The internationally acclaimed World Press Photo Exhibition returns to Auckland, presenting the outstanding work of photojournalists and documentary photographers from across the globe, thanks to the Rotary Club of Auckland. This year for the first time World Press Photo Exhibition Auckland is teaming up with Doc Edge Festival, who will also present their annual Immersive Exhibition for one single, unmissable event, showcasing documentary storytelling at its finest. Experience these two world-class exhibitions from 24 June – 12 July at the Smith & Caughey Building.
Seen by millions of people in more than 60 cities each year, the World Press Photo Exhibition 2026 presents the winning photographs of the prestigious annual World Press Photo Contest. The exhibition offers a powerful reflection on our world and shows the realities we face globally; marked by fracture, urgency but also resilience. They reveal the global overreach of power, the escalating climate crisis, and the human cost of conflict, while also bringing into focus stories of resistance, rebuilding, recovery, and the dignity of those who persevere.
The prestigious World Press Photo of the Year was selected from the 42 regional winners of the 2026 Contest, chosen from more than 57,000 photographs entered by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries. The Photo of the Year and Regional Contest winners will be displayed in the annual exhibition.
World Press Photo of the Year
Separated by ICE
Carol Guzy, ZUMA Press, iWitness, for Miami Herald
Luis’s distraught daughters cling to their father as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detain him after an immigration hearing in New York City, New York, United States.
World Press Photo of the Year Finalist
Aid Emergency in Gaza
Saber Nuraldin, EPA Images
Palestinians climb onto an aid truck as it enters the Gaza Strip via the Zikim Crossing in an attempt to get flour, during what the Israeli military called a “tactical suspension” in operations to allow humanitarian aid through.
Europe – Singles Winner
Emma the Social Robot
Paula Hornickel
Waltraud talks with Emma, a social robot that recognizes faces and remembers past conversations. Though skeptical at first, Waltraud says she felt connected to Emma over time. Albershausen, Germany.
The Rotary Club of Auckland is proud to bring the World Press Photo Exhibition to Auckland, with all proceeds from the event this year going towards the Auckland City Mission.
Alongside the World Press Photo Exhibition, the Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition invites audiences to step beyond the photograph and inside the story, through virtual reality, interactive installation and sensory driven experiences. Together they create a journey from seeing to feeling, from bearing witness to becoming part of the story.
World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition
Dates: Wednesday 24 June – Sunday 12 July
Times: 10AM – 8PM
Location: Smith & Caughey Building
11 Wellesley Street West (corner of Wellesley St and Elliot St)
Tickets
Event: World Press Photo Exhibition – Jun/Jul 2026
