The Var’s museums and art centres are veritable gateways to current artistic trends, offering a wide variety of collections and exhibitions.
Their vision offers a unique perspective on the Var, highlighting contemporary art in all its forms, from the 20th century to the present day.
Throughout the region, rich and cutting-edge collections are on display in buildings that are themselves steeped in history or resolutely contemporary, created especially to house the collections.
These include :
Discover our “Contemplating contempory art” tour
A veritable open-air playground for contemporary art, the Var is a permanent invitation to contemplation and reflection. At the crossroads of vineyards and olive groves, or overlooking breathtaking vistas, contemporary art transcends the limits traditionally imposed on indoor exhibition venues.
The unusual !
Stroll the streets of the town with your nose in the air and discover the works of famous graffiti artists. In La Seyne-sur-Mer, a well-known spot for national and international graffiti artists, discover the urban frescoes of the Parcours Graff. In Saint-Raphaël, the urban route unveils the works of artists invited to the Résonnances Urbaines festival.
Contemporary architecture is often seen as the artistic and technical expression of our time, combining functionality and aesthetics. With this in mind, in 2016 the Ministry of Culture created the “Remarkable Contemporary Architecture” label to highlight the most outstanding architectural achievements of recent years. The aim of this label is to promote modern architecture (buildings that are less than 100 years old), to arouse public interest in this discipline, and to change the way people look at contemporary architecture.
A jewel in the crown of our modern architectural heritage, the Villa Noailles in Hyères celebrated its centenary in 2023. Commissioned in 1923 and built until 1932 to the designs of architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, the Villa Noailles Noailles is today a place of experimentation for established artists, a demanding spotlight on the talents of tomorrow. A leading centre for art, fashion, photography, architecture and design, the contemporary art centre of national interest organises the international Design Parade festival in Hyères and Toulon every summer, as well as exhibitions, workshops and residencies. Throughout the year, this emblematic site on the Var coast holds exhibitions on the history of the site and its avant-garde patrons: Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles. The entire programme is free.
The Plein Sud network
Created in the spring of 2020 with the aim of promoting the exceptional wealth of contemporary art on offer in the south of France, the Plein Sud network reflects the united spirit of more than 70 contemporary art venues in the south, 17 of which are in the Var and accessible all year round.
