When does the OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival 2026 take place?

The festival runs from September 24 to October 18, 2026, in Mannheim and Heidelberg.

Where is the festival center located?

The festival center is located at PORT25 – Space for Contemporary Art at Hafenstraße 25–27 in Mannheim.

How many exhibitions are there at the ZWISCHENfestival?

The program includes nine curated exhibitions featuring over 30 artistic positions.

What program points are there besides the exhibitions?

The exhibition program is complemented by workshops, artist talks, and a screening night.

Which artists are involved?

The mentioned positions include the Berlin collective Hahn+Hartung with The Last Summer and Josefine Rauch with Temple Road. A total of more than 30 photographers are participating.

What is the entrance fee?

Information on a specific entrance fee has not been confirmed in the researched sources.

When Photography Reflects the Present: The OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival Rediscovers Mannheim

Name: OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival
Start: 2026-10-01T11:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-01T23:59:00+02:00
Location: PORT25 – Raum für Gegenwartskunst

OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival 2026: Contemporary Photography between Reflection and Escapism

From September 24 to October 18, 2026, the OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival transforms Mannheim and Heidelberg into a versatile platform for contemporary photography. At PORT25 – Space for Contemporary Art, a multi-week festival experience begins with curated exhibitions, over 30 artistic positions, and a diverse accompanying program.

A Festival Center for the Regional Photography Scene

The PORT25 on Mannheim's Hafenstraße serves as the festival center for the ZWISCHENfestival. The exhibition halls create space for photographic series that observe, question, and reassemble current social realities. Among other highlights at the opening are the series The Last Summer by the Berlin collective Hahn+Hartung and Temple Road by Josefine Rauch in collaboration with ON FILM LAB Frankfurt.

Nine Curated Exhibitions, One Common Question of the Present

The OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival presents nine curated exhibitions in Mannheim and Heidelberg. The works address ecological emergencies, geopolitical conflicts, and social upheavals. Between documentation and abstraction, crisis awareness and escapism, new perspectives emerge on a world whose familiar certainties are shaking.

Photography in Unusual Locations

The festival organization advocates for an open tour through established art spaces and special OFF SPACES. In addition to PORT25, the Mannheim exhibition venues include C-Hub in Jungbusch, Numa.Works, 68 Gallery, LANGER. Space for Photography, Strümpfe – The Supper Artclub, and Abendakademie Mannheim. In Heidelberg, the Leica Gallery, Department #16, and Westend Gallery complement the festival program.

Artist Talks, Workshops, and Screening Night

The line-up of the ZWISCHENfestival is not limited to the exhibition spaces. Workshops, artist talks, and a screening night expand the program and promote direct exchange between artists and the audience. This creates a lively sense of community that makes photography as an artistic practice, discussion space, and shared experience tangible.

Experience, Exchange, and New Visual Worlds

Since 2014, OFF//FOTO has stood for the promotion of artistic and documentary photography in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Following the successful festival year 2025 with 76 exhibitions at 55 locations and over 200 participating artists, the ZWISCHENfestival continues this regional tradition in a concentrated form. Instead of a classic main stage, the festival offers a parcours through galleries, project spaces, and cultural institutions.

Visitors can expect an intense multi-day experience with changing exhibitions, personal encounters, and an open festival atmosphere. Those who want to not only view contemporary photography but also experience it in its social contexts will find numerous connections at the OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival.

Conclusion: Photography as a View on a Dynamic Present

The OFF//FOTO ZWISCHENfestival connects the regional photography scene, supra-regional artistic positions, and curatorial polyphony. At PORT25 and other locations in Mannheim and Heidelberg, a festival emerges for all who wish to discover new visual languages, ask questions about the present, and experience art in direct exchange. A visit leads right into the photographic present of the Rhine-Neckar region.