You too can join the Plein Sud network

Founded in 2020 during the health crisis with the aim of promoting modern and contemporary art in the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region and part of the Occitanie region, the Plein Sud network was structured into an association in January 2022.

The association is presided over by Xavier Rey, the director of the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou, and co-run by four members of the network: the villa Noailles and the Fondation Carmignac (the two founding members), the Collection Lambert and the Fondation Maeght.

The Plein Sud network now brings together more than 70 venues: museums, arts centres, private foundations, artists’ residencies, sculpture parks, exhibition spaces within vineyards, historic monuments, or breath-taking gardens… These art venues of great variety that are part of the Plein Sud network share the common criterion to host contemporary art exhibitions, open to the public (at least by appointment for some private venues).

Consult the list of members

• Presenting, publicizing, and highlighting the richness, dynamism, and diversity of the modern and contemporary art offer in Southern France, from Sète (Occitanie) to Monaco

• Promoting and increasing the visibility and the specificity of the venues and their contemporary and modern artistic programmes on our various communication platforms

• Uniting and fostering exchange between the member venues of the network, circulating information, and arranging together the exhibitions, educational and cultural activities

• Pooling the resources, expertise, and experience of the member venues during the network meetings

• Promoting diversity, solidarity, and equity in terms of representativeness of the organisations within the network.

The main mission of the Plein Sud network is to promote and highlight the programmes of its members on its various communication platforms:

• A guide  

The Plein Sud guide reveals the programmes of the network members from June to October in a print 50-page booklet. Featuring a map and handy itineraries, the Plein Sud Guide invites every one to discover a multitude of exhibition tours and artistic, landscape and architectural journeys through Southern France. Distributed for free every year in early June (between 100,000 and 130,000 copies) in the main tourist and cultural places in Southern France.

• A website

Created in summer 2021 as an interactive complement to the Plein Sud guide, the website www.pleinsud.art displays all year round news of the members’ programmes and provides visitors with lifestyle good addresses (restaurants, hotels, etc.).

• Un compte Instagram

Itinerary, focus on some news, video interviews, favourite, manifesto… Created in 2020, the Instagram   @reseaupleinsud posts personalized content on all the venues that are part of the Plein Sud network, from June to October.

• Des newsletters

With 6 newsletter a year, Plein Sud creates personalized content and perspective on the cultural news offered by the member venues of the network.

You can discover the Plein Sud guide for free, from June to October in all the network’s member venues and in the main tourist offices, tourist places and accommodations in Southern France.

Download the guide in pdf format

Every year in June, all the members of the Plein Sud network gather to celebrate the launch of the Plein Sud guide in one of the network’s venues.

The first gathering of the network took place in July 2020 at the villa Noailles (Hyères) and at the Fondation Carmignac (Porquerolles), the two founding members of the network. In 2021, the great Plein Sud summer rendezvous was held at Château La Coste (Le Puy- Sainte-Réparade) and at the Collection Lambert (Avignon), while this year the members gathered on June 9th, 2022 at the Fondation Maeght (Saint-Paul-de-Vence) and at the espace de l’art concret (eac) in Mouans-Sartoux.

Any structure meeting the following criteria can apply to become a member of the Plein Sud network:

• To be a legal entity whose activity is inscribed in the field of visual arts (conception of exhibitions, events or artistic paths, constitution of public and private collections, reception of artists in residence, training in artistic professions with possible reception of the public...)

• To have an exhibition space open to the public, at least by appointment, with precise hours and contact information posted.

• To program at least one exhibition or event during the summer season, in order to be included in the Plein Sud guide (annual distribution, from June to October)

• Not to have a mainly commercial activity.

• Meeting the membership conditions (see paragraph above)

• Paying the membership fee not later than March 1st of each year

• Making the Plein Sud guide available to the public at the reception of their exhibition space, restocking it throughout the season

• Highlighting the Plein Sud network on their communication media (press kits and other communication documents, website, and social media)

• Doing their best to attend the general meeting or sending a representative in case of absence

The membership in the Plein Sud network costs 2,000 euros a year. Exception criteria can be applied depending on the number of employees of the organisation. This request must be submitted in writing when applying for membership.

To apply for membership you only need to fill in the the membership form and return it via email at reseau@pleinsud.art before April 30th.

Your application will be reviewed during the General Meeting for the approval of new members held every year in early December. If your application is approved, the membership of your organisation will be effective on March 1st of the year following your request.

The membership in the Plein Sud network is reserved only to the juridical persons, that is to say organisations with a cultural programme and a place open to the public (at least by appointment): private or public cultural institutions such as museums, art centres, foundations...

• le19M, la Maison des métiers d'art de la mode

• Comité régional de tourisme de la région Sud

• Direction régionale des affaires culturelles Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur

• Visit Var

Have we answered all your questions? Feel free to write an email at reseau@pleinsud.art to tell us about your project or to introduce yourself.