A New Era for the Lens: Inside the Evolution of Photo London at Olympia

As Photo London marks its 11th iteration, the fair is doing more than just celebrating over a decade of visual culture; it is undergoing a profound transformation. Moving to the newly refurbished, architectural landmark of the National Hall at Olympia, the fair is setting its sights on the future of the medium. Behind the scenes, the leadership team—Director Sophie Parker, curator Charlotte Jansen, and the returning Tristan Lund—are orchestrating a shift that promises to redefine how photography is collected, curated, and understood in the global art market.

The Pillars of the Fair: A Collaborative Vision

At the heart of Photo London’s enduring success is a unique, collaborative curatorial philosophy. Unlike many international art fairs that rely on a revolving door of guest curators, Photo London has fostered a core team whose professional longevity has allowed for deep, meaningful relationships with the global gallery community.

Sophie Parker, who assumed the role of Director in 2024 but has been instrumental to the fair’s operations almost since its inception, emphasizes that this continuity is their "superpower." "Our collaborative approach to curating, our relationships with each other, and what we want to build—all of this makes us unique," Parker notes.

This sentiment is echoed by Charlotte Jansen, who returns for her third year curating the Discovery section, which focuses on emerging galleries. "We have a shared passion for this medium," Jansen explains. "Though we all have our slightly differing individual tastes, and we’ve all arrived here via different paths, discussing photography with Sophie and Tristan is always such a pleasure. We are a real team, and we just get along."

Tristan Lund, who previously curated the Discovery section from 2017 to 2019, has returned this year to launch a new initiative: the Source section. This section focuses on high-impact solo presentations, a strategic move designed to give artists and galleries the space to breathe and engage with collectors on a deeper, more focused level.

Chronology and Evolution: A Decade of Growth

Since its founding, Photo London has evolved from a burgeoning regional event into a critical fixture on the international art calendar. The fair’s history is defined by its ability to adapt. Early iterations were about establishing London as a nexus for photography; the current iteration is about consolidating that position while navigating a shifting global economic climate.

• 2015–2018: The formative years, establishing the fair’s identity and international footprint.
• 2019–2022: A period of resilience and digital pivot, where the team deepened its year-round engagement with the photography ecosystem.
• 2023–2024: Strategic expansion, including the appointment of new leadership and the planning of the move to Olympia.
• 2025 (The 11th Iteration): The relocation to the refurbished National Hall at Olympia, signaling a "maturation" of the fair’s physical and commercial footprint.

The move to Olympia is not merely a change of scenery. It represents a functional evolution. As Parker explains, the team now has a "beautiful shell" that they can build out to their exact specifications. This allows for more galleries in the Discovery section, an increased presence for independent publishers, and the introduction of new amenities like a dedicated screening room for photographic film, separate from the traditional talks auditorium.

Supporting the Ecosystem: From Education to Acquisition

A common critique of contemporary art fairs is their tendency to feel like high-pressure commercial environments. The Photo London team, however, is actively working to dismantle that perception. They view the fair as an educational bridge between the artistic community and the collecting public.

"Photography is inherently accessible," Parker notes. "We want to grow new collectors, making people realize that you don’t have to be a ‘big’ collector to have a conversation with an exhibitor." To this end, the fair encourages Discovery galleries to produce prints unique to Photo London—smaller, higher-edition works that offer an entry point for emerging collectors, sometimes starting as low as £100.

The fair’s commitment to education extends to its partnerships with institutions like the Royal College of Art (RCA). By "joining the dots" between students just beginning their careers and young professionals looking to make their first acquisitions, Photo London is helping to sustain the next generation of the art market.

Official Perspectives: The Value of Solo Presentations

The introduction of the Source section, curated by Tristan Lund, marks a significant shift in how the fair presents work. "We realized that so many of the bigger names in photography are represented in mixed-media galleries," Lund explains. "They may not have enough photographic artists on their roster to do a full salon hang. By emphasizing solo presentations, we give them more reason to engage with the fair."

The gamble seems to have paid off. Despite a challenging global economic environment, the Source section has exceeded expectations. "We were aiming for 10 to 12 galleries, and we have ended up with 19," says Lund. "It’s heartening that galleries are still prepared to take a risk with challenging, important work, such as Galerie Julian Sander’s presentation of Rosalind Fox Solomon’s 1988 Portraits in the Time of AIDS."

This risk-taking, according to Charlotte Jansen, is a direct response to the demands of today’s collectors. "Collectors are demanding more, and artists are speaking out more," she observes. "Galleries need to show what they really stand for."

The Implications of Independence

Perhaps the most significant aspect of Photo London’s current state is its independence. In an era where institutional funding for the arts is under increasing pressure due to government cuts, the fair has become an essential lifeline for artistic expression.

"Wealthy philanthropists and private galleries are going to become increasingly important in the future," says Jansen. "Fairs play an important part in the ecosystem of the art world, but I think Photo London will be even more important both as a space for artistic expression and in terms of the survival of art practices."

Because the fair is independent, it is not beholden to the same bureaucratic constraints as government-funded institutions. This freedom allows the team to curate with a boldness that reflects the current, expanded definition of photography—a medium that, as Jansen notes, now effectively encompasses the way we see, think, and interact with the world at large.

Looking Ahead: A Coherent Future

As Photo London enters its second decade, the move to the National Hall at Olympia stands as a testament to its maturity. The space will allow for a more "joined-up and coherent" experience, where the transition between the Main section, Discovery, Positions, and Source feels like a logical exploration of the medium rather than a disjointed array of booths.

For the leadership team, the mission remains clear: to support the photography ecosystem all year round. Whether through VIP visits to galleries, talks for artists, or the physical congregation of the global community in London every May, the fair is committed to a model that values relationships over mere transactional success.

As visitors walk into the National Hall this May, they will be greeted not just by high-quality photography, but by a vision of an art world that is resilient, collaborative, and deeply invested in the power of the lens to shape our understanding of the human experience.

Photo London 2025 is open from 13–17 May at the National Hall, Olympia, London. For more information, visit photolondon.org.