Experimenta - Arts Sciences Biennale

Experimenta: The Biennale That Fosters Dialogue Between Arts and Sciences

Since 2002, Experimenta has established itself as a unique event in France, at the crossroads of performing arts, science, and technology. Led by the Hexagone Scène nationale Arts Sciences in Meylan and the Atelier Arts Sciences (a joint research structure between Hexagone and CEA-Grenoble), the biennale takes over the entire Grenoble metropolitan area for a month, from Grésivaudan to Voironnais.

Origins: Imagination as Common Ground

The adventure began in 2002, around a dinner organized by Antoine Conjard, director of Hexagone. Industrialists, academics, researchers, artists, and cultural stakeholders gathered around a foundational question: "Do we share a common imaginary?" From this meeting emerged the Rencontres de l'imaginaire (Imaginary Encounters), then the Rencontres-i, which eventually became Experimenta, the Biennale. The Atelier Arts Sciences, created in 2007 as part of a partnership between CEA-LETI and Hexagone, became the permanent laboratory for this transdisciplinary creative approach.

A Rich and Multidisciplinary Program

Each edition of Experimenta unfolds an ambitious program structured around several complementary components:

• Performances — shows, plays, choreographic and circus creations — presented in partnership with venues across the Grenoble area, blending performing arts with scientific inquiries.
• Exhibitions and installations in iconic heritage sites: the summit of the Bastille, the Musée de Grenoble, the Musée dauphinois, Espace Vallès in Saint-Martin-d'Hères, and the Departmental Archives of Isère.
• Monumental and performative installations in unexpected spaces, such as the Grand Marché des Alpes (MIN of Grenoble).
• Conferences, round tables, and professional days bringing together artists, researchers, engineers, and cultural stakeholders to discuss contemporary issues.

Strong Territorial Roots

Located in the heart of the Alpine region, a historic cradle of French research (CEA, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP), the biennale draws its strength from this unique ecosystem. The Grenoble metropolitan area, with its cutting-edge laboratories, research centers, and cultural institutions, provides an ideal testing ground for arts-sciences intersections. Over thirty institutional and cultural partners participate in each edition, making Experimenta a unifying event at the metropolitan level.

A Singular Creative Approach

Experimenta's originality lies in its creative process: the works presented are the result of long-term collaborations between artists and scientists, supported by the Atelier Arts Sciences. These cross-residencies foster the emergence of new artistic forms at the frontier of digital art, immersive installation, performance, and visual arts. The projects question our relationship with the world, technology, the environment, and life itself, offering extraordinary sensory and intellectual experiences.