WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION RETURNS TO BRISBANE POWERHOUSE
01 MAY 2026
SHOWCASING THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PHOTOJOURNALISM
Brisbane Powerhouse is proud to present the World Press Photo Exhibition 2026, returning from 30 May to 21 June, showcasing outstanding photojournalism and documentary photography from around the world.
The World Press Photo Contest continues to recognise courageous visual storytelling and the photographers capturing the defining moments of our time. The 2026 exhibition features winning images from the annual contest, selected from more than 57,000 entries submitted by photographers across 141 countries.
Shifting between global perspectives and intimate insider viewpoints, this year’s winners offer a layered portrait of the world we live in. The images capture the reach of global power, the escalating climate crisis, and the human cost of conflict, while also highlighting stories of resistance, rebuilding, recovery, and the enduring dignity of those who persevere.
Brisbane Powerhouse CEO/Artistic Director Louise Bezzina said the exhibition remains a powerful reminder of photography’s ability to connect people across distance and experience. “These images invite us to look closer, to understand more deeply, and to sit with stories that are often difficult, but necessary to see. It is an honour to share them again with our audiences.”
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff reflected on the airport’s long-standing partnership with Brisbane Powerhouse and over a decade of support for the World Press Photo Exhibition:
“We take great pride in supporting this powerful exhibition each year and helping bring it to Brisbane Powerhouse, where thousands of people have experienced it freely for over twenty years.”
“We’re equally proud to once again display a selection of these extraordinary images in our Domestic Terminal, offering a broader audience the chance to engage with stories that move, challenge, and inspire.”
“Airports are places where journeys begin and end, and we hope these images spark new journeys of thought and understanding for everyone who passes through.”
The BNE Gallery: World Press Photo 2026, a selection of the full exhibition displayed at Brisbane Powerhouse, will be displayed at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal from 25 May to 25 June.
Admission at Brisbane Powerhouse is free, with the main exhibition displayed on the Turbine Platform and continuing into the Fairfax Studio. The exhibition contains content that some visitors may find confronting. Discretion is advised, particularly for younger audiences.
The World Press Photo Exhibition 2026 is part of a global tour, presented in partnership with Brisbane Airport. For more information, visit brisbanepowerhouse.org
IMAGE: Title: Mountain Resident of Wanglang, Credit: © Rob G. Green, National Geographic Society, Henry Luce Foundation
Caption: A wild giant panda is captured by a camera trap in the Wanglang National Nature Reserve. Sichuan, China, 11 November 2025.
Story: Recent population estimates suggest that fewer than 2,000 pandas remain in the wild, and only a few dozen individuals live within Wanglang National Nature Reserve’s 323-square-kilometer territory. This rare sighting was made possible through a pilot exchange program between the National Geographic Society and wildlife biologists, aimed at supporting wildlife monitoring efforts and fostering cross-cultural cooperation in conservation. Established in 1965, Wanglang is one of China’s oldest wild panda nature reserves and today serves as a key site for education and scientific research collaboration within the larger Giant Panda National Park system.
