Frequently asked questions about the LUMA Arles project

The LUMA Foundation is an organization under Swiss law founded in 2004 by Maja Hoffmann. In 2013, the LUMA Foundation created and financed the LUMA Arles endowment fund to steer the Parc des Ateliers d'Arles project. An endowment fund (FDD) is a non-profit structure under French law to carry out a mission of general interest. LUMA Arles embodies the main project of the LUMA Foundation, which is also involved in long-term partnerships with international institutions such as the Kunsthalle Zurich, the Tate Modern and the Serpentine Gallery in London, the New Museum and Bard College in New York. In Arles, the LUMA Foundation is the parent company of LUMA Arles and the structures that manage the various Arles-based activities within what Maja Hoffmann describes as an “archipelago”.

From the outset of the project, we wanted the Parc des Ateliers to set an example in terms of environmental protection. In this respect, we have gone further than current regulations. The Park will balance its energy consumption. The energy required for the site will be produced using natural, renewable resources. A generator produces electricity, heat and cooling at the same time. This energy is produced using sunflower oil from Camargue agriculture and used vegetable oil. This oil is collected from restaurants and canteens in the Pays d'Arles via a local supply chain. In addition, 2,000 m2 of solar panels installed on the roof of the Grande Halle generate electricity, as do the shades of the future Minimes parking lot, located to the south-east of the site, along the route de la Crau.

At all key stages, LUMA Arles worked in close collaboration with Arles town council. Indeed, a project of this scale is only possible with the participation of local authorities. LUMA Arles was launched in 2007 after discussions with Hervé Schiavetti, Mayor of Arles, Michel Vauzelle, then President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-D'azur Region, and the city's main cultural players: Rencontres d'Arles, Actes Sud publishing house and the École nationale supérieure de la photographie. Since then, the City Council has approved every major decision. Arles City Council is responsible for granting building permits. Several municipal departments worked on the project: the town planning, heritage and technical departments. Public meetings at the Théâtre d'Arles provided an opportunity to present the progress of the project to the people of Arles. From the outset, regular meetings between the Mayor of Arles and Maja Hoffmann and her teams have created lasting ties.

Everywhere, in France and elsewhere, projects of this scale trigger opposition that subsides with time. This is the case in Arles: concerns have receded as the people of Arles have come to see the project, find out about it and discuss it with us. Today, a few criticisms linked to the evolution towards an art industry appear more on social networks than in the reality of Arles. It's also worth remembering that several thousand Arlesians had attended the party organized on Avenue Victor Hugo when the construction site was launched on April 5, 2014. Similarly, the many public meetings organized by the town hall drew a large and attentive audience, whose contributions were largely positive. At the very start of the project, the public inquiry carried out in 2013 as part of the building permit process noted no opposition to the project. Once granted, the permits were not appealed. At the local political level, the project enjoys consensus. Elected members of the Arles City Council have often voted unanimously in favor of decisions concerning the Parc des Ateliers. Partners such as the Communauté d'agglomération Arles Crau Camargue (ACCM) and the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie du Pays d'Arles (CCIPA) have actively supported the project. Many of Arles' cultural players and associations have also forged close links with LUMA Arles.

LUMA Arles asserts its local roots in Arles and the Camargue, but also its international outlook. Both aspects are part of the identity of the Parc des Ateliers project as imagined by Maja Hoffmann. LUMA Arles therefore fully embraces its bilingualism. All documents and publications are written in both French and English. We are convinced that this is an asset for Arles' influence in the world.

For the people of Arles and the Camargue, visiting the site is an opportunity to experience from the inside the progress of a major project for their city. To facilitate access for all residents, including those who live far from the center, LUMA Arles, in partnership with the elected officials of the City of Arles, has organized numerous visits with village and neighborhood committees, as well as associations of shopkeepers, railway workers and others. Many residents of Camargue villages have taken part in these visits, which have been organized since the end of 2016 and have generated genuine enthusiasm.