About Noorderlicht

Noorderlicht is a dynamic platform that makes visual culture accessible to everyone, using photography and lens-based media as a powerful tool for dialogue and reflection. With a critical and innovative approach, we challenge the boundaries of visual culture and create space for deep conversations and connections that inspire and drive change. In addition to the biennial Noorderlicht Festival, the platform organizes exhibitions, an educational program, and manages a publishing house and a professional print lab.

Noorderlicht operates at the intersection of artistic experimentation and social engagement, where imagery is the ideal means to capture and explore major issues. We view photography and lens-based media as a wide range of artistic and documentary practices that use the lens to create images, tell stories, and explore ideas. The visual artists Noorderlicht presents help us redefine the boundaries of photographic perception. Many of these artists push the edges of the medium, experimenting with video, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and installations.

With a critical eye on society, Noorderlicht demonstrates that visual storytelling not only captures the world but can also influence it.

By supporting artists who dare to challenge the current state of affairs, we offer a platform to the diversity and complexity of human life. Noorderlicht is more than a gallery; it is a movement, a shared journey toward understanding, empathy, and progress. Our ambition is to provide a space where the boundaries of photography and lens-based media are constantly challenged, where tradition and innovation meet, and where the stories we share are as transformative as the times we live in.

Lens for Social Change

Noorderlicht is an inclusive platform that provides space for the exchange of ideas on urgent themes such as the environmental crisis, colonial legacies, and technological changes. We encourage critical imagination and challenge artists to explore the boundaries of visual culture. Noorderlicht serves as a communication channel that fosters dialogue and reflection among diverse groups in society. By using imagery as an entry point, we create a dynamic interaction between artists and society, with a focus on depth and meaningful exchange.

Noorderlicht operates from its gallery in Groningen and collaborates with various cultural institutions, both locally and internationally. These collaborations strengthen our impact and enable us to reach a wide audience. Our organization is known for its professionalism and expertise in organizing large-scale events such as the Noorderlicht Biennale. Through our wide range of activities and strong organizational capabilities, we continue to be a leading institution in the world of photography and lens-based media.

As a commissioner, Noorderlicht provides opportunities for both established and emerging artists, with a strong focus on inclusivity. We promote artistic innovation by commissioning works that explore new technologies and media, such as video, AI, and VR. In doing so, we contribute to the development and renewal of visual culture. Noorderlicht highly values art that is not only aesthetically but also socially relevant, providing a platform for art that reflects the diversity and complexity of human life.

Content Innovation and Socially Engaged Art

Noorderlicht aims to provide a platform for engaged artists working with photography and lens-based media. By combining historical heritage sites with contemporary art, we enrich artistic history and stimulate new perspectives. Our mission is to make art accessible to people from diverse backgrounds and interests and to contribute to the societal debate on key social and ecological issues. We are committed to creating deeper understanding and greater engagement with current social challenges through art.

In the north of the Netherlands, where the natural environment plays a crucial role, Noorderlicht is dedicated to ecological innovation. We focus on collaboration between people, nature, and society, ensuring that our projects take into account the interests of all life forms, recognizing both human and non-human concerns. This vision is integrated into all our activities, with sustainability as a central guiding principle.

Noorderlicht acknowledges the environmental impact of digital technology and strives to minimize it. By reducing our ecological footprint, including through energy-efficient solutions for our projects and website, we actively take on a leadership role. We optimize our digital platform to reduce environmental impact and use our position to raise awareness about the effect of technology on the environment. In doing so, we set an example for sustainable practices within the cultural sector.

Noorderlicht seeks to produce visual art that fosters reflection and dialogue, with a focus on urgent themes such as the environmental crisis, colonial legacies, and technological changes. We promote inclusivity and diversity in our projects and aim to minimize our ecological footprint. We work closely with various partner institutions to reach a wide audience, adhering to the Fair Practice Code, the Governance Code Culture, and the Code for Diversity & Inclusion. Our educational program targets all levels of education, promoting critical thinking and collaboration. Noorderlicht is committed to a fair, inclusive, and sustainable future, where new audiences are welcomed without forgetting our current ones.

Wat eind jaren tachtig begon als de Noorderlicht Fotogalerie binnen het Groningse cultureel studentencentrum USVA. In 1990 werd de eerste Noorderlicht Fotomanifestatie georganiseerd, wat leidde tot de oprichting van de huidige zelfstandige Stichting Fotografie Noorderlicht, en wat al snel uitgroeide tot een belangrijk podium voor nieuwe ontwikkelingen in de Nederlandse documentaire fotografie. 

Van oudsher heeft Noorderlicht zich gericht op het breder onder de aandacht brengen van documentaire fotografie, het aanzwengelen van discussie over de rol van het medium, en het bij elkaar brengen van fotografen en publiek. Dit resulteerde in thematische tentoonstellingen en festivals, waarin zorgvuldig samengestelde fotografen een krachtig, maatschappelijk verhaal vertellen. In 2000 werd de manifestatie uitgebreid naar Friesland, waardoor het jaarlijks terugkerend evenement afwisselend werd georganiseerd in de noordelijke hoofdsteden. Deze uitbreidingen en een focus op niet-westerse regio’s leidden tot succesvolle internationale tentoonstellingen over Afrika, de Arabische wereld, Zuid-Amerika, Azië en het voormalige Oostblok. Noorderlicht heeft zich altijd ingezet voor geografische inclusiviteit en heeft door de jaren heen kunstfotografie en experimentele fotografievormen omarmd. Veel gerenommeerde fotografen, maar ook opkomend talent heeft via Noorderlicht daardoor een podium gekregen.

Sinds 2023 werd het jaarlijkse festival een tweejaarlijks evenement in de vorm van de Noorderlicht Biënnale. Naast de eigen galerie en het biënnaleprogramma organiseert Noorderlicht diverse projecten, waaronder openluchtexposities, en (internationale) samenwerkingen met collega-instellingen en musea. 

Noorderlicht, as a small organization, is committed to geographical and thematic diversity in its programming and works closely with a wide range of partners both within and outside the region. Through the recent transformation of the Noorderlicht Studio into a space for experimentation and talent development, the organization now provides a venue where new forms of visual art and technology can be explored and presented.

Noorderlicht functions as a collective in which all team members contribute to both the artistic and organizational direction. This approach fosters horizontal communication and shared responsibility, allowing ideas and initiatives to thrive from all levels of the organization. The emphasis on collectivity strengthens ownership and motivation, leading to more innovative programs that better meet the needs of artists, visitors, and communities. All of this aligns with Noorderlicht's core values of accessibility, connection, visibility, and transparency.

We extend gratitude to the following organizations for their financial support.