2026 Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation

The Rencontres d’Arles launches the 2026 Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation, celebrating emerging photographers and offering institutions a chance to present new talents during the 57th edition of the festival.

Overview

The award celebrates emerging voices in contemporary photography and recognizes artists whose work deserves wider international visibility. Since its creation, the prize has served as a key platform for discovery, supporting photographers at early stages of their careers and amplifying new perspectives within the field.

Selected proposals will form part of the Prix Découverte exhibition during the 2026 edition of the festival. Two awards will be given during the opening week: the Jury Prize, which includes the acquisition of artworks for a total of €15,000, and the Public Prize, which awards €5,000 in acquisitions. In both cases, the prize is shared between the artist and the supporting structure.

The Discovery Award is part of the Rencontres d'Arles exhibition program. This year's invited exhibition curator Nadine Hounkpatin is associated with the Discovery Award and will work on the development of the projects, from the selection to exhibition design, from concept to completion.

Practical Info

Since 2021, the prize has been closely tied to institutions and organizations, such as galleries, art centers, artist-run spaces, and cultural institutions, that identify and support emerging talent. Only these professional structures may apply, artists themselves cannot submit directly. Each structure is invited to propose an exhibition project for one artist or collective whose recent photographic work stands out for its originality and relevance.

Each submission should include a short biography and CV of the artist or collective, a presentation of the supporting structure, a detailed description of the proposed exhibition, visuals of the works, and a preliminary production budget. All texts can be written in French or English.

If selected, the artist and the partner structure commit to producing and presenting the exhibition within the framework of the Rencontres d’Arles 2026. The project must not be exhibited publicly prior to the festival. The festival will provide production assistance and coordinate logistical aspects such as transport and insurance of the works.

About Les Rencontres d'Arles

Every summer since 1970, over the course of more than forty exhibitions at various of the city's heritage sites, the Rencontres d'Arles has been a major influence in disseminating the best of world photography and playing the role of a springboard for photographic and contemporary creative talents.