
If you do one thing this bank holiday, or even just one thing in the next three months, visit the World Press Photo Exhibition at the MPB Gallery, Here East, London.
Why? Because not all superheroes wear capes. Some wear press vests in the most dangerous corners of the world. I call them superheroes because, to me, that’s exactly what they are. And in today’s perilous world, they are showing superhuman resolve in documenting it. It’s like having a target painted on your back.
For never before has democracy itself come under such attack from so many directions. Never has being a photographer been so dangerous. Nor has the truth been under such attack from the likes of despots, would-be dictators, and AI.
This exhibition turns the spotlight on the photographers and photographs that bravely confront and capture the truth. It’s something you must see. As one of the world’s most prestigious showcases of photojournalism and documentary photography, it offers a powerful and unmissable visual journey through some of the year’s defining moments.
For 70 years, the World Press Photo Contest has honoured the best in photojournalism. This year alone, the contest received more than 59,000 submissions from photographers in 141 countries, telling powerful stories of struggle, defiance, warmth, and courage.

From Samar Abu Elouf’s harrowing image of Mahmoud Ajjour, a young boy severely injured while fleeing an Israeli attack in Gaza, to one of my favourites, Marijn Fidder’s shot of one-legged bodybuilder Tamale Safalu training outside his home in Kampala, Uganda.
Or take Anselmo Cunha’s hauntingly beautiful photograph of a Boeing jet marooned on a flooded tarmac in Brazil.

There is nothing quite like standing face to face with work like this. No screen can replicate the tactile, analogue intimacy of seeing these images in person.
So go and celebrate the skill, courage, and humanity of these photographers. Give them and their subjects the exposure they so richly deserve. But whatever you do, don’t turn your back on what is happening in the world today. Thankfully, bearing witness is accessible to all.
Friday 23 May – Monday 25 August 2025

Opening Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm (Off-Peak)
- Saturday & Bank Holidays: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm (Peak)
- Sunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (Peak)
- Last entry 30 minutes before closing
Prices (including booking fee):
- Adult Standard Ticket: £16.50
- Adult Off-Peak: £13.50
- Child (12–16): £6 at all times
- Child (under 12): Free at all times
- Concession: £11 at all times
(Disabled, Job Seekers, Benefit Recipients, Students, Pension Credit holders — please bring ID or proof of benefits) - BOOK HERE
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