Contemporary 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, design, print art or fashion.
As a privileged place for experimentation and exploration of decentralized contemporary artistic creation throughout France, art centres have been, for more than 40 years, mediated and sensitized to the artistic creation of the largest audiences, historically agreed with the State. Their activities of exhibition, experimentation, production of works, research, dissemination and mediation contribute to artistic renewal and cultural democratization as well as to the dynamism of the French scene and its international influence. Their activity of support for creation, dissemination and mediation contributes to the dynamisation of the French contemporary art scene.
Contemporary art centres play a major role in the professionalization of the visual arts sector and help build the careers of artists from the French and international scene, as well as the sector’s professions. Contributing to a fairer sharing of value, they ensure that artists are compensated and their rights are respected. 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.
Distributed throughout the territory, they allow new audiences to meet the art of their time. Each year, they welcome more than a million visitors. Mostly subsidized by public funds (State via the Drac, regions, departments, communities of agglomeration, cities), most of them are associations, although some are managed in direct governance (regional, departmental or municipal). Their scope varies from place to place, depending on their funding and location, in the city centre, suburban or rural areas.
The label "Centre d'art contemporain d'intérêt national"
Since the beginning of 2018, this award has gradually been awarded to certain art centres, demonstrating the State’s support and recognition for their commitment to the field of visual arts. It recognizes the excellence of the work carried out by these structures and their teams, distinguishes the strong support of art centers to the French and international art scene, the quality of their support for artists in the construction of their careers and their notoriety, and the implementation of innovative transmission actions for the benefit of a wide audience.
As a participant in the national policy of support for artistic creation, the program of contemporary art centres of national interest plays an essential role in the accompaniment and presence of artists and the dissemination of their works at the national level, thus contributing to the development and artistic and cultural diversity of the territories.
List of thiscontemporary art centres by regiwe
* Centres marked with an asterisk are labelled
Centres d'art contemporain d'intérêt national
Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes
The Hollow of Hell*
Vallée des Usines, 85 avenue Joseph Claussat – 63300 Thiers. Tel.: 04 73 80 26 56
www.creuxdelenfer.net
The Horizons Store – National Centre for Contemporary Art
Bouchayer-Viallet site, 8 esplanade Andry Farcy – 38000 Grenoble. Tel: 04 76 21 95 84
www.magasin-cnac.org
Villa du Parc - contemporary art centre*
12 rue de Genève - 74100 Annemasse. Tel.: 04 50 38 84 61
www.villaduparc.org
Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Parc Saint-Léger contemporary art centre
Conti Avenue – 58320 Pougues-les-Eaux Tel: 03 86 90 96 60
www.parcsaintleger.fr
The Consortium
37 rue de Longvic – 21000 Dijon. Tel: 03 80 68 45 55
leconsortium.fr/
19 Centre régional d'art contemporain*
19 avenue des Alliés – 252000 Montbéliard Tel: 03 81 94 43 58
http://le19crac.com/
Gantner Multimedia Area*
General Council of the Territory of Belfort
