Portsmouth photography takes centre stage as Pompey Darkroom brings young talent and established artists together for Photo Fringe 2026

From the next generation of local image-makers to artists exploring the stories held within archives, Pompey Darkroom presents two exhibitions as part of Photo Fringe 2026, celebrating Portsmouth’s creative community and the power of photography to bring different perspectives into view.

Image by Emma Wheatley. | Emma Wheatley.

placeholder image — Image by Emma Wheatley. | Emma Wheatley.

This October, Pompey Darkroom brings two exhibitions to Portsmouth as part of Photo Fringe 2026: OPEN26 Young Photographers: Feedback Loop, a showcase of work by young photographers from across the city, and Archival Loops, bringing together artists exploring photography, archives and the stories images carry. Together, the exhibitions celebrate the breadth of photographic practice, from emerging young talent finding their voice to artists questioning how images shape our understanding of the past.

OPEN26 Young Photographers: Feedback Loop

Running from Monday 26 October, OPEN26 Young Photographers: Feedback Loop showcases new photographic work by young people aged 11-18 from across Portsmouth. Presented in partnership with Playland, the free exhibition gives emerging local image-makers a platform to share their ideas, connect with audiences and see their work become part of the city’s cultural life.

Selected through an open call in response to this year’s Photo Fringe theme, Feedback Loop, the exhibition reflects the different ways young people observe, interpret and respond to the world around them. Each photographer brings their own experiences and perspective, creating a collection that celebrates individual voices and the creative possibilities that emerge when people come together.

For Pompey Darkroom, supporting young photographers means more than providing a place to exhibit. It means creating opportunities to explore photography, develop creative confidence and have their work taken seriously. These young people are not simply the artists of the future; they are image-makers with something to say today, contributing to Portsmouth’s creative community in their own ways.

By bringing their work into a public exhibition, OPEN26 Young Photographers invites audiences to see the city through young people’s eyes and recognise the creativity already taking place across Portsmouth.

Participating photographers: Afee-Mae Levett, Agathe Charrois Pancadas, Albert Findlay, Bailey Anbarasu, Benjamin Fisher, Bertie Blake, Beth Saunders, Blessings Ashley Dube, Bobby Colin Raggett, Chloe Emmett, Dishita Maji, Eleanor Queen, Elise Willis Burgham, Emma Wheatley, Erin Crawley, Etta Toghill, Finley Rollinson, Grace James, Harvey Frowen, Isabella Todd, Josh Brookman, Kane Miller, Kelsie Davies, Lewie Pouralli-Heath, Lilianna Edmonds, Lily Valentine, Lily-Mae Ridge, Lola Moult, Lucas George Brian Rothwell, Lucas Robert Bailey, Lydia Clabon, Lydia Taylor-Thompson, Mikayla Ryall, Nelly Raw, Oliver Bloy, Oliver David White, Oliver Gillson, Olivia Stubbs, Ronnie Paige, Roxy Sheehan, Sabella Isted, Saphron Buckett, Shauna Davey, Sophia-Louise Marten, Sophie Weller, T Finney, Tom Allen, Tyler James, Anthony Richards and Zaira Maresca.

Photography shaped by connection

While the two exhibitions approach photography from different perspectives, both ask us to think about how images connect us to one another and the world we inhabit. In OPEN26 Young Photographers, young people share their perspectives and experiences; in Archival Loops, artists return to existing images and materials to uncover new meanings and explore how images carry and reshape stories across time. Together, they show photography as something that is continually shaped by exchange, between people, generations, memories and ideas.

Both exhibitions connect with Photo Fringe 2026’s theme, Feedback Loop, which explores how ideas, images and relationships develop through conversation, collaboration and circulation.

For Pompey Darkroom, the exhibitions reflect a commitment to making photography accessible, supporting creative development and creating opportunities for people to connect through the medium. By bringing together different voices, experiences and approaches, the programme celebrates Portsmouth’s photographic community and invites audiences to discover the stories and perspectives that photography can bring into view.

Archival Loops

Exhibition dates: Saturday 24 - Sunday 25 October 2026, 10am - 4pm

Venue: Art Space Portsmouth, 27 Brougham Road, Southsea PO5 4PA