FotoFest presents the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review in Houston, TX
FotoFest celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, culminating in the world-renowned Meeting Place Portfolio Review, the 21st Biennial of Photography and New Media Art, and a series of related events and programming in Houston, Texas.
The Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review
- Dates: Thursday, March 12 – Monday, March 16, 2026
- Location: Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria, 2001 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056
ABOUT THE MEETING PLACE PORTFOLIO REVIEW
The Meeting Place Portfolio Review provides photographic artists with a unique chance to share their work with leading photography professionals from around the world. The event is truly a "meeting place," where artists connect with Reviewers—curators, gallery owners, photo editors, book publishers, collectors and more—to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships. In addition to providing expert feedback and perspectives, Reviewers can play a crucial role in advancing careers and in many cases offer opportunities such as exhibitions, acquisitions, gallery representation, publications and more.
REGISTRATION AND 4-DAY PROGRAM DETAILS
Registration is open to all lens and image-based artists and photographers, and is not juried. Participants should have at least one complete, cohesive body of work with a clear theme or focus to present at the portfolio reviews.
SPACE IS LIMITED. Registration is first-come, first-served. Early registration is strongly encouraged!
- Check-in: Thursday, March 12
- Portfolio Reviews: Friday, March 13 – Monday, March 16
- Program Fee: USD $1295
PHOTOGRAPHERS REGISTERED FOR THE 4-DAY PROGRAM RECEIVE:
- 16 one-on-one, 20-minute review appointments
- Complimentary reserved table space at the Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk
- Complimentary access to live virtual workshops to help prepare for the event
- Additional program benefits outlined below
A 15% nonrefundable deposit of $194.25 is due at time of registration. This deposit is applied to the total program fee. After the registration form and deposit are received, registrants will receive a separate invoice for the remaining balance.
LOCATION:
The portfolio reviews, Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk, seminars, and other related programs are held at the Hilton Houston Post Oak. FotoFest has secured a room block at the discounted rate of $159/night + tax* for Meeting Place participants (*direct booking link will be provided once your registration is confirmed). In addition to being in the closest possible proximity to the portfolio reviews and related events, guests who reserve rooms within this block also receive the benefit of complimentary Wi-Fi and discounted parking rates.
IMPORTANT DATES
January 15, 2026 - Registration closes; Last day to cancel with a refund*
Late January 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
February 25, 2026 - Last day to reserve a room at the Hilton Houston Post Oak at the discounted rate of USD $159.00/per night + tax
March 12, 2026 - Meeting Place Registrant Check-In
March 13 - 16, 2026 - Meeting Place Portfolio Review
March 14, 2026 - Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk
March 16, 2026 - Ten by Ten opening reception and Meeting Place closing party
Details on these and other additional events will be made available as the information is confirmed.
REVIEWER SELECTION TIMELINE:
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
Mid-February 2026 - Reviewer Preference Forms available. The specific release date will be announced in in early-mid February.
By March 8, 2026 - Individual review schedules will be made available.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM BENEFITS
- WORKSHOP: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews: This live virtual workshop aims to support photographers in preparation for their reviews. We’ll discuss best practices for presenting your work, what to expect during the reviews, and how to navigate post-review communication and relationship-building.
- WORKSHOP: Researching and Ranking Reviewers Workshop: This live virtual workshop guides photographers on how to research Reviewers, what to consider when ranking preferences, how to submit the Reviewer Preference Form, and provides insight into how we create review schedules.
- Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk: This public event gives Meeting Place participants the opportunity to share and sell their work directly to a broader audience. This lively evening event invites curators, collectors, fellow artists, and the general public to explore the portfolios of participating photographers. Each 4-Day Program participant is provided with complimentary table space to present their work. This is a great event to invite any Houston-based friends, family or followers to!
- FotoFest Bus Tours: The evening bus tours take Meeting Place participants to FotoFest Biennial exhibitions and other art spaces showing photography as part of FotoFest’s Participating Spaces program. Participation is optional but encouraged, as this is a great way to see more of what the Houston art scene has to offer to meet and engage with other Meeting Place photographers and Reviewers. Space on the bus is limited and first-come, first-served.
- Photographer Catalogue: The Photographer Catalogue is a digital compendium of all photographers participating in the Meeting Place Portfolio Review. Each artist is represented with an image of their work and contact details such as social media and website links. The Photographer Catalogue is made available for public view on the FotoFest website and serves as an important reference material for Reviewers to familiarize themselves with participant work.
