, our partners and artists. The Image Festival Amman, organized by Darat Al Tasweer, since 2011, in partnership with many local and international institutes, aims to create a gathering platform for photographers in the region, attract a wider audience and create opportunities for sustainable cultural exchanges, involving both professional and amateur photographers. Altogether, more than 300 photographers from all over the world presented their work in the framework of the Festival, becoming an expected cultural event in the capital, known as well as the longest cultural event to happen in Amman and the region that associates a great number of partners and artists. After the first edition in 2011, a theme, that guidelines the Festival, is proposed: [ Re ] evolution in 2012, Macro & Me in 2013. Together in 2014, Future in 2016, Identity in 2017, Home in 2018, and Wandering was the theme of the 8th edition of the Festival in 2019. In 2020 for the 9th edition due to the lockdown, we had to cancel the festival, but we managed to launch it in September 2021 under the theme “Filastine” with 38 exhibitions for photographers from all over the world. In addition to the many exhibitions related to the theme, the Festival offers workshops/meetings with our guest photographers, portfolio reading by professionals, residential programs, publications and a photography competition.

Curator

Linda Al Khoury

I would like to start by expressing my thanks and gratitude to everyone who took part in our journey that led us to this point today, as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Darat al Tasweer and the 10th edition of the Image Festival Amman. Over the years, we have worked so hard and we continue to do so as part of our vision at Darat al Tasweer; to create a scene that puts us in the place we deserve on the global map, and we are proud to see that Jordan has become part of the community of specialized photography festivals around the world. Moving forward, we stand today with the hope to create networking paths that connect local photographers with international publishers. When I started this effort, my mission was to see the country I love celebrate its richness of visual and documentary content. As I find myself today getting on the verge of making that dream come to life, I feel more determined to keep going despite all the challenges we face as cultural activities. We have no option but to keep fighting even when we often feel defenseless. What makes this year of the Image Festival Amman feel more special is the opening exhibition and the lineup of participating artists from all over the world, starting with the 65th edition of the World Press Photo awards, and including 21 group and solo photography exhibitions. Moreover, this edition brings to audiences and young photographers a series of hands-on workshops, crash courses, artist talks and portfolio review sessions, with a list of photography specialists who join us to share their experience. As we continue to move, we look forward to achieving more.