About The EYE Festival

The idea for The Eye Festival came to Welsh photojournalist Glenn Edwards while covering The International Ceramics Festival, a biennial event at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
In 2009 he approached the then Director Alan Hewson without success but after a subsequent conversation in 2011, the pair decided to create what is now one of the UK's biggest photographic gatherings. The initial promise to bring the worlds best to Wales has been kept with work from all over the world shown and spoken about.

Now in its twelfth year, the biannual EYE International Photography Festival is the longest-running photography event in Wales and one of the largest independent photography festivals in the UK, attracting audiences spanning aspiring students to recognised professional photographers.

The success of the festival is due to the hard work of Aberystwyth staff and the many volunteers, partners and friends that help spread the word to keep the promise of bringing global image-making in all its photographic genres to Wales. Success breeds success and Oriel Colwyn is now home to The Northern Eye giving Wales an annual international photography festival in Aberystwyth and Colwyn Bay. Both festivals are dedicated to celebrating the best in professional photography.

Find out more about the Aberystwyth Arts Centre here.