There are literally hundreds of wonderful museums in Paris, however, art in Paris isn’t only about the studying the past. You can experience today’s art scene in Paris is by visiting some of the city’s more eclectic art venues. From former squats to art centres in repurposed historic buildings, here are some unique places to see art in Paris and perhaps discover the Picassos and Matisses of tomorrow.
Le Centquatre. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC
Le Centquatre
Located in the working class 19th district, this former municipal undertaker’s building dating to the 1870s, was restored and reopened as an art centre in 2008. The sprawling venue hosts art exhibits, concerts, film screenings, dance performances, lectures and community events. It is also home to three cafés, including the hidden Café Caché as well as a bookstore and charity shop.
La Halle Saint Pierre
Tucked away beneath Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, this art space, occupying a former market hall, has been dedicated to “art brut”, or outsider art since 1995. In puts on several larger scale exhibits per year as well as smaller monthly shows featuring contemporary local artists. It has has an art-focused bookstore and lovely café where you can flip through your new book purchases or contemplate the art you’ve just viewed.
59 Rivoli (above and top photo). Facebook
59 Rivoli
A short walk from the most traditional of Paris’s art museums, the Louvre, is this quirky venue. One of the oldest squats in Paris, in 1999 a group of artists took over this abandoned Crédit Lyonnais Bank building. After years spent trying to evict them, the squatters won and the Marie de Paris (the Paris City Hall) bought the building and turned it into an official establishment in 2009. The unmissable building now has an art gallery on the street level, but the real fun is had roaming through the thirty plus art studios distributed over its six floors. Entrance is on a donation basis and the public can visit it from 1-8 pm from Tuesday to Sunday.
Le Générale Nord-Est / Facebook
La Générale Nord-Est
This association was first located within a defunct power plant in the 11th arrondissement before moving to the 14th district. Another project endorsed by the the Marie de Paris, the association deems itself as a laboratory on artistic, political and social creation. The site has an active programme of exhibits as well as concerts, theatre shows and conferences, which are always open to anyone and with a “pay what you can” policy. See their website calendar for these events.
DOC! Photo: Franck Arnault / Facebook
DOC!
This art centre occupies a former technical high school in also in 19th district, near Place des Fetes. The spacious 3000-square meter complex includes 24 workshops, two temporary artist residences, five shared workshops for woodworking, metal-working, print-making, theatre and video post-production. These art forms and the artists in residents are showcased in the venues regularly changing exhibits.
Le Plateau Paris / Facebook
Another art venue in the 19th arrondissement, this exhibition space is Paris’s branch of the FRAC, a French governmental organisation that supports and promotes contemporary art. In addition to having regular exhibits, especially by younger artists, the centre has outreach and education projects and a curator in residence programme.
Art in Paris goes beyond indoor spaces as well. Learn more about street art in our blog on top street artists in Paris.