Presentation

Founded in 2004, the La Gacilly Photo Festival invites you on an immersive photographic experience as you stroll around 20 or so open-air galleries presenting the very best in contemporary photographic creation that questions our relationship with our world and our natural environment.

Photographs adorn the streets, gardens and alleys of La Gacilly, whose outstanding built and natural heritage provides a perfect backdrop to the thousand or so images on display. Public space becomes a stage, shared and open to all, free of charge.

Every summer, some 300,000 people come to the La Gacilly Photo Festival with family or friends, as newcomers or devoted regulars, to enjoy large-format, open-air exhibitions of some of the greatest names and emerging talents in photography.

A festival focused on major social issues

An open-air art gallery

Two themes are addressed each year, one focused on contemporary creation specific to one country or continent (for example, America Latina in 2020, Eastern Europe in 2019, Africa in 2017, or Japan in 2016) and one that explores a social and environmental issue (such as Question Time for Earth in 2018, People/Animals in 2017, The Oceans in 2016, etc.).

By tackling these topics from an artistic and aesthetic angle, the festival mirrors all of our concerns. Rooted in the modern world, it engages, opposes, surprises, reassures, and is a source of hope. The message is clear: to live in harmony with themselves and with nature, humans must maintain a sustainable relationship with the Earth. Faced with today's destructive means of production, threatening social and ecological well-being, the Festival encourages a harmonious sense of community, a fulfilling lifestyle and a virtuous economic model.

A FESTIVAL FOCUSED ON MAJOR SOCIAL ISSUES

Two themes are addressed each year, one focused on contemporary creation specific to one country or continent (for example, America Latina in 2020, Eastern Europe in 2019, Africa in 2017, or Japan in 2016) and one that explores a social and environmental issue (such as Question Time for Earth in 2018, People/Animals in 2017, The Oceans in 2016, etc.).

By tackling these topics from an artistic and aesthetic angle, the festival mirrors all of our concerns.

AN OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC PROGRAMME

Ansel Adams, Raymond Depardon, Sarah Moon, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Elliott Erwitt, Robert Doisneau, Sebastião Salgado, Steve McCurry, Seydou Keïta… Since 2004, almost 370 of the world’s most prestigious photographers have been exhibited. The La Gacilly Photo Festival showcases ethical and humanistic photography captured by photographers from the realms of art and photojournalism who question our relationship to the world and our environment.

A VEHICLE FOR COHESION AND DEVELOPMENT

In Brittany and on a national and international scale, the La Gacilly Photo Festival is seen as a key cultural event that contributes to the development and promotion of the region and of Brittany as a whole.

Led by an association of loyal and truly committed public and private partners who share the same values, the festival advocates a virtuous model of development as it contributes to the area’s cohesion, identity and appeal.

An educational project for pupils

For the past 10 years, the Festival, in partnership with the French Ministry of Education and the Morbihan departmental Council, has been inviting local secondary schools to take part in this educational project based on an exploration of photography. 350 students from 16 public and private secondary schools in the area have spent time working on anexhibition on the theme of ‘In your dreams’ throughout the academic year. The pupils are supported by their teachers and a photographer-mentor as they discover photography: from initiation to artistic reflection, from the photo shoot and editing process to the final printing of their images, this project allows them to explore the many facets of professional photography while expanding their vision and knowledge of this art

The resulting exhibition is an integral part of the festival’s programme and showcases all the work accomplished by the pupils throughout the year.

AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The festival took on a European dimension in 2018 with the creation of a sister event in Baden, Austria which uses the same concepts. This event is a second chance to explore the La Gacilly programme the following year, resulting in a total of 615,000 visitors over the two exhibitions.

THE LA GACILLY-BADEN PHOTO FESTIVAL

After expanding its reach in 2017 by exhibiting in the near by towns of Glénac and La Chapelle-Gaceline, the La Gacilly Photo Festival has acquired an international dimension since 2018 with a sister event in Baden, a town that lies 30 kilometres south of Vienna in Austria. Baden is an imperial spa town nestled in an unspoilt natural setting and, like La Gacilly, it nurtures a sustainable vision of development and a love of art.

The photographers exhibited in 2017 during the festival edition devoted to Africa in la Gacilly, saw their works exhibited in Austria during the 1st ever edition of the La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival. And as the 18th festival unveils a programme largely devoted to Northern Europe this summer in Brittany, the 4th La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival will present the entire 2020 programme, Viva Latina !

Festival Photo La Gacilly-Baden

18 June > 17 October 2021
4th edition

Lois Lammerhuber, Director of La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival
Florence Drouhet, Artistic Director of La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival

A creator of contemporary archives

Supporting contemporary photographic creation, the La Gacilly Photo Festival creates artistic content. In 14 years, it has financed 15 photographic commissions signed by professional photographers, who come to document local life in Morbihan.

The annual edition of the exhibition catalogue is part of the Festival's ambition to give artists more visibility and to leave a trace for future generations to come.

Since 2017, a digital version of the catalogue is also available. It marks the Festival's ambition to stay in tune with modern technology and new ways of communicating.

 

An association under the law of 1901

From the very beginning, the La Gacilly Photo Festival has been led by a non-profit association that employs 2 permanent full time staff members. The association also generates summer jobs (for the installation of the exhibitions, communication, cultural mediation, receiving the public etc).  As a major cultural, social and economic actor of the local territory, it plays a significant part in Brittany's appeal and dynamism.

In order to fulfil its missions, and because a free festival needs friends, the Festival accepts donations from private companies, but also from visitors of the festival. It is also possible to make donations online on the Festival's website.

