The Bronx Documentary Center’s 9th Annual Latin American Foto Festival (LAFF) is returning this July, bringing powerful photography, cultural storytelling, and free community events to the South Bronx.The festival, which has become a summer tradition, celebrates photographers from across Latin America and highlights stories, cultures, and communities through documentary photography. Founded by the Bronx Documentary Center, LAFF is the first photography festival in New York City dedicated to showcasing the cultures and experiences of Latin American countries represented throughout the Bronx and beyond. Exhibitions will take place at multiple locations, including the Bronx Documentary Center and the BDC Annex, as well as outdoor installations throughout the neighborhood. Admission is free.
In past years, LAFF has featured large-scale photographs displayed both inside galleries and outdoors on buildings, fences, and public spaces throughout Melrose. The festival has also expanded beyond the Bronx with exhibitions and events in community spaces across New York City, helping to amplify stories from photographers representing countries including Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and El Salvador.
Beyond the exhibits themselves, visitors can usually enjoy artist talks, film screenings, workshops, panel discussions, open mic events, and community celebrations designed to bring people together through art and storytelling. Many events are bilingual and family-friendly.If you’ve never attended, LAFF offers a chance to explore the neighborhood while experiencing thought-provoking photography that shines a light on communities, traditions, challenges, and everyday life throughout Latin America. The outdoor installations also make it easy to enjoy the festival while taking a walk through the South Bronx.
What: 9th Annual Latin American Foto Festival (LAFF)
When: July 9–26, 2026
Where: Bronx Documentary Center, 614 Courtlandt Avenue, and BDC Annex, 364 East 151st Street
Cost: Free
For more information and festival updates, visit the Bronx Documentary Center website.