18.09.2026

Professional day in Niort

Raising awareness of photography books amongst professionals

As part of our work to raise awareness of photography books, France PhotoBook is developing the organisation of professional day.

Since 2020, the number of photobook publishers has grown, yet the enthusiasm shown by audiences at book fairs has not been matched by a comparable increase in the availability of photobooks in bookshops and libraries. In response, France PhotoBook has developed a one-day programme aimed at book industry professionals, designed to raise awareness of photobook publishing. The initiative introduces participants to the photobook as a distinctive publishing form and provides an opportunity to explore how best to engage and support readers.

Over the course of the day, professionals involved in the creation, production, distribution and preservation of photobooks come together to exchange ideas, present their work and share their approaches to this unique publishing medium.

This day is brought to you by France PhotoBook, in partnership with Agence Livre, Cinéma et Audiovisuel de Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Regional Agency for Books, Cinema and Audiovisual in Nouvelle-Aquitaine), the The Médiathèques d’agglo de Niort (Niort area Libraries) and Villa Pérochon.

Program

Morning – Médiathèque Pierre Moinot

9:00AM Welcoming participants

9:30AM Introduction

10:00AM Photography books
A lively, interactive presentation of recent books published by France PhotoBook members, combining projected images with books passed around the audience, with publishers on hand to introduce their titles.
With : éditions lamaindonne, Atelier EXB and Light Motiv

11:00AM The book as an object
A publisher and a photographer will explore the origins and collaborative development of a book they have created together, examining the relationship between form and content. They will also consider how photobook publishing provides a space for material experimentation, drawing on technical developments in paper, printing and binding.
With : Jordan Alves, Atelier EXB and Stéphane Lavoué, photograph

12:00AM The role of photobooks in libraries
What are the key issues? How can this distinctive publishing form be introduced to readers and used as a tool for engagement? How can public libraries work with organisations specialising in photography and visual imagery? These questions will be explored in an open discussion involving all participants.
With : Elsa Fritsch, Médiathèque d’agglo de Niort, Aurélie Lacouchie, MEP-Maison européenne de la photographie, Marina Nacher,, et Karinne Sacrez-Bouchard, Médiathèque François-Mitterand-Poitiers

1:00PM Lunch

Afternoon – Villa Pérochon

2:15PM Welcoming participants

2:30PM The distribution of photobooks through bookshops
Booksellers play a vital role in bringing photobooks to wider audiences. Several professionals will share their approaches to photobook publishing and discuss how they introduce and promote these titles to their customers. The discussion will then be opened to all participants.
With : Delphine Demoures and Caroline Derquin, Librairie des Halles, Niort, Benoît Vaillant, Pollen Diffusion, Charlotte Desmousseaux, Librairie La vie devant soi, Nantes

4:00PM Exhibition and photobooks: what distinguishes them, where do they intersect, and what possibilities do they offer ?
Photographers work in both forms, but how do they approach each one, and how can these two distinct forms complement and illuminate one another ?
Visit the exhibition L’image et la page - Carte blanche aux éditions lamaindonne with David Fourré and discussion around the photography
With David Fourré, éditions lamaindonne, Philippe Guionie, Villa Pérochon, Emmannuelle Hascoët, France PhotoBook.

5:00PM Conclusion
A look back at the day, discussions with the audience, and future prospects

France PhotoBook

The association brings together 31 of France’s leading independent photobook publishers from across the country. Supported by the French Ministry of Culture, it seeks to establish the photobook as a distinct and recognised field of publishing, while promoting creative photographic publishing in France and abroad.

Photobook publishing is vital to the creation and dissemination of photography, offering photographers an enduring means of giving form to their work. France PhotoBook champions the breadth, originality and diversity of this vibrant publishing landscape.

The association showcases the expertise of its members to professionals across the sector, as well as to photobook enthusiasts and collectors, booksellers, distributors and librarians.

ALCA – Agence Livre, Cinéma et Audiovisuel de Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The Agence Livre, Cinéma et Audiovisuel de Nouvelle-Aquitaine (ALCA), with offices in Bordeaux, Limoges, Angoulême and Poitiers, is the principal point of contact for professionals working in publishing and literature, film and audiovisual media.

Réseau des Médiathèques d’agglo de Niort

The library network currently comprises 16 facilities, ten of which serve suburban areas, as well as a mobile library that visits communities without a permanent library.

Niort Agglo has transformed the Pierre-Moinot central media library. When it reopened in June 2021, visitors discovered a brighter, more spacious facility.

La Villa Pérochon

Villa Pérochon, a contemporary photography centre, was awarded the Centre d’art contemporain d’intérêt national designation by the French Ministry of Culture in 2018. Its programme champions an open and engaged approach to contemporary photography, addressing a wide range of themes, from social issues to environmental concerns. The centre presents three to four exhibitions a year, including both solo and group shows.