AR(t)CHIPEL Festival

AR(t)CHIPEL Festival: When the Centre Pompidou comes to Centre-Val de Loire

Created in 2023, the AR(t)CHIPEL Festival is a major cultural event born from a unique partnership between the Centre Pompidou and the Centre-Val de Loire Region. Every autumn, for five weeks from late September to early November, this free festival invites the public to discover contemporary art in a different way: by visiting artists' studios, exploring new exhibitions, and admiring works from the Centre Pompidou installed in the heart of the region's museums and heritage sites.

Masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou in the heart of the territories

The festival's originality lies in the dissemination of exceptional works from Europe's leading collection of modern and contemporary art outside their usual setting. Works by Man Ray, Picasso, Chagall, Masson, Debré, Sarkis, and many other artists leave the walls of the Centre Pompidou to join the region's museums, creating new dialogues with local collections and the architectural heritage of the host venues.

Tours, the festival's flagship city

In Tours, the Musée des Beaux-Arts is one of the festival's major venues. Dozens of works from the Centre Pompidou are presented there, allowing visitors to discover masterpieces of modern and contemporary art in dialogue with the collections of the Tours museum. The exhibitions explore various themes, such as the reinterpretation of ancient myths through the lens of contemporary creation, confronting 18th-century works from the museum's collections with creations by modern and contemporary artists.

An archipelago of places and experiences

True to its name, the festival unfolds like an archipelago of places and experiences throughout the region: museums, galleries, artists' studios open to the public, heritage sites, and cultural spaces in Chartres, Orléans, Blois, Tours, Bourges, and many other towns and villages. This territorial dissemination allows it to reach diverse audiences and highlight the cultural richness of the entire Centre-Val de Loire region.

Meetings with artists and creators

The festival also offers guided tours, meetings with artists, mediation workshops, and themed trails, allowing the public to understand creative processes and engage with contemporary art in a lively and interactive way. The entire festival is free of charge, affirming the commitment to making contemporary art accessible to the greatest number.

A national-scale cultural event

The AR(t)CHIPEL Festival is part of the Nouvelles Renaissance(s) program led by the Centre-Val de Loire Region, which aims to make the region a benchmark territory for art and culture. The partnership with the Centre Pompidou, an internationally renowned cultural institution, gives the festival a national dimension and exceptional reach, attracting both art lovers and visitors seeking discovery.