- Photographer Lounge: The Photographer Lounge is open to all participants during portfolio review hours and provides a welcoming space to meet other participants, share work, or simply decompress and gather your thoughts between meetings. The lounge includes tables for rearranging portfolios, sharing materials, and displaying promotional items, as well as ample seating, Wi-Fi, and access to power outlets. This is a great place for peer-to-peer portfolio reviews with fellow participants.
- Eligibility for Ten by Ten Selection: Ten by Ten: Ten Portfolios from the Meeting Place is the FotoFest Biennial exhibition dedicated to ten outstanding photography series presented at the most recent Meeting Place portfolio reviews. All Meeting Place 2026 participants are eligible for nomination by select Reviewers for the 2028 Ten by Ten exhibition.
*CANCELLATION POLICY
A nonrefundable deposit in the amount of 15% of the total program fee is required to secure your registration. Refunds requested after the balance is paid, but by or before January 15, 2026, will be processed less the 15% deposit. Please allow up to two weeks for refund processing. No refund requests can be accepted after January 15, 2026. Registrations to the Meeting Place Portfolio Review are non-transferable.
For more information about the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review, please visit fotofest.org/meetingplace.
For any questions that are not addressed in our FAQs, please contact Maureen “Mo” Munley at maureen@fotofest.org.
FotoFest presents the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review in Houston, TX
FotoFest celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, culminating in the world-renowned Meeting Place Portfolio Review, the 21st Biennial of Photography and New Media Art, and a series of related events and programming in Houston, Texas.
The Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review
- Dates: Thursday, March 12 – Monday, March 16, 2026
- Location: Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria, 2001 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056
ABOUT THE MEETING PLACE PORTFOLIO REVIEW
The Meeting Place Portfolio Review provides photographic artists with a unique chance to share their work with leading photography professionals from around the world. The event is truly a "meeting place," where artists connect with Reviewers—curators, gallery owners, photo editors, book publishers, collectors and more—to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships. In addition to providing expert feedback and perspectives, Reviewers can play a crucial role in advancing careers and in many cases offer opportunities such as exhibitions, acquisitions, gallery representation, publications and more.
REGISTRATION AND 2-DAY PROGRAM DETAILS, MARCH 13 - 14, 2026
Registration is open to all lens and image-based artists and photographers, and is not juried. Participants should have at least one complete, cohesive body of work with a clear theme or focus to present at the portfolio reviews.
SPACE IS LIMITED. Registration is first-come, first-served. Early registration is strongly encouraged!
- Check-in: Thursday, March 12
- Portfolio Reviews: Friday, March 13 – Saturday, March 14
- Program Fee: USD $700
PHOTOGRAPHERS REGISTERED FOR THE 2-DAY PROGRAM RECEIVE:
- 8 one-on-one, 20-minute review appointments
- Option to purchase a table space at the Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk (USD $50.00)
- Complimentary access to live virtual workshops to help prepare for the event
- Additional program benefits outlined below
A 15% nonrefundable deposit of $105.00 is due at time of registration. This deposit is applied to the total program fee. After the registration form and deposit are received, registrants will receive a separate invoice for the remaining balance.
LOCATION:
The portfolio reviews, Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk, seminars, and other related programs are held at the Hilton Houston Post Oak. FotoFest has secured a room block at the discounted rate of $159/night + tax* for Meeting Place participants (*direct booking link will be provided once your registration is confirmed). In addition to being in the closest possible proximity to the portfolio reviews and related events, guests who reserve rooms within this block also receive the benefit of complimentary Wi-Fi and discounted parking rates.
IMPORTANT DATES
January 15, 2026 - Registration closes; Last day to cancel with a refund*
Late January 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
February 25, 2026 - Last day to reserve a room at the Hilton Houston Post Oak at the discounted rate of USD $159.00/per night + tax
March 12, 2026 - Meeting Place Registrant Check-In
March 13 - 14, 2026 - Meeting Place Portfolio Review
March 14, 2026 - Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk
March 16, 2026 - Ten by Ten opening reception and Meeting Place closing party
Details on these and other additional events will be made available as the information is confirmed.
REVIEWER SELECTION TIMELINE:
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
Mid-February 2026 - Reviewer Preference Forms available. The specific release date will be announced in in early-mid February.
By March 8, 2026 - Individual review schedules will be made available.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM BENEFITS
- WORKSHOP: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews: This live virtual workshop aims to support photographers in preparation for their reviews. We’ll discuss best practices for presenting your work, what to expect during the reviews, and how to navigate post-review communication and relationship-building.
