Summary of the conference “Capturing Colour. Digitisation of Colour Photographic and Film Materials”

On 19 March 2026 took place the second edition of the nationwide conference dedicated to the preservation of photographic and film heritage. This year’s event, organised by our Foundation in cooperation with the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences, brought together more than 100 participants from all over the country — researchers, archivists, curators, and practitioners working in the fields of photography and film. The meeting was hosted by Weronika Kobylińska (FAF) and Marta Ziętkiewicz (IS PAN).

The speakers included experts representing numerous cultural and academic institutions, including the Museum of Photography in Kraków, the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute, the National Digital Archives, and the Film School in Łódź. Their presentations addressed both the practical aspects of preserving and digitising collections, as well as the challenges related to making them accessible and interpreting them. An important part of the programme was also a panel prepared by Kwartalnik Fotografia, devoted to the role and significance of print in the era of widespread image digitisation.

The conference was held under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw. A particularly notable moment was the presentation by Olga Michalska, Head of the Department for Digital Solutions for Education and Culture at the Marshal’s Office of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

The conference participants also had a unique opportunity to meet a legend of photography, Chris Niedenthal. In a conversation with Iga Niewiadomska from the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences, he spoke about his work and experiences related to color photoraphy.