Artistes à Suivre
Contemporary art exhibition in the villages of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude
About Artistes à Suivre
Artistes à Suivre is a contemporary art festival organized annually during Ascension weekend by the Artistes et Chemins association, based in Couiza (Aude). Since 2005, around fifty artists from all over France and abroad have set up ephemeral galleries in about ten villages in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, transforming barns, churches, vaulted cellars, and unusual places into exhibition spaces for painting, sculpture, photography, engraving, video, and installation.
Contemporary art in the heart of the villages of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude
Created in 2005 by the Artistes et Chemins association, the Artistes à Suivre festival is a unique event that transforms the villages of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude into a vast contemporary art trail. Each year, during the four days of Ascension weekend, around fifty artists carefully selected by a jury set up ephemeral galleries in several communes of the territory, under the aegis of the association based in Couiza.
Ephemeral galleries in unusual places
The particularity of Artistes à Suivre lies in its relationship with the location. The participating villages play along by opening up spaces usually inaccessible to artists: barns, churches, vaulted cellars, old workshops, inner courtyards, and secret gardens. These historically rich places become temporary settings for works of painting, sculpture, photography, engraving, drawing, video, installation, and performance. The dialogue between contemporary art and rural heritage creates striking visual encounters.
An artistic journey between villages and landscapes
Each year, the festival offers around fifty exhibitions spread across about ten participating villages, organized into several marked thematic circuits that traverse the landscapes of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude. Visitors are invited to travel from village to village, discovering works and places they would never have imagined visiting. This journey between art and nature, between heritage and contemporary creation, makes Artistes à Suivre an immersive experience that goes far beyond a simple exhibition visit.
Events, workshops, and conviviality
Beyond the exhibitions, the festival offers a rich program of events organized with local associations: artistic workshops, performances, concerts, poetic readings, street theater, dances and balls, and catering in the villages. Artists are present at their exhibition venues and gladly interact with visitors, creating a direct link between creators and the public. This human and convivial dimension is at the heart of the festival's identity, championed by the Artistes et Chemins association, which advocates for human artistic creation, in contrast to works generated by artificial intelligence.
Artistes à Suivre — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Artistes à Suivre took place from Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17, 2026, during the Ascension weekend, in about ten villages in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude. 45 selected artists took over 9 villages divided into 3 thematic circuits, with free entry to all exhibitions.
Artistes à Suivre 2026 — an edition returning after a break
The 2026 edition of Artistes à Suivre took place from Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17, 2026, during the Ascension weekend, in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude. After a year of transition, the new team of the Artistes et Chemins association relaunched the festival with a renewed selection of artists and a new division into three thematic circuits.
45 artists selected in 9 villages
A jury selected 45 artists from the applications received in autumn 2025, chosen for the diversity of their practices: painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, engraving, video, installation (including robotics), performance. The works were installed in nine villages spread across seven communes of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, transformed into open-air galleries.
Three thematic circuits
The route was organized into three marked itineraries to allow visitors to discover the territory at their own pace:
- Circuit 1: Bugarach, Rennes-les-Bains
- Circuit 2: Val-du-Faby (Fa, Rouvenac), Domaine de Luzenac, Saint-Jean-de-Paracol
- Circuit 3: Puivert, Chalabre, Rivel
The village of Luc-sur-Aude also hosted an exhibition.
Animations, performances and meetings
Beyond the exhibitions, the 2026 edition offered a rich and entirely free program of activities: dervish dance, concerts, street theater, reporter clowns, poetic caravan, dance workshops, ball, poetry readings (pay-what-you-can). The village of Bugarach notably hosted 7 exhibitions accompanied by performances and public meetings.
Human art as a manifesto
For this edition, the Artistes et Chemins association reaffirmed its commitment to human artistic creation, choosing not to present any works generated by artificial intelligence. A clear stance in the current context.
Programme Artistes à Suivre 2026
From Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17, 2026 — 10 AM to 6 PM (evenings until 9 PM)
The 2026 edition brought together 45 artists spread across 9 villages, in three thematic circuits. Exhibitions were open continuously for 4 days.
Circuit 1 — The land of Pech de Bugarach
- Bugarach — 7 exhibitions, performances, public meetings, dance workshop, ball, poetry readings (pay-what-you-can)
- Rennes-les-Bains
Circuit 2 — Val-du-Faby and surroundings
- Fa (Val-du-Faby)
- Rouvenac (Val-du-Faby)
- Domaine de Luzenac
- Saint-Jean-de-Paracol
Circuit 3 — Quercorb and Kercorb
- Puivert
- Chalabre
- Rivel
Additional exhibition
- Luc-sur-Aude
Special activities programmed throughout the weekend
- Dervish dance
- Concerts
- Street theater
- Reporter clowns
- Poetic caravan
- Workshops and ball
- Poetry readings (pay-what-you-can)
Artist selection 2026
Among the 45 artists selected by the jury: Airjp Tagman, Claude Amaouche, Paul Augé, Joël Bardeau, Aline Battault, Corinne Bécot, Amande Berlottier, Antoine Bonnet, Michael David Bosworth, Samuel Brien, Joëlle Chateau, Jason Cook, Yann Courté, Priscille Deborah, Virginie Delepierre, Éric Demelis, Danielle Desnoues, Anne Desrivières, Diabolo Bohème, Sylvain Dorban, Christine Drouillard, Sophia El Mokhtar, Bruno Foglia, Emmanuelle Jamme, François Lacoste, Fabienne Laheurte, Marie-Christine Lambert-Aruffe, Laëtitia Lazizi, Bernard Le Nen, Lunat, Michaël Magne, Camille Mélis, Gabriela Mesquita, Nicolas Nabonne, Carole Nouet, Alba Poli, François-Xavier Poulaillon, Vivien Raynal, Larissa Riahi, Stéphanie Sautenet Ssolœil, David Siodos, Tiffany Vailier, Mattéo Vergnes, Norah Vincent-Michelin, Bruno Wagner.
Highlights Artistes à Suivre 2026
- 45 artists selected from applications, presenting painting, sculpture, photography, engraving, drawing, video, installation and performance
- 9 villages transformed into open-air galleries, divided into 3 thematic circuits
- Free entry to all exhibitions over the 4 days
- Free program of activities: dervish dance, concerts, street theater, poetic caravan, ball, readings
- Manifesto edition for human artistic creation, without AI-generated works
- Paper catalog available (3 €) in town halls and relay points
Prices Artistes à Suivre 2026
Practical information — Artistes à Suivre
Practical Information
Access
The festival takes place in about ten villages in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, organized into thematic circuits. The organizing association is based in Couiza (11190), 35 km south of Carcassonne.
By car: from Carcassonne, take the D118 towards Limoux then Couiza (approx. 40 min). Free parking in each village.
By train: Couiza-Montazels station (Carcassonne-Quillan line).
Prices
Access to all exhibitions is free. The festival's paper catalog costs 3 €, available in the town halls and relay points of the participating villages.
Usual dates
Ascension weekend (4 days, Thursday to Sunday), in May.
Contact
Association Artistes et Chemins
18 bis route des Pyrénées, 11190 Couiza
Phone: 06 95 08 11 56
Email: [email protected]
Website: artistesasuivre.org
Facebook: Artistes à Suivre
Instagram: @artistesasuivre
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Where does it take place — Artistes à Suivre
Villages de la Haute Vallée de l'Aude
18 bis route des Pyrénées, 11190 Couiza