MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas will return to Milan from the 18th to the 21st of March 2027 at Superstudio Più, with a preview for collectors and the press on March 17th. Organised by Fiere di Parma and directed by Francesca Malgara for the fourth consecutive year, the fair will present its sixteenth edition.
The 2027 edition adopts Belonging as its central theme, following previous editions dedicated to Change, Dialogues and Metamorphosis. The programme will examine how photography addresses questions of identity, community and place in the context of contemporary social and cultural change.
According to the organisers, the concept of belonging extends beyond geographical origin to encompass relationships, shared experiences and collective memory. Photography is presented as a medium capable of documenting these connections while exploring the links between personal histories, communities and territories.
“With Belonging, we have chosen a word that resonates with many of the profound transformations shaping contemporary society,” says artistic director Francesca Malgara. “Photography is perhaps the medium best equipped to explore how we connect with people, places, communities, ideas and memories.”
The 2027 edition also introduces an updated curatorial structure. The Main Section will continue to bring together Italian and international galleries specialising in photography and lens-based practices.
The Beyond Photography – Dialogue | Work in Progress section will be curated by Rischa Paterlini, who previously oversaw the international FOCUS section. The programme will explore artistic practices that expand beyond traditional photographic formats, incorporating installation, moving image, archives and digital technologies. Participating galleries will present projects by artists from different generations whose work examines themes including identity, memory, landscape and belonging.
The Reportage Beyond Reportage section, curated by Emanuela Mazzonis di Pralafera, will continue to focus on contemporary documentary photography. Bringing together photographers from different generations and geographical contexts, it will present projects that move beyond conventional reportage towards more interpretative forms of visual storytelling.
Further announcements concerning the third curated section, participating galleries, invited guests, awards and the cultural programme will be made in the coming months.
Applications for galleries are now open and will remain available until the 10th of December 2026, with an early application rate offered until October 20th.
More information here