1 rue de la Varonne - 90140 Bourogne. Tel.: 03 84 23 59 72
www.espacemultimediagantner.cg90.net/
Brittany
40 meters Cube*
46 avenue du Sergent Maginot - 35000 Rennes
www.40mcube.org/
La Criée*
Place Honoré Commeurec – 35000 Rennes. Tel.: 02 23 62 25 10
www.criee.org
Passerelle Art Centre*
41 rue Charles Berthelot – Quartier Saint-Martin – 29200 Brest Tel: 02 98 43 34 95
www.cac-passerelle.com
GwinZegal Art Centre*
3 rue Auguste Pavie - 22200 Guingamp. Tel.: 02 96 44 27 78
www.gwinzegal.com
Centre-Val de Loire
Centre de création contemporaine Olivier Debré (CCC OD)*
Jardin François 1er – 37000 Tours. Tel. 02 47 66 50 00
www.cccod.fr
Les Tanneries, centre d'art contemporain de la commune d'Amilly*
234 rue des Ponts - 45200 Amilly. Tel: 02 38 85 28 50
www.lestanneries.en/
Grand-Est
Centre rhénan d'art contemporain (CRAC Alsace)*
18 rue du Château – 68130 Altkirch Tel: 03 89 08 82 59
www.cracalsace.com
European Centre for Contemporary Artistic Action (CEAAC Alsace)
7 rue de l'Abreuvoir – 67000 Strasbourg. Tel. 03 88 25 69 70
www.ceaac.org
The Kunstalle Mulhouse
La Fonderie, 16 rue de la Fonderie – 68093 Mulhouse Cedex. Tel: 03 69 77 66 28
www.kunsthallemulhouse.com
The SIGN (CIG) - Centre National du Graphisme
1 place des Arts - 52000 Chaumont
https://centrenationaldugraphisme.fr/
Passages
9 rue Jeanne d’Arc – 10000 Troyes. Tel: 03 25 73 28 27
https://cac-passages.com/
The Synagogue of Delme*
33 rue Poincaré – 57590 Delme. Tel: 03 87 01 43 42
www.cac-synagoguedelme.org
The Forest Wind*
Mairie de Fresnes-au-Mont, 21 Rue des Tassons, 55260 Fresnes-au-Mont. Tel.: 03 29 71 01 95
www.ventdesforets.com
Guyana
CARMA, Mana Art and Research Centre*
PK1 RD22 Awala Road - 97360 Mana. Tel. 05 94 27 60 53 / 06 94 42 15 16
http://chercheursdart-carma.fr/
Hauts-de-France
Birth Certificate – Galerie l'H du siège
15 rue de l'Hôpital de Siege - 59200 Valenciennes. Tel. 03 27 36 06 61
www.hdusiege.org/
CRP/ - Centre régional de la photographie*
Place des Nations – 59282 Douchy-les-Mines. Tel: 03 27 43 56 50
www.crp.photo/
Diaphane, photographic center in Hauts-de-France*
16 rue de Paris - Clermont-de-l'Oise
www.diaphane.org/
Crossspace
La Condition Publique - 14 place Faidherbe - 59100 Roubaix. Tel.: 03 20 73 90 71
www.espacecroise.com/
Île-de-France
The Palais de Tokyo National Centre for Contemporary Art
2 rue de la Manutention – 75116 Paris. Tel: 01 47 23 54 01
www.palaisdetokyo.com/
Palm game National Centre for Contemporary Art
1 place de la Concorde – 75008 Paris. Tel.: 01 47 03 12 50
www.jeudepaume.org
Concrete Salon - Centre d'art et de recherche*
9 esplanade Pierre Vidal-Naquet - 75013 Paris
www.betonsalon.net/
CREDAC*
La Manufacture des Œillets, 25-29 rue Raspail – 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine. Tel: 01 49 60 25 06
www.credac.fr
Centre national de l'estampe et de l'art imprimé (cneai)
Les Maghasins Généraux, 1 rue de l’Ancien Canal – 93500 Pantin. Tel: 01 39 52 45 35
www.cneai.com
Espace Jules Verne Centre d'art contemporain de Brétigny sur Orge*
Rue Henri Douard – 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge Cedex. Tel: 01 60 85 20 76
www.cacbretigny.com
La Ferme du Buisson
Allée de la Ferme – Noisiel – 77448 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2. Tel: 01 64 62 77 77
www.lafermedubuisson.com
The Gallery
1 rue Jean Jaurès – 93130 Noisy-le-Sec Tel: 01 49 42 67 17
lagalerie-cac-noisylesec.fr/
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
Normandy
Centre photographique Rouen Normandie - CPRN*
15 rue de la Chaîne - 76000 Rouen. Tel. 02 35 89 36 96
photographic center.com/
Le Point du Jour – Centre régional de la photographie*
107 avenue de Paris - 50100 Cherbourg-Octeville. Tel. 02 33 22 99 23
www.newday.eu
