About

In 2026, we mark 200 years since the first permanent photograph — a gesture that transformed light into memory and changed the way we see the world.

Two Centuries of Light invites photographers and visual artists to explore light in its widest sense: as origin, medium, language, and possibility.

From the pioneering experiment of 1826 to today’s expanded practices, this open call welcomes diverse interpretations — intimate or political, abstract or documentary, conceptual or experimental.

Two hundred years later, light continues to shape how we perceive, record, question, and imagine.

What does light mean today?

What winners receive

20 Winners

Each winner will present five photographs of their choice in the printed exhibition The Language of Pictures, featured as part of the OFF program of the Rencontres d’Arles. The exhibition will be held at a new gallery space located at 12 Rue Jouvene, Arles, scheduled to open in April 2026 under the name Galerie Triptyque. It will run from July 3 to July 20.

Winners will also be invited to present a short video (up to 3 minutes) introducing their photographic series during the next edition of the Rencontres de la Photographie de Marrakech, taking place from October 7 to 10, 2026, at Meydene, M Avenue, Marrakech.

In addition, each winner will benefit from a dedicated online publication of their photographic series on the festival’s official platform: https://www.rencontres-photos.com.

30 Finalists

Each finalist will have the chance to present their photographic series through a short video, with a maximum duration of 2 minutes, during the upcoming edition of the Rencontres de la Photographie de Marrakech, which will take place from October 7 to 10, 2026, at Meydene, M Avenue, Marrakech.

Finalists will also have their complete series published on the festival’s website.

About Les Rencontres de la Photographie Marrakech

The call is organized by two non-profit, non-governmental associations: Voix Plurielles and Cultures Nomades Production. Voix Plurielles, based in Casablanca, Morocco, organizes Les Rencontres de la Photographie in Marrakech. Cultures Nomades Production, based in Arles, France, co-produces the Marrakech festival and is a partner of the OFF of the Rencontres d'Arles.