Dark Peak Photography Festival returns to Glossop

The Dark Peak Photo Festival will return to Glossop from 20-23 February 2026, bringing contemporary photography to venues, shop windows and public spaces across the town. 

Now in its third year, the festival is organised by Dark Peak Photo CIC and aims to make photography accessible to a wide audience by presenting exhibitions beyond traditional gallery spaces. The festival will once again transform Glossop High Street into a large-scale window exhibition, alongside events and exhibitions in indoor venues. 

A central feature of the 2026 programme will be a Headliner Exhibition at the Old Town Hall event space above Glossop Market Hall, both newly renovated. Details of the exhibiting photographers will be announced in the coming months. 

Alongside the headline exhibition, Dark Peak Photo has launched an open call for photographers to take part in the festival’s Window Exhibition. The theme for 2026 is ‘Identity’, inviting photographers to explore personal, social, cultural or creative aspects of who they are and how they see the world. 

Identity may be interpreted in many ways, from place, landscape and community to personal experience or photographic practice itself - including how someone identifies through their approach to photography, such as landscape, documentary, experimental or abstract work. Submissions are open to amateur and professional photographers, with all photographic formats welcome except AI-generated imagery. 

Selected photographs will be professionally printed and displayed in shop windows across Glossop for the duration of the festival. Applications are free, with a £20 participation fee payable only by selected artists, contributing towards printing, exhibition and promotional costs. 

Dark Peak Photo has also secured a small grant from Derbyshire Makes, enabling a programme of photography workshops to take place over the festival weekend on Saturday and Sunday. The workshops will include sessions aimed at photographers looking to develop their practice, as well as family-friendly workshops for children and their parent or guardian. Places are limited and booking is essential. Full details are available on the Dark Peak Photo website. 

In addition, Dark Peak Photo is inviting local volunteers to support the festival, assisting with installations, visitor engagement and general event activity. 

Festival director Carys Kaiser said, “This year’s theme offers an exciting opportunity for photographers to interpret identity in many different ways. If you don’t make portraits, that doesn’t mean you don’t fit the brief - your identity might be expressed through or any other subjects you’re drawn to landscapes, horses, travel photography for example. We’re keen to present a rich and varied response to the theme, and we’ve been developing a series of blog posts to help bring that inspiration to life.” 

Further information, including open call details, workshop bookings and volunteer opportunities, can be found at www.darkpeakphoto.co.uk or on Instagram @darkpeakphoto