Galerie Duchamp
7 rue Percée - 76190 Yvetot. Tel: 02 35 96 36 90
www.galerie-duchamp.fr
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Abbaye Saint-André, centre d'art contemporain de Meymac*
Place du Bûcher - 19250 Meymac. Tel. 05 55 95 23 30
www.cacmeymac.en/
International Centre for Art and Landscape*
Vassivière Island – 87120 Beaumont-du-Lac. Tel: 05 55 69 27 27
www.ciapiledevassiviere.com
Centre des livres d'artistes
1 Place Attane – 87500 Saint-Yriex-la-Perche. Tel: 05 55 75 70 30
http://cdla.info/en
The Jeanne d'Arc Chapel*
Place Jeanne d’Arc – 79100 Thouars. Tel: 05 49 66 02 25
www.ville-thouars.fr/artsplastics/diffusion/chapelle/chapelle.html
Le Confort Moderne, contemporary art centre and stage of contemporary music in Poitiers*
185 faubourg du Pont Neuf – 86000 Poitiers. Tel: 05 49 46 08 08
www.confort-moderne.fr
Centre photographique la Villa Perrochon, For now
64 rue Paul-François Proust – 79000 Niort. Tel: 05 49 24 35 44
Occitania
Regional Centre for Contemporary Art
26 quai Aspirant Herber – 34200 Sète. Tel. 04 67 74 94 37
crac.languedocroussillon.fr/
Le LAIT, International Art Laboratory of Tarn*
6 rue Jules Rolland - 81000 Albi. Tel. 09 63 03 98 84
www.centredartlelait.com
Le Parvis
Meridian Centre – Pau Road – BP 20 – Industrial Zone – 65421 Ibos Cedex Tel: 05 62 90 08 55
www.parvis.net
Maison des arts Georges & Claude Pompidou*
Gréalou Road – PO 24 – 46160 Cajarc Tel 05 65 40 78 19
www.magcp.fr
Humpback Whale Bond (BBB)
96 rue Michel-Ange – 31200 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 13 37 14
www.lebbb.org
Chapelle Saint-Jacques*
Avenue du Maréchal Foch - BP 125 - 31803 Saint-Gaudens Cedex. Tel. 05 62 00 15 93
www.lachapelle-saint-jacques.com
Lectoure Photography Centre
8 courses Gambetta - 32700 Lectoure. Tel. 05 62 68 83 72
www.centre-photo-lectoure.fr/
The kitchen, art and design centre
Chateau Esplanade - 82 800 Nègrepelisse Tel: 05 63 67 39 74
www.la-cuisine.fr
Pays de la Loire
Le Carré Chapel of Genêteil*
Place André Counord – BP 357 - 53203 Château-Gontier. Tel: 02 43 09 21 50
www.le-carre.org
Le Grand Café*
Place des quatre Z'Horloges – 44600 Saint-Nazaire. Tel.: 02 44 73 44 00
www.grandcafe-saintnazaire.fr
Provence-alp es-Côte d'Azur
Lambert Collection - Museum of Contemporary Art*
Hôtel de Caumont – 5 rue Violette – 84000 Avignon. Tel. 04 90 16 56 21
collectionlambert.com/
Space for concrete art
Château de Mouans – Place Suzanne de Villeneuve – 06370 Mouans Sartoux Tel: 04 93 75 71 50
www.espacedelartconcret.fr
Villa Arson
20 avenue Stephen Liégeard – 06105 Nice Cedex. Tel: 04 92 07 73 73
www.villa-arson.fr
Villa Noailles*
Montée Noailles – bp 70 176 - 83405 Hyères. Tel: 04 98 08 01 98
www.villanoailles-hyeres.com
3 bis f - Contemporary Arts Centre*
Centre Hospitalier Montperrin, 109 avenue du Petit Barthélémy – 13100 Aix-en-Provence. Tel.: 04 42 16 17 75
www.3bisf.com
DCA
In 1992, the art centres came together in an association, «d.c.a» (French association for the development of art centres) The aim was to promote the development and spread of art centres at national and international level and to build a European network.
Today national reference network, d.c.a has entered a phase of strengthening and development in the various areas of intervention that are its own. Today, it brings together 51 contemporary art centres throughout France to promote access to contemporary art by all audiences, to contribute to the national and international influence of art centres by organizing events in France and abroad, and to promote the specific action of art centres in the ecosystem of contemporary art, in conjunction with art schools, public collections, museums and private structures.
The website of d.c.a.