The Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition (IPE), the world’s longest-running contemporary photography exhibition, returns to London’s Saatchi Gallery for its 167th edition this August.
Running from August 7 to September 11, IPE167 brings together 48 works by photographers from around the world. The exhibition explores how contemporary photography continues to respond to changing social, political, and environmental realities.
This year’s selection spans environmentalism, identity, conflict, memory, community, family, and culture. In addition, several artists experiment with alternative photographic and production processes, reflecting the medium’s expanding visual language.
“The IPE has always reflected the times, and this year’s submissions are no exception,” the Society wrote in a recent statement.
Marcy Palmer wins the IPE167 top prize
Dallas-based artist Marcy Palmer receives this year’s top prize for Seeds of Strength and Resilience. The series examines reproductive rights across past, present, and future contexts.
Meanwhile, London-based Léa Chen receives the Under 30s Award for The Stars That Don’t Look Back. Her intimate series considers shared memories between three generations of women in Taiwan.
Other artists featured in the exhibition include Attilio Fiumarella, Alex Huda, and Zed Nelson. Fiumarella presents a grid of bathhouse images from Birmingham, while Huda explores Hong Kong’s Voidpunk scene.
Nelson, meanwhile, turns his lens toward architectural and natural forms, adding another perspective to the exhibition’s broad examination of contemporary photographic practice.
“What I find most inspiring about this exhibition is the reminder that, wherever we live and whatever our background, photography helps us communicate ideas, emotions, and moments that resonate far beyond ourselves,” says RPS CEO Victoria Humphries.
IPE167 extends beyond London
The exhibition arrives at Saatchi Gallery as photography continues to expand beyond traditional documentary and fine-art formats. Across the 48 selected works, personal experience sits alongside wider questions about culture, politics, identity and the environment.
Moreover, the exhibition’s international scope reflects the Royal Photographic Society’s long-running role in presenting emerging and established photographic voices. The IPE dates back to 1854 and remains one of photography’s major recurring exhibition platforms.
Following its London presentation, IPE167 will travel beyond the capital. The exhibition is scheduled to visit Taunton Museum in autumn 2026 before continuing to the Royal Geographical Society in spring 2027.
Exhibition details
What: Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 167 (IPE167)
Where: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY
When: August 7–September 11, 2026
Artists: 48 photographers from around the world
Top prize: Marcy Palmer, Seeds of Strength and Resilience
Under 30s Award: Léa Chen, The Stars That Don’t Look Back
Admission: Check Saatchi Gallery for current visitor information