A New “Parcours Scène française”: Strengthening the International Visibility of French Artists

With the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Comité professionnel des galeries d’art is joining forces with the Centre national des arts plastiques (Cnap) and the Institut français to launch an unprecedented initiative: the “Parcours Scène française”. This programme is part of the plan to strengthen the French artistic scene initiated in October 2025 by the Bethenod report, with the ambition of lastingly improving the international presence and support of French artists within the major networks of contemporary art.

A programme structured around two complementary pillars

The Parcours Scène française is built on a clear framework, combining two distinct yet deeply interconnected levers of action.

The first, the “Scène française” Itinerary, consists of a programme of meetings and visits organised around major artistic events in France. These highlights will allow a selection of international professionals — curators, directors of private foundations and institutions — to immerse themselves in the diversity and vitality of contemporary French creation, through one-on-one meetings with artists, studio visits, and gallery tours.

The second pillar focuses on providing practical resources for artists and professionals in the sector, to effectively support their international development.

Paris Gallery Weekend 2026: the first milestone of the programme

The 13th edition of Paris Gallery Weekend (29–31 May 2026), the annual event led by the CPGA, will mark the first major milestone of this new initiative. On this occasion, a dedicated programme will be offered to a selection of invited international professionals, combining meetings with artists supported by the Cnap, studio visits organised by the Institut français, and tours of participating galleries.

A special focus will also be dedicated to touring projects: bringing together networks of institutions, curators and distribution structures, it will provide a conducive setting for presenting exhibition projects and initiating collaborations with a view to future international co-productions.

A digital guide to international resources, to be published this autumn

Alongside these on-the-ground initiatives, a digital guide to international resources will be published in autumn 2026. Developed jointly by the Ministry of Culture, the Cnap, the CPGA and the Institut français, in coordination with the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, this practical tool will bring together all the information relevant to the international development of artists and professionals: procedures, opportunities, residencies, contacts and advice. It will be distributed at professional meetings, art fairs and events dedicated to the visual arts, as well as in art schools.

Through the Parcours Scène française, the CPGA reaffirms its commitment to the international reach of French creation, by uniting complementary stakeholders around a coherent and ambitious strategy.