SOL! The Territory Biennale
Biennial of Contemporary Art in Occitanie — MO.CO. & Musée Fabre, Montpellier
About SOL! The Territory Biennale
SOL! La Biennale du Territoire is a contemporary art biennial organized in Montpellier by MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain, which highlights artistic creation in Occitanie. Launched in 2021, every two years it presents a renewed panorama of the region's contemporary scene, from emerging artists to established figures.
SOL! The Territory Biennial in Montpellier
SOL! La Biennale du Territoire is a biennial event for the contemporary art scene, organized in Montpellier by MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain. Created in 2021 at the initiative of Nicolas Bourriaud, then director of MO.CO., the biennial offers every two years a renewed panorama of contemporary creation in Occitanie, from the Mediterranean coast to the Cévennes.
A biennial of the territory
The name "Biennale du Territoire" reflects the editorial ambition of the project: to explore the vitality of a regional art scene by bringing together the perspectives of artists based in Occitanie — between Sète, Alès, Nîmes, Béziers, and Montpellier — with those of guests from elsewhere. Each edition is structured around a curatorial theme and a specific topic, and involves several cultural venues in Montpellier.
Past editions
The first edition, Un pas de côté (A Step Aside), was held in autumn 2021 at MO.CO. Panacée and featured about thirty artists chosen from over 300 visited studios. The second edition continued the format in 2023-2024. The third edition, in an exceptional partnership between MO.CO. and the Musée Fabre, paid tribute from January to May 2026 to the École des beaux-arts de Montpellier — the first exhibition in France entirely dedicated to an École des beaux-arts by its city.
An anchor in Montpellier
MO.CO. (Montpellier Contemporain) brings together three sites — the Hôtel des collections, La Panacée, and the ESBA (École supérieure des beaux-arts) — and constitutes the main hub for contemporary art in the metropolis. The Musée Fabre, one of France's major fine arts museums, regularly complements the biennial's program with dedicated hangings.
SOL! The Territory Biennale — edition 2026
Third edition of SOL! La Biennale du Territoire, organized from January 31 to May 3, 2026 in Montpellier by MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain and the Musée Fabre. This edition is themed The Montpellier School of Fine Arts: a singular history — the first exhibition in France entirely dedicated by a city to its School of Fine Arts.
SOL! La Biennale du Territoire — 2026 Edition (3rd edition)
The 3rd edition of SOL! La Biennale du Territoire took place from Saturday, January 31 to Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Montpellier (Hérault, Occitanie). For this edition, MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain and the Musée Fabre partnered in an exceptional collaboration to pay tribute to a major player in Montpellier's artistic life: the École des beaux-arts de Montpellier.
Theme: a singular history
Under the title The Montpellier School of Fine Arts: a singular history, the exhibition traced nearly 300 years of artistic history through the prism of students, professors, and works from the institution. The first project in France to see a city dedicate an exhibition to its School of Fine Arts, the exhibition brought together paintings, sculptures, and contemporary creations to explore transmission, the workshop, and artistic hybridizations.
Two complementary venues
- MO.CO. Hôtel des collections — section dedicated to contemporary creation and current figures trained in Montpellier
- Musée Fabre — heritage section on the academic legacy and major historical names of the School
A combined ticket allowed access to both sites with a discount upon presentation of the ticket from the other venue.
Associated program
Beyond the two main exhibitions, the biennale extended throughout the city with an off-site component at FRAC Occitanie Montpellier, at the Utopia cinema (screenings), at Galerie Polaris, and in several artists' studios. Guided tours, conferences, and meetings with artists punctuated the three months of the exhibition.
Highlights SOL! The Territory Biennale 2026
- Unique partnership MO.CO. × Musée Fabre
- First French exhibition dedicated by a city to its School of Fine Arts
- Three centuries of Montpellier's artistic history
- Off-site component (FRAC Occitanie, Utopia, galleries)
Prices SOL! The Territory Biennale 2026
Practical information — SOL! The Territory Biennale
Practical Information
Locations
The biennial is spread across several cultural sites in Montpellier (34):
- MO.CO. Hôtel des collections — 13 rue de la République, 34000 Montpellier
- MO.CO. Panacée — 14 rue de l'École de Pharmacie, 34000 Montpellier
- Musée Fabre — 39 boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 34000 Montpellier
Access
Historic center of Montpellier, in the immediate vicinity of Place de la Comédie. Easy access by tram (lines 1, 2, 3, 4) and by Montpellier Saint-Roch train station.
Usual Opening Hours
MO.CO. and Musée Fabre: Tuesday to Sunday, 11 AM - 6 PM (extended summer hours until 7 PM for MO.CO. from June to September). Closed on Mondays.
Prices
Standard MO.CO. ticketing: from 5 € (reduced rate) to 19 € (combined MO.CO. + Musée Fabre ticket). Free for under 18s, art students, job seekers.
Contact
MO.CO.: 04 99 58 28 00 — www.moco.art
Musée Fabre: 04 67 14 83 00 — museefabre.montpellier3m.fr
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Where does it take place — SOL! The Territory Biennale
MO.CO. Hôtel des collections et Musée Fabre
13 rue de la République, 34000 Montpellier (MO.CO.) — 39 boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 34000 Montpellier (Musée Fabre), 34000 Montpellier