In Bemba, Bakashimika means storytellers. It is an apt name for a photography festival built on a simple but powerful question: What does Zambian photography actually look like?
The idea began as a conversation among photographers and cultural thinkers who noticed something curious. When searching “Zambian photography” online, the results were overwhelmingly dominated by wildlife imagery, majestic landscapes, safari scenes, and animals that are undeniably part of Zambia’s identity. Yet something was missing.
Where were the photographs of everyday Zambian life? Where were the images documenting urban rhythms, cultural nuance, and personal narratives? Where were the perspectives of Zambians telling their own visual stories?
Bakashimika was created to fill that gap.
The festival’s inaugural edition in 2025, referred to as “Year Zero,” set the tone for what Bakashimika could become: not just an exhibition, but a cultural platform. Photographers from Zambia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola participated in a program that combined exhibitions, workshops, business talks, and industry discussions. The event positioned itself as both an educational space and a professional development platform, while opening a broader continental conversation about contemporary African photography.
Now returning from June 18–24, 2026, the festival continues to evolve. This year’s edition will feature a collaborative project between photographers from the Southern African region and Britain (The Biennials Connect Project funded by the British Council Arts ) alongside several photographers from within the continent and institutional participants, with a program that again blends exhibitions, workshops, and industry dialogue.
One of the most intriguing additions this year is the Sunset Room. The concept is both playful and deeply symbolic. Nearly every photographer begins their journey by photographing a sunset. It is a universal rite of passage, an early experiment with light, colour, and curiosity. By dedicating a room to sunset photographs, the festival quietly acknowledges a shared beginning among photographers while celebrating the evolution of artistic identity.
At its core, Bakashimika is about expanding the visual imagination of Zambia. It is a space for lived narratives, emerging voices, and the everyday moments that rarely make it into global image archives. It is reshaping the story of Zambian photography itself.