Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to show how, starting from a singular territorial configuration, three initiatives by Arles-based players have, since the 1970s, profoundly transformed the city's economic trajectory and image, making it an internationally recognized arts scene. But while the first two (RIP and Actes Sud) are gradually expanding their activities to irrigate and enhance the area, the third (Fondation LUMA) is transforming the city to suit its project, replacing local authorities in the urban fabric at the risk of calling into question the mechanisms of choice inherent in a democracy.