Bakashimika

Why photography and why now?

Photography entered Zambia through colonial expeditions and remained associated with control, documentation, and surveillance for decades. Even after independence, camera ownership was restricted. 

“The first time Zambian photographers could freely use photography as a means of self-expression was in the 1990s,” Hacker notes. “That means the generation we’re working with now is essentially the first with unrestricted access to the medium.” 

In a country where photography education is still emerging - there is only one private art university teaching it - Bakashimika fills a vital gap. It is not only an exhibition space but also a learning environment, research platform, and testing ground for new ideas. “Its rapid rise shows the deep need for spaces where our own voices shape the narrative” says Geoffrey Phiri. 

“There is so little infrastructure around photography in Zambia,” says Hacker. “So, the festival had to become more than a festival. It had to become the infrastructure itself.” 

Changing narratives, building confidence 

From the outset, the festival’s impact was unmistakable. At the 2025 edition, 500 people attended the opening night, with 40 artists from Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa, the DRC, Nigeria, and Zambia exhibiting across 20 curated shows. 

“It became a coming together, a moment of recognition for the region”, Hacker recalls. “It became something far bigger than we ever anticipated. We didn’t realise its power until we saw it happen.” 

For many attendees, the experience was transformative. “One visitor said to us: ‘We are always shown negative representations of Africa. This changed my narrative.’” This, Hacker says, encapsulates the festival’s purpose: visual self-governance. 

“We need to create a space where Southern African photographers are confident that their voices matter - that their voices deserve to be heard.”, says Phiri and “proves the region’s hunger for its own storytellers.” 

A festival that builds futures 

Alongside exhibitions, the festival hosts hands-on Nikon workshops, financial literacy sessions, portfolio reviews, artist talks, and professional round tables addressing ethics and creative survival. 

These are paired with ambitious academic partnerships, including Cambridge University Library, the Royal Commonwealth Society Archive, the Affect and Colonialism Web Lab, and others. 

“Bakashimika is a living lab,” Hacker says. “It allows us to apply critical research in real-world contexts and to let real-world contexts reshape the research.” 

The next edition of the festival will take place 18–24 June 2026, with significant expansion on the horizon. Collaborations with festivals in the DRC and Zimbabwe are underway, alongside interest from South African research organisations and galleries. 

“We hope Bakashimika becomes a hub,” says Hacker, “a place where lens-based artists can grow, learn, and connect, both within the region and internationally.” 

Further down the line, sights are set on developing a research hub alongside the festival a space for art historians and cultural writers to join the conversation. 

A call to witness 

Bakashimika is an invitation: to listen, to see, to participate, and to support. Its founders hope the festival will spark new collaborations, attract global partners, and build a long-lasting creative ecosystem. 

“We just hope people come forward who want to work with us,” Hacker says. “This is only the beginning—and there is so much potential.” 

The stories of Southern Africa are being told. 
They are bold. 
They are intimate. 
They are powerful. 

And thanks to Bakashimika, the future of these stories is firmly in the hands of those who live them. 

Bakashimika at the Cambridge Festival 

Join the festival founders in a special event hosted by Anglia Ruskin University on Saturday 21 March at 12.30pm, online or in person. Patrick Chilaisha, Edith Chiliboy, Geoffrey Phiri, and Dr Kerstin Hacker will share the story behind the creation of Bakashimika. Discover how this groundbreaking festival is shaping national and international conversations around photography, visual identity, and cultural collaboration.