AR(t]CHIPEL: Contemporary Art Across the Centre-Val de Loire Region

Nearly 90 artists’ studios open to the public, around fifteen exhibitions and six departments to explore: the AR(t]CHIPEL festival returns for its fourth edition from 15 October to 22 November 2026. An invitation to discover the richness of contemporary artistic creation across the region, with the involvement of Anne-Laure Chamboissier, Associate Curator at Bourges 2028.

Meeting Artists and Exploring Their Regions

How can we discover contemporary art by getting closer to the people who bring it to life? This is the invitation extended by the AR(t]CHIPEL festival, whose programme unfolds across the entire Centre-Val de Loire region.

Over six weekends, visitors are invited to step inside nearly 90 artists’ studios, discover around fifteen exhibitions and explore heritage sites, cultural institutions and more unexpected venues. From the Château de Chambord to the CCC OD in Tours, the festival creates a living map of contemporary artistic creation across the region’s six departments.

This fourth edition notably celebrates Alexander Calder and Max Ernst, two major figures of modern art whose lives and careers are closely connected to Centre-Val de Loire. Their works enter into dialogue with the venues hosting them, highlighting the region’s artistic history and its longstanding role as a place of artistic exchange and creation.

Bringing Culture Closer to Audiences

Beyond its exhibitions, AR(t]CHIPEL shines a spotlight on artists who live and work in the region, their artistic practices and the spaces where they create. By encouraging encounters between artists and local residents, the festival helps make contemporary art accessible to a wider audience while strengthening the connections between art and the local community.

This approach echoes the ambitions of Bourges 2028, European Capital of Culture: to make culture a catalyst for encounters, participation and regional transformation, while showcasing the artistic initiatives that bring local communities to life.

The festival’s Artistic Curator, Anne-Laure Chamboissier, is also an Associate Curator at Bourges 2028. We are delighted to highlight this initiative, which contributes to raising the profile of contemporary art in Centre-Val de Loire and brings shared cultural ambitions to life across the region.

Practical Information

Dates: 15 October – 22 November 2026

Location: Throughout the Centre-Val de Loire region

Programme: Available on the official AR(t]CHIPEL festival.