The
project and location
Location
Villa Pérochon opened in 2013 in the former home of writer Ernest Pérochon (Goncourt Prize in 1920 for the novel Nêne). This beautiful early 19th-century residence is located in the center of Niort, and access via the garden at the rear of the building is a haven of greenery conducive to contemplation.
The 260m2 exhibition space is spread over 2 floors and offers 150 linear meters of hanging space. While the garden level is a classic “white cube” exhibition space, the first floor has retained the soul of the house. Wood panelling, fireplaces and old tapestries hark back to a time when the Pérochon family lived here.
Upstairs, one floor is devoted to the Villa Pérochon photographic collection, with over 3,500 works available for loan via our Artothèque photographique. Finally, the top floor is dedicated to production, with a digital workshop and a black-and-white silver workshop, as well as a meeting room for around fifteen people.
The Villa Pérochon is managed by the Pour l’instant association and has a team of five employees.
The project
Villa Pérochon, center for contemporary photographic art, was awarded the label of national interest in 2018 by the French Ministry of Culture. Its project defends open and committed contemporary photography, whatever the theme (societal issues, environmental problems…). Three to four exhibitions a year are presented, both monographs and group shows.
Rencontres de la jeune photographie
Every spring, the Villa Pérochon organizes the Rencontres de la jeune photographie internationale : a series of exhibitions in the city around a unique creative residency, a carte blanche offered to emerging French and international photographers.
Photography & Science Prize
Since 2024, the Villa Pérochon has been running the Prix Photographie & Sciences in partnership with ADAGP, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Fisheye and the magazine Sciences et Avenir – la Recherche. This prize, the only one of its kind in France, enables a photographer living in France to develop a photographic project already initiated in collaboration with scientists, whatever the subject (physical, social or environmental sciences….).
Artistic and cultural education
Artistic and cultural education initiatives are organized for a wide range of audiences: schoolchildren, social and medico-social structures, nursing homes, prisons… and, of course, the general public (guided tours, workshops…).
Support for photographers
The Villa Pérochon supports contemporary artistic creation through residency programs (during the Rencontres de la jeune photographie internationale, the Capsule program, territorial residencies, etc.),
Photographic art library
Since 2023, the Villa Pérochon has been developing a photographic art library. With a collection of almost 4,000 works built up over the years, it is open to companies, schools and private individuals to bring photography closer to the public, outside institutional venues.
