Rencontres d'Arles Opens Monday July 7

The 45th annual Recontres d'Arles, the fantastic international photo festival, will run July 7 to September 21, 2014 in Arles, with 50-plus exhibits and workshops. As in years past there will be panel discussions, lectures, book signings, open-air screenings, portfolio reviews, guided tours and more. Last year, almost 100,000 people attended.

Most but not all exhibits stay up until the end of the festival, on September 21st.

The exhibits, sometimes co-produced with French and/or foreign museums and institutions, are staged in various galleries, museums and purpose-built sites. Some sites (for example, a 12th-century chapel or 19th-century industrial buildings) are open to the public only during the festival.

The opening week (the week that many industry professionals attend) will feature a number of special events and the week's program is here.

A complete list of this year's exhibitions is here. The big names this year are David Bailey, Christian Lacroix, Lucien Clergue and Raymond Depardon. Use the left right arrows to see the various photographers and click for more info on that particular show. Over to the right, you'll see the venue, dates and single ticket price. A list of all the shows appears in the margin at left; they're divided into two categories: Originals and Parade.

Special evenings where one or more photographers project their work on a large screen, often accompanied by music, will be held on July 8 (Théâtre d' Arles, corner of Georges Clémenceau Blvd and Gambetta) and on July 9, 10 and 12 (Théâtre Antique). Separate tickets for these evenings are required and more info is here.

Friday July 11 is the annual "Nuit de L'Année" (Night of The Year). Work by various photographers will be projected on 14 screens on the Boulevard des Lices, from 10 pm to 3 am. It's a festive evening, free and open to all.

Tickets to all events may be purchased online or at seven ticket offices, which you can see here. Exhibit tickets may be purchased individually or in multi-day passes. Single tickets range from 3.50€ to 12€. A pass that gets you into all exhibits from July 7 to September 21 is 35€. One-day passes are 29€. A pass good for September 1st to 21st is 31€. Info on all passes is here.

Groups of 10 or more get special rates. For more info, call or email Han Xiao: 04.90.96.63.39 reservation@rencontres-arles.com

Please note that some shows/venues are not included in pass prices and must be paid for separately. Make sure to get a map to all exhibits when you stop by a ticket office. They should also have them at the Tourist Office.

During opening week, exhibiting photographers are often on hand to present and discuss their work. Pass holders can also enjoy free daily guided tours, between July 14 and September 21. These 90-minute tours will let you discover a range of exhibitions with a mediator-photographer as your guide. There's no need to reserve ahead...just show up, as long as you have a pass. More info can be found at the ticket offices but the best details I can get are:

* City Center Tour : 5 pm, on even days. Meeting point : Garden of the Espace Van Gogh Tours run until and including August 31 (which where I come from is not an even day but...)

* Bureau Des Lices Tour : 5 pm, on odd days, on August 21st and every day after September 1st. Meeting point : Garden of the Espace Van Gogh.

 * Parc des Ateliers Tour : 11am. Meeting point : Chaudronnerie entrance.

Info on workshops can be seen here. There are two categories: summer and weekend. Click on the links in the left hand margin to see them.

A free Rencontres app can be downloaded here.

To see the press kit in English, click here.

The full Rencontres website in English is here. If you can't find the word ''Exhibitions," it may be hidden behind the word ''photographie" in the logo at the top left. Click the big purple-and-orange Parade square instead.

The festival office/headquarters is located at 34, rue du Docteur Fanton in Arles and remains open throughout the fest.

Photos: *Mick Jagger, 1964, by David Bailey (Show #1). *Alberth Lukassen, an Inuit hunter in northern Greenland, by Ciril Jazbec (Show #12). *Double Impact from the series Wild Style, 2013, by Mazaccio & Drowilal (Show #8). *Sunbathing, from the Album series by Vik Muniz, 2014 (Show #2). *Juliette Binoche by Patrick Swirc. The un-numbered exhibit is called "Don't Move" and it's at the Abbaye de Montmajour, not in Arles. *Jérôme le Banner, 2011 by Vincent Perez (Show #19). *From the show "Deadline"by Will Steacy, 2009 (Show #13).