Photo North Festival #6 at Carriageworks Theatre

The three-day photography festival is back for its sixth edition, coming back to the the iconic Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds. Photo North #6 takes place across the weekend, with an array of exhibitions as well as back-to-back talks and screenings featuring the participating artists and industry insiders.

While you should check out all of the work on display, we’re taking a closer look at some of the series in this year’s programme.

Raging by Sarah Oglesby and Grace Wilkinson is a celebration of the complexity of female experience, with a particular focus on anger – that most socially unacceptable of emotions to express. It features women sticking up the middle finger to the traditional male gaze, the weight of expectations, as well as preconceptions about age and ability. Raging tackles issues like the lack of medical research into women’s health, unattainable beauty ideals or sexual (dis)satisfaction – in the creators’ own words: “Women+ like they’ve never been seen before, or maybe they have but they were just ‘hormonal’.” The artists will also be delivering a talk on Saturday 12 April, at 12pm.

There is a number of projects related to Ukraine and the ongoing Russian invasion. How do you dance in a war zone? by Maria Falconer & Paul Hill captures Ukrainian dancers in an exploration of movement amidst conflict. The photographers worked with dancers in Kiev and Lviv, capturing their portraits as they try to find ways to continue to move, literally and metaphorically, in the face of war. Don’t miss the artists talking about their work on Saturday 12 April, at 3pm.

The Land is Yellow, the Sky is Blue by Marc Wilson and Anna Nekrasova-Wilson focuses on the small Ukrainian village of Balakliya. What began as a romantic vision of village life, has been utterly transformed by the war, with many of the men from Balakliya fighting on the frontlines. Despite this, the images capture the enduring beauty of Ukraine and the locals’ deep connection with the land. The project resulted in a book of the same name which can be purchased, with part of the proceeds from each sale going directly to Balakliya.

That’s not all though – the festival has a less documentary-focused and a more colourful side too. The World Food Photography Awards category winners make an appearance, with dynamic images of food as art, from complicated cocktails with ingredients floating mid-air to creative perspectives on some of the most everyday items. It’s a joyful display of what is a constantly evolving and rich art form.

There is so much more to see and enjoy at Photo North Festival #6 this year – you can grab tickets for individual days, which also include all talks, screenings and events, or a three-day pass that covers all of the festival.