The International Photography Festival (Rencontres d'Arles), created in 1969 by photographers and picture-lovers Clergue, Lemagny, Rouquette, Dieuzaide, Tournier, Boubat, Brihat, Gaufrand, presents a variety of expositions, lectures, evening photo projections in the Roman Theatre, and meetings around the city, with a double objective : keeping abreast of the latest discoveries in photographic creation, and exposing works of pioneers in the field.

In 1982, the National Photography School opened in the former Quiqueyran de Beaujeu town house, in the rue des Arènes. This is the only university-level national photography school in France.

 These two organizations have inspired many local photography projects. Since 2001 Arles has developed the Nude Photo Festival, qui which exposes European photographers and honors a local photographer each year.