Rencontres d'Arles 2021 Exhibitions:

The way exhibitions are set up at Arles involves elaborate stage design. Some historical buildings (12th century chapels and 19th century industrial spaces) are open to the public only during the festival period.

The Rencontres d’Arles 2021:

• at the cutting edge of developments in the photographic image, up with new processes and with new approaches to the photographed subject and to plastic form.
• aware of new techniques; able to offer to every kind of public a different concept of what a photography exhibition can be and to connect people meaningfully with the image.

Events:

Opening week at the Rencontres d’Arles involves photography events (e.g. evening screenings, exhibition visits, discussions, symposiums, and book signings) in historic parts of the city, some of which are open especially for the occasion. 

Evening screenings in the Théâtre Antique:

The open-air evening screenings at the Théâtre Antique in Arles present the work of a photographer or photography specialist accompanied by concerts or performances. Each screening is a one-off creation.

Symposiums and Discussions:

Discussions and symposiums are held during the opening week of the Rencontres d’Arles. Participating photographers and other professionals talk about their work or about questions raised by the images on display.

Rencontres d’Arles Awards 2021:

Since they were created in 2002, the Rencontres d’Arles awards have been a means of discovering new talents at the festival. The nature of the prizes was changed in 2007. There are now three annual awards. They are presented during the closing ceremony of professional week at the festival and the winners’ work is displayed throughout the summer at Arles. The awards are: the Prix Découverte (‘Discovery Award’), worth €25000, the Prix du Livre d’Auteur (‘Contemporary Book Award’), worth €8000, and the Prix du Livre Historique (‘Historical Book Award’), worth €8000. Since 2010, an award established with the backing of the LUMA Foundation has also been awarded.

Education:

• Photo Folio Review & Gallery

Photo Folio Review & Gallery was launched in 2006. Photographers are able to have their portfolios looked at critically during the opening week. There is also an opportunity for some to have their work displayed throughout the festival. Photographers submit their work to the trained eyes of internationally renowned experts from different fields of photography: publishers, exhibition curators, museum directors, agency heads, gallery owners, collectors, and art directors.

• Photo Workshops

Exchanges between professional photographers and photographers at all levels of expertise have been a constant feature of the Rencontres d’Arles since its inception. The photo workshops enable those taking part to engage in a creative venture of their own, at the cutting edge of aesthetic, ethical and technical photographic challenges.

Well-known photographers regularly run workshops for the Rencontres d’Arles: Guy le Querrec, Antoine d’Agata, Martin Parr, René Burri, Joan Fontcuberta, to name but a few.