The Rencontres d'Arles 2026 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 maximum €20,000 grant includes an initial amount of €5,000 in copyright acquired for the winner of the Rencontres d’Arles Curatorial Award, and a second amount of €15,000 if approved, to produce the project if presented on Les Rencontres d’Arles program.

Practical Info

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF including a biography of the curator (or collective), a list of past projects, a project text of up to 5,000 characters with visuals strongly recommended, a provisional research budget (€5,000), a research schedule, and a provisional production budget (€15,000). Texts must be in French or English, ideally both.

The selected curator will have six months of research, after which they must submit a feasibility note to the festival’s artistic direction. If approved, the project will advance to production, with the €15,000 budget managed by the festival to cover costs such as loans, shipping, production, insurance, and expenses related to the curator’s and artists’ participation. The curator is expected to select works, secure reproduction rights, write the exhibition text, and be present at the opening week to guide audiences. Additional costs, including scenography, installation, dismantling, and security, will be covered directly by the Rencontres d’Arles.

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.