From 19 to 22 March 2026, MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas will celebrate its fifteenth edition at Superstudio Più, in the creative Via Tortona district of Milan. Here is the programme.
Directed by Francesca Malgara and organised by Fiere di Parma, the fair confirms its central role in the European landscape of contemporary photography. For this anniversary edition, a series of awards totalling nearly 80,000 euros will be presented to artists and galleries.
Under the theme “Metamorphosis”, the Milan fair explores the notion of transformation, from social and cultural shifts to the evolution of photographic practices. This concept is reflected in the artistic direction, special projects and visual identity of the event, illustrated by a historic Polaroid by William Wegman. For Francesca Malgara, this fifteenth edition is built both as an achievement and a new beginning, at a time when photography continues to change its appearance while preserving its power to interpret reality.
As every year, awards play a key role in the fair’s programme. The BNL BNP Paribas Award, created in 2012, will honour a work that will be added to the group’s extensive collection. The Fiere di Parma Acquisition Fund will support the purchase of works exhibited at the fair, enriching the institution’s collection and supporting participating galleries. Other distinctions strengthen the exploratory dimension of the event, including the Casa Museo Molinario Colombari Award for the best booth and the miramART Acquisition Award, granted to an artist from the Focus section.
Several initiatives highlight emerging talents. Erik Kessels’ Portfolio Parade presents an international selection of portfolios displayed in an experimental installation. A new feature for 2026, the Superstudio Photo Award is aimed at young European photographers and pays tribute to the legacy of Oliviero Toscani.
Structurally, the fair is organised around a Main Section and three curatorial sections. The first, Beyond Photography – Dialogue, explores the interplay between photography and other artistic disciplines. The second, Reportage Beyond Reportage, examines contemporary forms of documentary photography, far from the immediacy of the news cycle. Meanwhile, Focus Latino brings together Latin American, Iberian and diasporic artists around themes of hybrid identity and cultural transformation.
With more than 400,000 visitors since its creation and a growing number of international galleries, MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas has established itself as an essential cultural and professional platform in Italy and Europe. The 2026 edition aims to continue this momentum by offering a space where photography, in constant metamorphosis, affirms its essential role in interpreting the present. This edition also marks the strengthening of the partnership with BNL BNP Paribas, which became the fair’s title sponsor in 2025 after more than a decade of continuous support.
More information
