Lishui will host the 2026 World Photographers Conference, the 20th China International Photographic Art Exhibition, and the 7th International Photography Symposium from Oct 23 to 27.

Under the theme "Encounter Lishui", the event aims to bring encounters to venues, streets, and natural landscapes, letting the world meet Lishui's beauty and the power of images.

The two conferences and the exhibition will open on Oct 24 in Lishui's urban area and Guyan Huaxiang Scenic Area in Liandu district.

The World Photographers Conference will invite representatives from over 50 countries and regions to discuss photography and cultural tourism integration.

The 20th China International Photographic Art Exhibition drew more than 310,000 submissions from 125 countries and regions, while the 7th International Photography Symposium will gather experts from over 10 countries.

Highlights include Gregory Crewdson's first personal retrospective in Lishui and special exhibitions by international institutions. Seven sites will showcase 13,198 works by 2,826 photographers in 768 exhibitions.

The event will also release the 2025-26 Lishui photography index, a group standard on photography collection management, and a book on modern Chinese photography, and cooperate will with Huawei and Lucky to extend the photography industry chain.