Polaroid Presents: PolaCon NYC 2025

Ladies and gentlemen and everyone above and beyond: We are thrilled to invite you to the third annual PolaCon NYC! Instant Film Society, Brooklyn Film Camera, and Polaroid are joining forces once again to bring you the biggest and best PolaCon yet. Please join us from May 30 - June 1 for three days of instant film delight!

So what is PolaCon? Well, quite simply, it's shorthand for "Polaroid Conference" but PolaCon has transformed to become so much more than that. While the core of PolaCon remains educational, the heart of PolaCon is in the community that it draws together. Every year, hundreds of us whose hearts flutter for instant-photography are pulled together like a vortex by the PolaCon call. We travel from all over the world to be there, we share long days and little sleep, we see old friends and we meet new ones, we learn tips and tricks from each other, we share cameras, we share stories, and we create memories and photographs to last a lifetime. PolaCon is a pilgrimage for those who cherish the tangible magic of instant film. We can't wait to see you there.

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We are currently seeking Workshop Leaders, Presenters, Artists, Vendors, Volunteers, and more! Want to get involved in PolaCon NYC 2025? Fill out the form(s) here.

Presenter Application

Volunteer Application

Vendor Application

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This will be the main channel for official updates, scheduling changes, and more. Participants are encouraged to share images, share plans, and connect! The Group will be administered by IFS and BFC. We strongly encourage all Polacon participants to join this group to stay up-to-date, make connections, and enhance the weekend!

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PolaCon programming will take place throughout the city but will be primarily concentrated at 53 Scott and Brooklyn Film Camera in the Bushwick, Brooklyn neighborhood. If you’re booking lodging, we highly suggest looking in/around this neighborhood *or* for anywhere near an L-Train Station. Other close neighborhoods are: Williamsburg, Ridgewood, Bedford-Stuyvesant.

What can you expect at this year’s PolaCon? Here’s a short list:

• Workshops
• Demos
• Artist talks
• Photo walks
• Scavenger hunts
• Community
• Revelry
• Dancing
• Giveaways
• The “State of the Emulsion” address
• All of the awesome nerds you know from the internet
• All of the awesome cameras you’ve always wanted to see
• Everything
• Nothing

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Instant Film Society (IFS) was founded in 2012 with the mission of increasing awareness, accessibility and understanding of analog instant photography. For over a decade now, IFS has been a community pillar for the instant film community in the US, hosting get-togethers, photo walks, and (of course) PolaCons!

Brooklyn Film Camera (BFC) was founded in 2015 by former employees of The Impossible Project (now Polaroid). BFC is one of just a few remaining institutions to specialize in the restoration of vintage Polaroid cameras. They teach classes and workshops, curate a gallery of film photography that rotates monthly, and design accessories and optics for vintage camera systems.

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Brooklyn Film Camera
855 Grand Street / Brooklyn, NY 11211.

53 Scott
53 Scott Ave / Brooklyn, NY 11237

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Coming soon...

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PolaCon is a community-powered event! Want to lead a workshop? Set up a photo booth? Sell or trade your work? Are you a food vendor interested in selling? An entertainer interested in performing? We want to hear from you! Email us at aW5mbyB8IGluc3RhbnRmaWxtc29jaWV0eSAhIG9yZw==

Posting social media content from PolaCon? Hashtag it so we can all see! #PolaConNYC

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Polaroid

53 Scott

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Contact us: aW5mbyB8IGluc3RhbnRmaWxtc29jaWV0eSAhIG9yZw==

Also check out other Entertainment events in Brooklyn, Workshops in Brooklyn, Arts events in Brooklyn.