Les Boutographies
Montpellier Photography Meetings — Pavillon Populaire
About Les Boutographies
Les Boutographies are Montpellier's photography meetings, dedicated to emerging young European photography. Organized annually in May by the Grain d'Image association at the Pavillon Populaire and in about ten other venues across the city, they showcase the works of photographers selected by an international jury from several hundred applications.
Les Boutographies in Montpellier
Created in 2001 by the Grain d'Image association, Les Boutographies have become one of the major events for emerging European photography in France. Every year in May, the festival takes over the Pavillon Populaire on the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle and spreads to several cultural venues in Montpellier to offer three weeks of exhibitions, screenings, meetings, and debates centered around young European photographic creation.
A demanding selection supported by an international jury
The artistic direction of the festival is provided by Christian Maccotta, co-founder with Peter Vaas. Each edition is organized around a selection of about thirty artists chosen from several hundred applications from all over Europe. The festival awards a jury prize and a public prize, and offers an artist residency in partnership with APF France handicap Occitanie.
A festival beyond its walls
Beyond the Pavillon Populaire, which hosts the main exhibition, Les Boutographies also take over the Orangerie du Jardin des plantes, the Faculté des Sciences, the Hôtel du Département Pierre Vives, the Maison de Heidelberg, the Le Mur Rouge space (permanent meeting place of Grain d'Image), the ACB&CO display window on Place de Thessalie, the UP/SIDE TOWN Gallery, and the Bar à photos. The festival also offers screening-debates, writing workshops in partnership with Université Paul Valéry and the Faculté des Sciences, as well as meetings with invited photographers.
A free event open to all
Admission to the Pavillon Populaire is free throughout the festival. The venue is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm. Les Boutographies constitute an unmissable event in Montpellier's cultural life, and more broadly a highlight for contemporary European photography in the Occitanie region.
Les Boutographies — edition 2026
The 26th edition of Les Boutographies, Montpellier's photographic meetings, takes place from May 9 to 31, 2026. Three weeks of exhibitions and screenings at the Pavillon Populaire and eight other venues in the city, featuring around thirty European photographers selected from nearly 600 applications. Free admission.
Les Boutographies — 26th edition (May 9-31, 2026)
The 26th edition of Les Boutographies takes over the renovated Pavillon Populaire as well as eight other cultural spaces in Montpellier from May 9 to 31, 2026. The opening will take place on Saturday, May 9 at 11 am at the Pavillon Populaire.
An edition between world dramas and biting irony
Under the jury presidency of Pauline Caplet, gallery director in Brussels, and the artistic direction of Christian Maccotta, the 2026 edition embraces a tension between two poles: very serious subjects (family histories, ancestral violence, perspectives on political systems, youth, the environment) and very unconventional, very humorous proposals. Seven mounted exhibitions and eleven projected exhibitions, complemented by an artist residency conducted with APF France handicap Occitanie.
Selected photographers (selection)
- Cristóbal Ascencio (Mexico) — exploration of family memory.
- Hannes Jung (Germany) — sexual violence during the Bosnian war.
- Alessandro Silverj — Présence, parallel between witch hunts and current violence.
- Alexandre Bagdassarian — daily life of incarcerated minors in Lyon.
- Pascal Sgro (Belgium) — Cheery Airlines, a fictional airline entirely generated by artificial intelligence.
- Alexandra Frankewitz — À mains nues (APF France handicap Occitanie residency).
- Loes de Boer & Mayte Breed — Auto.
- Natalya Saprunova — Toundra saami, l'enfance d'Ouliana.
- Marie Lukasiewicz — subversion of scientific codes to humorously denounce the excesses of the wellness market around coral.
- Anouchka Renaud-Eck.
Exhibition venues
- Pavillon Populaire (central venue, main jury exhibitions on the ground floor, Alexandra Frankewitz residency and KABK students from The Hague on the left floor, high school and university student works on the right ground floor).
- Orangerie du Jardin des plantes.
- Faculté des Sciences.
- Hôtel du Département Pierre Vives.
- Maison de Heidelberg.
- Espace Le Mur Rouge (permanent headquarters of Grain d'Image).
- Vitrine ACB&CO (place de Thessalie).
- Galerie UP/SIDE TOWN.
- Bar à photos.
Associated programming
Conferences (notably with Laura Ligari, co-director of IPFA), meetings with photographers, projection-debates, writing workshops in partnership with the Faculté des Sciences and Université Paul Valéry, awards ceremony for the jury prize and public prize.
Programme Les Boutographies 2026
Opening and official inauguration
Saturday, May 9, 2026 — 11 am at Pavillon Populaire (Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle).
Main Exhibitions — Pavillon Populaire
From May 9 to 31, 2026, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm. Jury selection (about ten series), artist residency Alexandra Frankewitz, works by KABK (Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague) students, and works by Montpellier students (high schools and universities).
Off-site exhibitions
- Orangerie du Jardin des plantes.
- Faculté des Sciences (with writing workshops).
- Hôtel du Département Pierre Vives.
- Maison de Heidelberg.
- Le Mur Rouge.
- Vitrine ACB&CO — place de Thessalie.
- Galerie UP/SIDE TOWN.
- Bar à photos.
Meetings, screenings and conferences
On the program throughout the three weeks: screenings of 11 photographic series, projection-debates, meetings with invited photographers, conferences (notably Laura Ligari, co-director of IPFA), writing workshops in partnership with Université Paul Valéry and Faculté des Sciences.
Awards ceremony
Awards ceremony for the jury prize and the public prize at the close of the festival. Details of the precise dates for screenings, conferences and debates can be found on www.boutographies.com.
Highlights Les Boutographies 2026
- 26th edition of the benchmark festival for young European photography.
- Three weeks of exhibitions and screenings from May 9 to 31, 2026.
- Free admission to the Pavillon Populaire and all satellite venues.
- Around thirty photographers selected from nearly 600 European applications.
- Headliner: Cheery Airlines by Pascal Sgro, a fictional airline entirely generated by AI.
- Artist residency with Alexandra Frankewitz (in partnership with APF France handicap Occitanie).
- Presence of students from the KABK (Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague).
- Opening on Saturday, May 9 at 11 am at the Pavillon Populaire.
Prices Les Boutographies 2026
Practical information — Les Boutographies
Main Venue
Pavillon Populaire — Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, 34000 Montpellier.
Opening Hours
From Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm throughout the festival. Closed on Mondays.
Access
The Pavillon Populaire is located in the heart of Montpellier, on the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, a few minutes' walk from Place de la Comédie. Access by tram lines 1, 2, and 4 (Comédie or Corum stop). Underground car parks nearby (Comédie, Corum).
Price
Free admission for all exhibitions, screenings, and meetings.
Contact
Association Grain d'Image — [email protected] — 06 15 49 04 53.
Pavillon Populaire — 04 67 66 13 46.
Official website: www.boutographies.com.
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Where does it take place — Les Boutographies
Pavillon Populaire
Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, 34000 Montpellier