On August 31st, An Ocean of Possibilities, the twenty-first edition of the Noorderlicht International Photofestival, will kick off and run until October 26th. We hope to see you in the Fries Museum, and at the ancillary locations, the Nature Museum Fryslân, Zaailand and the Blokhuispoort in Leeuwarden.

This year more than 60 photographers participate in the festival with work that in most cases has not been shown before in the Netherlands, or will have its world premiere in Leeuwarden. Visitors can enjoy a cross-section of the many forms in which photography manifests itself: as photojournalism, documentary photography, art and fashion photography, including mixed media collages and projects that work with found footage or arose out of a collaboration.

What unifies this diversity is the way in which the photographers - individually and out of personal engagement - give a voice to the central theme of An Ocean of Possibilities: the quest for renewed control over our future in the realization that the current status quo is not sustainable, and that we are not powerless by-standers, but can have a part in how that future unfolds.

We hope that An Ocean of Possibilities will be a starting point to think how and to what extent we can do things differently, and perhaps improve on them. Consider the collected work as a blueprint, a manifesto and an invitation to reflect. In turbulent times like these, it is easy to lose sight of all the constructive endeavours that are happening simultaneously. During the festival, we will create a digital platform where visitors can share their own experiences, stories or examples of ingenuity and ardour. We are curious to find out what visions inspire you to live more consciously, or to plot your own course.

Because Noorderlicht is an actively international event, An Ocean of Possibilities will travel to Singapore, where it is part of the Singapore International Photo Festival. From October 31 to December 28, 2014 the main exhibition with the work of 31 photographers will be on view at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.

The festival magazine, also available in printed version, can be previewed and browsed online via the following link.

Noorderlicht International Photofestival 2014
31 August to 26 October 2014
Open Tue- Sun 11 am - 5 pm

Main location: 
Fries Museum
Wilhelminaplein 92 
8911 BS Leeuwarden
The Netherlands