LUMA Arles, Arles

LUMA Arles is a cultural campus that has transformed the former industrial railway yard known as Workshops Park into a centre for art, design, research, and environmental initiatives. Launched in 2013 by the LUMA Foundation, founded by Swiss arts patron Maja Hoffmann, this expansive site brings multiple creative disciplines together in one dynamic space.

At the heart of LUMA Arles stands the LUMA Tower, designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Frank Gehry. The 56-meter-tall tower, clad in 11,000 angled stainless steel panels, evokes the light and dynamism of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, the rugged limestone cliffs of the region, and even the circular form of Arles’s Roman amphitheater. Inside, you'll find exhibition spaces, a library, workshops, an auditorium, artist studios, and a café.

As a creative campus, several restored 19th‑century industrial buildings, transformed by Annabelle Selldorf, now house residencies, galleries, and presentation spaces for artists. Surrounding it all is a lush landscaped park by Bas Smets, complete with art installations, walking paths, and open-air relaxation areas.

Here, artists, researchers, scientists, and cultural innovators come together to explore themes spanning environment, human rights, education, and the arts. With programming guided by Maja Hoffmann and an international core of cultural advisors, the campus regularly presents major exhibitions, in-situ commissions, performances, archives, and public events.