Les Rencontres D'Arles in Arles - France

The Event

The Rencontres d'Arles (formerly known as the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d'Arles) is a summer photography festival founded in 1970 by Arles photographer Lucien Clergue, author Michel Tournier and historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette. The Rencontres d'Arles' policy of programming almost exclusively new work has earned it a world-wide reputation. In 2010, there were 73, 000 visitors to the festival.

The exhibitions, often co-produced with both French and foreign museums and institutions, are given on various heritage sites, suitably stage-designed for the purpose. Some sites (for example, 12th century chapels or 19th century industrial buildings) are open to the public only for the duration of the festival.

Many photographers have been discovered as a result of the Rencontres; a sure sign of the festival's importance as a springboard for photographic and contemporary creative talent.
In recent years, the Rencontres d'Arles has had many guest curators and has also entrusted part of the programming to well-known figures such as Martin Parr in 2004, Raymond Depardon in 2006 and the Arles-born couturier Christian Lacroix in 2008, Nan Goldin in 2009, Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Beatrix Ruf, Tom Eccles in 2010; Artur Walter and Simon Baker en 2011.

The Prize

You'll be flying direct to London thanks to Qantas, before boarding a short flight to Nimes, France thanks to our One World partners where your ticket to the Les Recontres D'Arles Photogrphy Festival awaits. But that's not all, Qantas will also arrange for you to stay at a preferred partner hotel for 4 nights in Paris and 4 nights in Arles, and did we mention $5,000 in cold hard cash!

The Destination

Arles is a favorite tourist destination in Provence, made famous in recent times by painters Van Gogh and Gaugin, but has been a center since Roman times, as evidenced by the wonderful Arena in the center of Arles, still used for bullfights. The area around Arles is famous for its natural beauty, especially in the Camargue.

The Rencontres d'Arles photography festival is a magnet for photographers the world over, and not surprisingly the French national school of photography is located there. The major French publishing house Actes Sud is also situated in Arles. So if you're into pictures, words or both you'll find yourself right at home!