- WORKSHOP: Researching and Ranking Reviewers Workshop: This live virtual workshop guides photographers on how to research Reviewers, what to consider when ranking preferences, how to submit the Reviewer Preference Form, and provides insight into how we create review schedules.
- Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk: This public event gives Meeting Place participants the opportunity to share and sell their work directly to a broader audience. This lively evening event invites curators, collectors, fellow artists, and the general public to explore the portfolios of participating photographers. Each 2-Day Program participant may purchase table space to present their work. This option can be selected on the registration form and will be included with the remaining program balance. This is a great event to invite any Houston-based friends, family or followers to!
- FotoFest Bus Tours: The evening bus tours take Meeting Place participants to FotoFest Biennial exhibitions and other art spaces showing photography as part of FotoFest’s Participating Spaces program. Participation is optional but encouraged, as this is a great way to see more of what the Houston art scene has to offer to meet and engage with other Meeting Place photographers and Reviewers. Space on the bus is limited and first-come, first-served.
- Photographer Catalogue: The Photographer Catalogue is a digital compendium of all photographers participating in the Meeting Place Portfolio Review. Each artist is represented with an image of their work and contact details such as social media and website links. The Photographer Catalogue is made available for public view on the FotoFest website and serves as an important reference material for Reviewers to familiarize themselves with participant work.
- Photographer Lounge: The Photographer Lounge is open to all participants during portfolio review hours and provides a welcoming space to meet other participants, share work, or simply decompress and gather your thoughts between meetings. The lounge includes tables for rearranging portfolios, sharing materials, and displaying promotional items, as well as ample seating, Wi-Fi, and access to power outlets. This is a great place for peer-to-peer portfolio reviews with fellow participants.
- Eligibility for Ten by Ten Selection: Ten by Ten: Ten Portfolios from the Meeting Place is the FotoFest Biennial exhibition dedicated to ten outstanding photography series presented at the most recent Meeting Place portfolio reviews. All Meeting Place 2026 participants are eligible for nomination by select Reviewers for the 2028 Ten by Ten exhibition.
*CANCELLATION POLICY
A nonrefundable deposit in the amount of 15% of the total program fee is required to secure your registration. Refunds requested after the balance is paid, but by or before January 15, 2026, will be processed less the 15% deposit. Please allow up to two weeks for refund processing. No refund requests can be accepted after January 15, 2026. Registrations to the Meeting Place Portfolio Review are non-transferable.
For more information about the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review, please visit fotofest.org/meetingplace.
For any questions that are not addressed in our FAQs, please contact Maureen “Mo” Munley at maureen@fotofest.org.
FotoFest presents the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review in Houston, TX
FotoFest celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, culminating in the world-renowned Meeting Place Portfolio Review, the 21st Biennial of Photography and New Media Art, and a series of related events and programming in Houston, Texas.
The Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review
- Dates: Thursday, March 12 – Monday, March 16, 2026
- Location: Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria, 2001 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056
ABOUT THE MEETING PLACE PORTFOLIO REVIEW
The Meeting Place Portfolio Review provides photographic artists with a unique chance to share their work with leading photography professionals from around the world. The event is truly a "meeting place," where artists connect with Reviewers—curators, gallery owners, photo editors, book publishers, collectors and more—to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships. In addition to providing expert feedback and perspectives, Reviewers can play a crucial role in advancing careers and in many cases offer opportunities such as exhibitions, acquisitions, gallery representation, publications and more.
REGISTRATION AND 2-DAY PROGRAM DETAILS, MARCH 15 - 16, 2026
Registration is open to all lens and image-based artists and photographers, and is not juried. Participants should have at least one complete, cohesive body of work with a clear theme or focus to present at the portfolio reviews.
SPACE IS LIMITED. Registration is first-come, first-served. Early registration is strongly encouraged!
- Check-in: Saturday, March 14 (option for early check-in beginning March 12th)
- Portfolio Reviews: Sunday, March 15 – Monday, March 16
- Program Fee: USD $700
PHOTOGRAPHERS REGISTERED FOR THE 2-DAY PROGRAM RECEIVE:
- 8 one-on-one, 20-minute review appointments
- Option to purchase a table space at the Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk (USD $50.00)
- Complimentary access to live virtual workshops to help prepare for the event
- Additional program benefits outlined below
A 15% nonrefundable deposit of $105.00 is due at time of registration. This deposit is applied to the total program fee. After the registration form and deposit are received, registrants will receive a separate invoice for the remaining balance.
