E p h e m e r e

As a publisher first, we believe in the enduring, tactile power of printed matter as a permanent home for photography. This pillar is dedicated to our physical releases and related initiatives, including the Ephemere Photobook Grant, our annual Photo Journal, and all Ephemere-published solo and group publications. Through these pages, we naturally unfold narratives that can be held, shared, and kept forever.

We create immersive, transient spaces for the public to engage directly with images and stories. Whether hosting dedicated photobook exhibitions or launch events, these physical showcases exist to beautifully complement our printed matter and offer new ways of seeing. This pillar ultimately culminates in the Ephemere Photo Fest, our flagship event that brings our entire global ecosystem to life.

We believe that the power of photography goes far beyond the pages of a book or the walls of a gallery. This pillar focuses on the people behind the lens and the creative exchanges that strengthen our community. By hosting artist talks, workshops, and local meetups, we connect global storytellers to share ideas, foster dialogue, and learn from one another.

June 1, 2026

Following a deeply moving month-long exhibition of our Longlist at Ogawa Coffee Nishiki during KG+ in Kyoto, the defining moment of our inaugural grant has arrived. Narrowed down from over 300 global submissions and 50 longlisted entries, we have selected an official Shortlist of 10 exceptional titles.

These physical dummies will be exhibited at the upcoming Ephemere Photo Fest 2026 from October 17–27 at Three Space Tokyo. From this curated group, one project will be chosen as the winner of a fully funded, Japan-produced publication grant.

Congratulations to all 10 artists! 🎉

May 25, 2026

We are thrilled to officially announce the return of the Ephemere Photo Fest 2026, taking place in Tokyo from October 17–27! This year, the festival moves to the vibrant, creative heart of East Tokyo at our main venue, Three Space Tokyo in Asakusabashi. Guided by our 2026 theme, Triplicities, these eleven days will highlight meaningful photography through tactile publications, immersive exhibitions, and engaging dialogues.

To celebrate the launch, we are opening three distinct opportunities simultaneously today. We invite our international community to actively shape this year's festival lineup by applying directly to our open calls: submit a cohesive visual sequence to the Triptychs Publication & Exhibition, share your printed pages with the global community through the Photobook Exhibition, or pitch a live event for our Weekend Programs.

Comprehensive guidelines and submission forms are now live! The global deadline for all applications is June 30, 2026. See you in Tokyo!

May 22, 2026

We received over 160 incredible submissions for the second volume of our journal, and the sheer level of talent made our selection process both challenging and deeply rewarding.

We have officially chosen our shortlist and have reached out directly to the selected artists to begin the second phase of our process: collaborative editing.

Thank you to everyone who trusted us with their work. Stay tuned for the final artist reveal later this season!

May 17, 2026

We recently wrapped up the Ephemere Photobook Exhibition as part of KG+—a satellite program of Kyotographie. It was a beautiful experience bringing our global community's printed matter to such an esteemed festival.

During the event, we showcased 118 photobooks from around the world. This included the 50 longlisted titles from the Ephemere Photobook Grant, a special selection of Ephemere-published books, and handpicked titles curated by Anne Murayama. Ephemere also had the honor of taking part as an exhibitor at the Kyotographie Photobook Fair.

A massive thank you to Ogawa Coffee Sakaimachi Nishiki for co-organizing this event with us and providing their stunning gallery space. We hope to be back in Kyoto next spring!

April 16, 2026

The response to the first edition of the Ephemere Photobook Grant has been absolutely incredible. We received 365 submissions from 59 countries, featuring a beautifully diverse and balanced representation of artists across the board.

From this massive global open call, a Longlist of 50 outstanding photobook dummies—representing 22 different countries—has been carefully selected to advance to the next round of judging.

Congratulations to all the selected artists!

March 31, 2026

We proudly unveiled the ANARCHY exhibition, a massive celebration of black-and-white photography that was three years in the making. It was a deeply rewarding experience to see this long-term curation project finally come to life and connect our community across multiple continents.

At our main venue, Gallery Conceal in Shibuya, we showcased a stunning "great wall" of 429 images drawn from the first three volumes of our ANARCHY photobooks. In perfect sync, the exhibition was also hosted concurrently at three amazing global partner venues: Spazio Holo, Carré 59 Versailles, and Photo Mafia Studios. We owe a huge thank you to our incredible installation team in Tokyo and the hundreds of featured photographers who served as our canvas.

Thank you to everyone who visited and supported this monumental tribute to monochrome storytelling. We look forward to carrying this incredible momentum into our upcoming spring programs!

February 25, 2026

On February 22nd, we gathered at Gallery Conceal Shibuya for our fourth Photobook Club Meetup, and it was truly wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces. This gathering was extra special because it coincided with Anthology 1, our group photography exhibition featuring nine incredible artists.

The afternoon was filled with lively creative exchange as attendees contributed to our Mini Pop-Up Library and shared their work during our signature print swap. We were especially thrilled to welcome Junko Kaisato, one of the Anthology 1 exhibiting artists, as our special guest to dive deep into her work and creative process.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, and to Gallery Conceal for hosting our growing community. Keep an eye on our news feed for details on our next gathering!

February 19, 2026

We are incredibly proud to announce our first group publication of 2026: ANARCHY Nº3. The response to this open call was absolutely staggering, proving that the raw, enduring magic of black-and-white photography is more powerful than ever.

Narrowing down over 1,000 submissions was an agonizing but deeply rewarding process for our curation team. This release also marks a beautiful milestone for our platform: six artists have now been featured in every single volume of the ANARCHY trilogy, and eight are celebrating their second appearance. Congratulations to all the selected photographers!

All submitters have been notified via email regarding their status. ANARCHY Nº3 is officially available to order in our online store, so be sure to secure your copy today!

January 30, 2026

We have been incredibly moved by the number of photographers who reached out to share their work with us over the past few months. Because of this overwhelming support, we are thrilled to announce that Ephemere’s curated solo publishing lineup for 2026 is officially full!

We now have a beautifully packed schedule of meaningful narratives that our team is quietly bringing to life behind the scenes. To ensure we can dedicate our full focus and editorial resources to our current roster of artists, we are temporarily pausing our standard publication proposals for the time being.

We cannot wait to unfold these new titles for you as the year progresses. Please stay tuned for our upcoming releases, and thank you all for your continuous trust in our platform!