Rencontres d'Arles 2027 Curatorial Research Fellowship

Supported by Jean-François Dubos and offering a €20,000 grant, the Rencontres d'Arles Curatorial Research Fellowship is open to curators seeking to develop original photography or image-based projects.

Overview

The Rencontres d'Arles Curatorial Research Fellowship, supported by Jean-François Dubos, awards a maximum grant of €20,000 to exhibition curators wishing to carry out an original project relating to image or photography. The grant consists of an initial sum of €5,000 in royalties payable to the prize recipient, and a second sum of €15,000, subject to validation, to produce the project.

The selected project will be carried out in two phases: a research phase focusing on an exhibition project, followed by project production subject to approval. Once selected, the curator receives €5,000 to cover expenses and royalties and is given six months to carry out research. At the end of this period, they must submit a proposal to the artistic direction team of the Rencontres d'Arles, which will determine whether the project is feasible and approve its presentation format.

If approved, the project moves into the creation and production phase. The €15,000 budget managed by the Rencontres d'Arles covers the loan of artworks, transport to Arles, production of works, the curator's invitation and accommodation for artists during opening week, and insurance. The Rencontres d'Arles additionally covers exhibition design, communication, installation and dismantling, and security.

The curator commits to selecting works, determining display and reproduction rights, drafting an introductory text for the selection of photographs, and being present during the festival's opening week to take part in guided tours of the exhibition.

Practical Info

The fellowship is open to all exhibition curators. Applications must be completed online and submitted as a single PDF file of maximum 10 MB containing the following documents in order: a description of the proposed exhibition project (maximum 5,000 characters), a list of works and artists considered for the project with visuals strongly recommended, a provisional research budget (€5,000), a research timetable, and a provisional budget for the production of the exhibition (€15,000); a biography of the curator or co-curators/collective including educational background, full contact details, and a list of projects and exhibitions with descriptions and images. Texts must be in French or English, ideally both.

Selected projects will be announced at the end of February 2027. Phase 1 research runs until summer 2027, with presentation of the study from September to mid-October 2027, followed by phase 2 of the project's creation if approved.

The curator is granted six months' research time and must send a file to the jury from September until mid-October consisting of an artistic statement (2,000 characters), a selection of works, details of display and reproduction rights, a provisional budget, and a reverse schedule. The curator will present the file to the jury at a meeting between September and mid-October 2027. The Rencontres d'Arles will notify the curator by email within six months of submission whether the project is approved.

If the preliminary work is not approved, the curator is free to organise the exhibition with any third party but must state on all media: "research supported by the Rencontres d'Arles 2027 curatorial research grant". If approved and scheduled as part of a Rencontres d'Arles edition, a new contract will be signed.

About Rencontres d'Arles

Every summer since 1970, over the course of more than forty exhibitions at various heritage sites in the city, 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.