Photography permeates every aspect of contemporary life, serving as a tool for visual communication, personal expression, artistic creation, documentation, social engagement, and civic action. In the twentieth-first century, the traditional distinctions between high and low art, as well as between art and applied practices, and among different lens-based media have become blurred over time, rendering previous museum taxonomies obsolete and posing practical challenges for professionals.

This inaugural agenda-setting workshop seeks to foster dialogue among international scholars, curators, artists, photographers, museum professionals, and archivists regarding various definitions and understandings of “photography” and its cultural significance within and beyond museum settings. Featuring presentations by invited speakers, a roundtable discussion, and breakout sessions, the workshop aims to explore diverse institutional perspectives, policies, practices, and challenges related to the collection, exhibition, and interpretation of photographic images. Insights and feedback collected from participants will shape the framework and topics of subsequent workshops.