News from Dark Peak Photo about Festival 26
Happy New Year from Dark Peak Photo
January and February don’t have to be filled with dark days, we’re kicking off 2026 with exciting opportunities, big plans, and creative energy for our photography community.
Thank You for an Incredible 2025
First of all, thank you for all the support throughout 2025. Together we achieved so much:
Dark Peak Photo Lite Festival - an open call exhibition with workshops and a sponsored photography walk supported by Glossop Creates
Visitors joining us from across Europe, with open call entries from all over the UK
A funded collaboration with Glossop Creates and designer BenJac on the photography book Wild Valley, featuring images from open call participants and curated by the Dark Peak Photo team
The Wander book, sharing the route and multiple photographic perspectives from our Glossop walk and walks that cover History, art and interesting places in Glossop that you won't find on google
Both books will inspire photographers visiting the area and are available to purchase here:
www.wearelocal.org.uk/shop or visit Dark Peak Books on the High Street.
Dark Peak Photo Festival 2026 - GLOSSOP
20–22 February 2026 (Friday–Sunday)
We’re delighted to announce that the festival returns in 2026, and we’re aiming big, just like our 2024 edition, with a full programme of:
Exhibitions
Workshops
Talks
Festival Theme: IDENTITY
OPEN CALL — NOW LIVE
The Open Call is officially open, and we invite you to respond to the theme Identity.
We’ll be sharing essays and creative starting points on our website to spark inspiration.
Deadline: 21 January (this cannot be extended — please don’t delay!)
Link to Enter: https://www.curatorspace.com/opportunities/detail/dark-peak-photo-festival--open-call/10146
✨ Why enter?
One of the cheapest open calls around
No submission fee — payment only if selected
Open to everyone: from experienced photographic artists to phone photographers who’ve never exhibited before
We’re already seeing fantastic entries and can’t wait to bring the exhibition together.
Workshops
We’re thrilled to have received a Derbyshire Makes grant, allowing us to subsidise photography technique workshops this year.
Workshops will go live mid-January Demand is expected to be high
Best ways to stay informed: Follow Dark Peak Photo on Eventbrite Keep an eye out for our next newsletter
Exhibitions
Our biggest exhibition announcement yet:
Main Exhibition at The Old Town Hall, the event space within Glossop’s newly renovated Market Hall
A headline exhibition featuring exciting photographic work (currently being secured)
Additional exhibition spaces across Glossop, driven by photographers with support from Dark Peak Photo - we are not looking for submissions at this time.
Website listings and social media promotion for participating exhibitions
How the Festival Is Funded
Dark Peak Photo is run by a small volunteer team who give their time for free. As a CIC, we can access small funding pots and hope to secure larger grants in the future.
We believe in transparency:
The Open Call directly funds the festival
In 2026, Open Call income will go into the headline exhibition, covering the hire of exhibition walls, fixings, and insurance.
By entering the Open Call, you’re actively supporting and sustaining Dark Peak Photo
Volunteers Needed
To grow bigger, we need more volunteers!
Volunteer Meeting: Wednesday 14 January 7:00 pm
Market Hall, Glossop
We’re looking for help with:
Hanging exhibitions
Distributing flyers
Social media support
General organisation
Any skills you’d like to offer
Even 2–3 hours makes a huge difference.
Can’t attend the meeting? Please email darkpeakphoto123@gmail.com
Dark Peak Photo runs on the power of collective effort, and what we’ve achieved over the last two years proves what’s possible together.
Happy New Year and thank you for being part of Dark Peak Photo.
We can’t wait to make new connections and build an even bigger photography network in 2026.
Kind regards
The Dark Peak Photo Team
instagram @ dark_peak__photo