LOCATION:
The portfolio reviews, Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk, seminars, and other related programs are held at the Hilton Houston Post Oak. FotoFest has secured a room block at the discounted rate of $159/night + tax* for Meeting Place participants (*direct booking link will be provided once your registration is confirmed). In addition to being in the closest possible proximity to the portfolio reviews and related events, guests who reserve rooms within this block also receive the benefit of complimentary Wi-Fi and discounted parking rates.
IMPORTANT DATES
January 15, 2026 - Registration closes; Last day to cancel with a refund*
Late January 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
February 25, 2026 - Last day to reserve a room at the Hilton Houston Post Oak at the discounted rate of USD $159.00/per night + tax
March 14, 2026 - Meeting Place Registrant Check-In (option for early check-in beginning March 12th)
March 14, 2026 - Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk
March 15 - 16, 2026 - Meeting Place Portfolio Review
March 16, 2026 - Ten by Ten opening reception and Meeting Place closing party
Details on these and other additional events will be made available as the information is confirmed.
REVIEWER SELECTION TIMELINE:
Early February 2026 - Virtual Workshop: Researching and Ranking Reviewers
Mid-February 2026 - Reviewer Preference Forms available. The specific release date will be announced in in early-mid February.
By March 8, 2026 - Individual review schedules will be made available.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM BENEFITS
- WORKSHOP: Preparing for Portfolio Reviews: This live virtual workshop aims to support photographers in preparation for their reviews. We’ll discuss best practices for presenting your work, what to expect during the reviews, and how to navigate post-review communication and relationship-building.
- WORKSHOP: Researching and Ranking Reviewers Workshop: This live virtual workshop guides photographers on how to research Reviewers, what to consider when ranking preferences, how to submit the Reviewer Preference Form, and provides insight into how we create review schedules.
- Unfiltered: Portfolio Walk: This public event gives Meeting Place participants the opportunity to share and sell their work directly to a broader audience. This lively evening event invites curators, collectors, fellow artists, and the general public to explore the portfolios of participating photographers. Each 2-Day Program participant may purchase table space to present their work. This option can be selected on the registration form and will be included with the remaining program balance. This is a great event to invite any Houston-based friends, family or followers to!
- FotoFest Bus Tours: The evening bus tours take Meeting Place participants to FotoFest Biennial exhibitions and other art spaces showing photography as part of FotoFest’s Participating Spaces program. Participation is optional but encouraged, as this is a great way to see more of what the Houston art scene has to offer to meet and engage with other Meeting Place photographers and Reviewers. Space on the bus is limited and first-come, first-served.
- Photographer Catalogue: The Photographer Catalogue is a digital compendium of all photographers participating in the Meeting Place Portfolio Review. Each artist is represented with an image of their work and contact details such as social media and website links. The Photographer Catalogue is made available for public view on the FotoFest website and serves as an important reference material for Reviewers to familiarize themselves with participant work.
- Photographer Lounge: The Photographer Lounge is open to all participants during portfolio review hours and provides a welcoming space to meet other participants, share work, or simply decompress and gather your thoughts between meetings. The lounge includes tables for rearranging portfolios, sharing materials, and displaying promotional items, as well as ample seating, Wi-Fi, and access to power outlets. This is a great place for peer-to-peer portfolio reviews with fellow participants.
- Eligibility for Ten by Ten Selection: Ten by Ten: Ten Portfolios from the Meeting Place is the FotoFest Biennial exhibition dedicated to ten outstanding photography series presented at the most recent Meeting Place portfolio reviews. All Meeting Place 2026 participants are eligible for nomination by select Reviewers for the 2028 Ten by Ten exhibition.
*CANCELLATION POLICY
A nonrefundable deposit in the amount of 15% of the total program fee is required to secure your registration. Refunds requested after the balance is paid, but by or before January 15, 2026, will be processed less the 15% deposit. Please allow up to two weeks for refund processing. No refund requests can be accepted after January 15, 2026. Registrations to the Meeting Place Portfolio Review are non-transferable.
For more information about the Meeting Place 2026 Portfolio Review, please visit fotofest.org/meetingplace.
For any questions that are not addressed in our FAQs, please contact Maureen “Mo” Munley at maureen@fotofest.org.
Complete this form to submit your exhibition/project for the Participating Spaces program.
Participating Spaces may present photography or lens-based work on any subject or concept they choose. Aligning with FotoFest’s theme is optional. However, if you decide to participate, we welcome the opportunity to discuss how your program can align conceptually with the Biennial's overarching curatorial theme.
For more information about Participating Spaces, visit https://fotofest.org/participating-spaces-2026-cal