The 2025 Lishui Photography Festival will be held from Nov 7 to 11 in Lishui, Zhejiang province. Themed "Innovations Spark Possibilities," the festival has attracted global participation for its various exhibitions.

Among them, Kaleidoscopic Scapes, an international academic photography exhibition, has received over 8,000 submissions from more than 107 universities worldwide. Participating institutions included prestigious schools such as the University of the Arts London, the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), as well as leading Chinese academies such as the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the China Academy of Art.

After a rigorous review by the organizers, more than 2,000 photographic works from 70 global universities were selected for the final exhibition, which will be showcased at the Lishui Guyan Huaxiang Art Center.

The exhibition will feature dedicated sections for each participating institution, collectively building kaleidoscopic scapes.

This setup is designed to foster dialogues among the innovative creative forces of young imagemakers, interpreting the festival's thematic spirit.

Curated by Bai Qichen, a photography teacher from Lishui University, the exhibition is structured around three conceptual chapters.

The first chapter, Inward Exploration, sees young creators examining identity through themes of family and self. The second chapter, Outward Connection, focuses on environmental and social issues to build bridges between the individual and the city. The final chapter, Pushing Boundaries, presents experimental works that expand the very definition of photography.

A poster for A poster for Kaleidoscopic Scapes, an international academic photography exhibition. [Photo/2025 Lishui Photography Festival]