The Festival Team

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Jacques Rocher
Founder & President
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Cyril Drouhet
Exhibition curator
Emmanuel Deyres
Operations Director
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Dominique Rolland
Scenograph & Technical Director
Camille Froger
Responsible for production and upgrading
Maïa Saillard
Production and technical assistant
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Melina Le Blaye
Head of public and press relations
Megane Delhote
Event project manager
Clémence Vivier
Communications Officer
Maël Rolland
Communications assistant
Pauline Auffret
Responsible for public services and cultural mediation
Marjorie Bernau
Administration
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Serge Beniguet
Accountant
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Virginie Vincent
Comptroller
Atelier MICHEL BOUVET
Graphic designer
2E BUREAU
Press agency
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Jean Rousseau
Promotion - Advertising spaces
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Florence Drouhet
Artistic Director
of La Gacilly-Baden
Photo Festival

Our partners

Rocher Participations

About the Regional Council

ROCHER PARTICIPATIONS is the investment holding company of the ROCHER family.

It is held exclusively by the members of the ROCHER family, whose shareholders are the direct descendants of Mr Yves Rocher.

It is a French holding company, solidly established in its home territory, La Gacilly, in accordance with the wishes of its founder, Mr Yves Rocher, and with its purpose.

We are a Breton family holding company, convinced that well-rooted trees are more resistant to the vagaries of time.

Since 1959, our family adventure has been part of the world's changing times.

As early as 1971, Mr. Yves Rocher was already giving pride of place to Art by developing the establishment of numerous craftsmen in order to develop the economic growth of the commune of La Gacilly. More than fifty years later, these craftsmen are still present.

Why support the La Gacilly Photo Festival ?

By becoming a partner of the Photo Festival, ROCHER PARTICIPATIONS has perpetuated this commitment, using the photographic medium as a tool to bear witness to social and environmental issues addressed to the general public.

Our common values for a sustainable future

ROCHER PARTICIPATIONS also cultivates authentic encounters with its local partners, to support the Breton ecosystem and offer events accessible to everyone.

DRAC - (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles de Bretagne)

Région Bretagne

About the Regional Council

Being useful in the daily life of Bretons and Bretons, investing for their future and that of the territory, this is the meaning of the action of the Brittany Region. Its fields of intervention are numerous; in particular, it accompanies numerous associations and events and thus supports the cultural, sporting and linguistic vitality that makes Brittany a welcoming and open region. It also ensures that the cultural offer is balanced throughout Brittany.

Why support the La Gacilly Photo Festival ?

Brittany is at the forefront of the regions where festivals and artistic and cultural events are born. The Region supports and encourages this vitality. It supports ambitious projects that are anchored and innovate in the territories, from performing arts to the visual arts or photography.

By focusing on promoting contemporary creation, supporting emerging talents, investing in many professional networks and developing artistic and cultural education as a strong axis, the La Gacilly Photo Festival converges with cultural, artistic , environmental and societal issues that are at the heart of regional policy.

It is in the name of these shared values ​​that the Region supports it.

Our common values for a sustainable future

In 2017, the Region chose to collectively build a future project for a sober and sustainable Brittany in 2040. From this approach was born the Breizh COP. Today, fully committed to this dynamic, the Region works with cultural actors around three sustainable development issues: ecological transition, equality between men and women, consideration of cultural rights.

Issues shared by the La Gacilly Photo Festival which, through its manifesto, attests to its desire to act in favor of ecological and societal transition.

Official website

Facebook: @regionbretagne.bzh

Instagram: @region.bretagne

Twitter: @regionbretagne

LinkedIn: @region-bretagne

Morbihan - Conseil Départemental du Morbihan (56)

Who are we?

An actor of proximity, the Department supports its inhabitants daily in almost every aspects of life: family, education, environment, culture, social matters… The Council is a guarantor of a harmonious development of the territory.

Why support the La Gacilly Photo Festival?

More than a financial partner, the Department of Morbihan is the sponsor of this Festival. Every year, the Council gives a free pass to a photographer who goes and meets men and women who, like the Department, participate in building the territory.

Site officiel

Facebook: @departementdumorbihan

OBC - De L'Oust à Brocéliande Communauté

Who are we ?

“De l’Oust à Brocéliande communauté” (OBC) covers a geographical area gathering nearly 40,000 inhabitants and 26 communes around Malestroit, Guer and La Gacilly. In consultation with them, OBC proposes and develops proximity and valorization missions.

Why support the festival ?

One of our main objectives is to promote the territory, by accompanying and encouraging cultural activities for example. The Photo Festival totally reflects our educational ambition. It offers a high-quality exhibition, with famous photographers and selected works that convey an artistic and educational discourse that we adhere to and support. By its originality, the beauty of its setting and its free entrance, it also represents one of the main spearheads of our tourist offer. OBC is proud to be part of the public partners of the Photo Festival and wishes that this meeting rich of discoveries keep on questioning us many years.

Official website

Facebook: @oustbroceliande

LinkedIn: @de-l-oust-à-brocéliande-communauté

Commune de La Gacilly

Who are we ?

Since January 1, 2017, the three towns of Glénac, La Chapelle Gaceline and La Gacilly have become one: the new town of La Gacilly.

Why support the festival?

It seems indispensable to us to help one of the biggest Outdoor Photo Festival in Europe. Created 17 years ago, the La Gacilly Photo Festival brought together millions of visitors around the world's leading photographers. More than 1000 large format photographs displayed in the streets, gardens, alleys of the village of La Gacilly. It gives a cultural access of exception free family, between friends in our rural setting.

Official website

Facebook: @Unispourbienvivreensemblealagacilly

Logo - Commune de La Gacilly