Photographic art centres

The first art centres emerged in France in the 1970s. They are essential actors in contemporary creation for the plastic arts sector. As places for the production and dissemination of contemporary art, they have a privileged relationship with living artistic creation and keep abreast of current artistic events. Designed as places of experimentation, their activities are carried out through an annual program of exhibitions, editions and a mediation work with audiences. Art centres are not intended to constitute collections. Nevertheless, some of them are the head of permanent collections. While most art centres have a generalist approach to contemporary art, some have specialized in photography.

True researchers, they intervene upstream, supporting artists through the production of works and, downstream, organizing exhibitions, awareness-raising activities and publishing works. They promote the emergence of artists through residencies for the creation and production of works of art. Their activity of support for creation, dissemination and mediation contributes to the dynamisation of the French contemporary art scene. For many artists, their first exhibitions were worn by these structures before their works joined the public collections of FNAC, FRAC and museums or those, private, collectors and foundations.

They implement innovative practices for the presentation of works, design and develop training and mediation actions aimed at facilitating access to contemporary art by the widest audiences, including schools. Distributed throughout the territory, they allow new audiences to meet the art of their time. Each year, they welcome more than a million visitors.

The 8 art centers specialized in photography

Palm game National Centre for Contemporary Art
1 place de la Concorde – 75008 Paris. Tel.: 01 47 03 12 50
www.jeudepaume.org

Centre photographique d'Ile-de-France (CPIF)
Ferme Briarde – City Hall – 107 avenue de la République – 77340 Pontault-Combault. Tel: 01 70 05 49 80
www.cpif.net

Le Point du Jour – Regional Photography Centre
107 avenue de Paris - 50100 Cherbourg-Octeville. Tel. 02 33 22 99 23
www.newday.eu

Centre régional de la photographie Hauts de France
Place des Nations – 59282 Douchy-les-Mines. Tel: 03 27 43 56 50
www.centre-photographie-npdc.fr/

Centre d'Art Contemporain Photographique - Villa Pérochon
64 rue Paul-François Proust – 79000 Niort. Tel: 05 49 24 35 44
www.cacp-villaperochon.com/

Lectoure Photography Centre
8 courses Gambetta - 32700 Lectoure. Tel. 05 62 68 83 72
www.centre-photo-lectoure.fr/

Diaphane – Pôle photographique en Picardie
16, rue de Paris - 60600 Clermont-de-l ’Oise. Tel. 09 83 56 34 41
www.diaphane.org

Mediterranean Photography Centre - Corsica
Residence Pietra Marina, 20200 Ville-di-Pietrabugno, Haute-Corse. Tel.: 04 95 31 56 08
www.cmp-corsica.com