The Noorderlicht Photofestival was first held in 1990. The festival has been a biennale during ten years (6 editions) and became an annual event in 2000, that since then alternates yearly between the Dutch cities Groningen and Leeuwarden. In 2005 the 12th edition of the festival was held in Groningen. More history...

All festivals since 1997 are available here.

Press comments on the Noorderlicht Photofestival:

2004 Nazar

"The show and book cast a welcome light on a region prominent in the news over recent years, but which the media seem to have little understanding, being content largely to describe the incidents while neglecting the underlying realities. This is the first major show anywhere to look in detail at photography across the Arab world."
(Peter Marshall, www.photography.about.com, september 2004)

2000 Africa Inside

"The Noorderlicht Photofestival has grown in recent years into one of Europe's best. The inventiveness and enthusiasm on the part of the festival's organisation and curators is evident from the quality and generous detail of their excellent website." (ZOOM, January/February, 2000)

"With the present festival, the organisers of Noorderlicht have demonstrated that they little by little have grown into the quiet eminence of Dutch photographic culture." (Vrij Nederland, September, 2000, on "Africa Inside")

"Unforgettable image of modern Africa" (Algemeen Dagblad, September, 2000, on "Africa Inside")

1999 Wonderland

"...a rich variety of high quality, clearly presented exhibitions..." (Telegraaf, October, 1999)

"Noorderlicht has established a track record by now" (NRC Handelsblad, October, 1999)

"...an extremely emotional exhibition" (PhotoArt, October, 1999)

"It is characteristic of Noorderlicht: in addition to a serious and well-thought through selection in the main programme, wanting to provide a platform for unknown and surprising talents" (Trouw, October, 1999)

"By now the Groningen exhibition has grown into a high-quality, internationally respected photo presentation" (FOTO, October, 1999)

"Raw poetry at Noorderlicht" (Algemeen Dagblad, September, 1999)