The performing arts are very much thriving in this Provençal town. Arles hosts several grand festivals each year that draw visitors from across the country and beyond. The Festival du Film Péplum usually takes place in late August. For a week, the Péplum Association shows movies at the old Roman theater. This theater also holds some of the guest concerts that tour Arles.

Since Arles is a crossroads for many cultures, each with their own musical styles, there are a variety of jazz, flamenco, classical and Provençal music concerts throughout the year, which may be held in the Calade Theater, the Méjan Chapel, or other public places around Arles. The Calade Theater, in particular, hosts informal jazz performances, theater pieces and workshops. The Méjan Chapel hosts a variety of piano and orchestra concerts, jazz performances and poetry readings. One of their programs is called Soirées et Matinées Musicales d’Arles (Musical Evenings and Matinees of Arles), a series of classical concerts featuring different composers. There is also the Arles Theater, which has dance and theatre performances, including a series of plays suitable for families with young children. For slightly more adult entertainment, try the evening shows at Les Mec’up at Les Portes de Camargue or Soirées Spectacle from Boatel. Typical fare at these places involves dance girls in brightly colored outfits, usually skimpy and with lots of feathers.