An annual festival celebrating Manitoba photographers has developed in its 10th year into a month-long, province-wide celebration.
For the first time in its history, the FLASH Photographic Festival will run through the entire month of April at 56 venues throughout Manitoba, including 13 rural and northern galleries, 22 recognized art galleries in Winnipeg and 20 non-traditional venues.
“There’s BYOVs – bring your own venues - so any photographer can set up a show in a coffee shop, a hotel lobby, a library and it’s not curated, so it’s open to anyone to do that," said Leif Norman, the festival’s founder and executive director.
Though its scope has changed, exposing aspiring and professional shutterbugs alike has been a priority of Norman’s since he started the festival a decade ago.
Back then, he operated as a team of one, with FLASH’s offerings still confined to city limits.
Today, the event has widened its depth of field. Norman has a team and a board helping him to run the sprawling 2025 festival, offering panel discussions, artist talks, workshops, film screenings, and photo walks.
“That is new for this year, for our 10th year, is that FLASH has gone provincial,” he said.
Free programs are available to pick up at the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, Don’s Photo and many of the participating venues, though Norman cautions they’re running out fast.
