About us
Theme 2026: New Horizons
The contemporary art fair Lille Art Up!, taking place from March 12 to 15, 2026, invites us to explore the vibrant and dynamic emerging art scene. Priority is given to the discovery of young galleries and artists who blur the boundaries between disciplines, materials, and subjects related to pressing societal issues.
For its 18th edition, the theme New Horizons highlights artists with innovative practices or alternative approaches that are reshaping the contemporary art landscape. Emerging works often reflect a plurality of practices, a diversity of mediums (painting, sculpture, photography, video, performance, digital art…), the rise of digital technologies in both creation (AI, NFTs…) and dissemination (social networks…), major societal concerns (identity, ecology…), reinterpretations of history, and a renewed interest in craftsmanship and artisanal techniques.
Emerging art thus brings a new dynamic to the fair and injects fresh ideas into the practice of contemporary art. Moreover, emerging works are often available at accessible prices for curious and discerning collectors and audiences alike.
Lille Art Up! is fundamentally rooted in contemporary art and strongly oriented towards the emerging scene! The fair invites galleries and cultural players to engage with bold and surprising works, much to the delight of visitors.
Emergence Criteria:
Artists use a wide range of materials and technologies and demonstrate an innovative visual approach.
Artists are socially engaged and reflect ongoing societal transformations (ecology, energy, identity…).
Artists are new to the art market (less than 5 years) and have been recognized by a gallery.
Lille Art Up! 2026
From 12 to 15 March at Lille Grand Palais
Lille Art Up! in a few words
Lille Art Up! is a contemporary art fair created in 2008 by Lille Grand Palais. Every year, it welcomes about a hundred contemporary art galleries and 30,000 visitors during the four-days event.
As a must-see artistic event, Lille Art Up! is the first regional contemporary art fair with art galleries from Lille, Hauts-de-France, but also from France and abroad, all selected by an artistic committee.
A contemporary art gallery is an exhibition space specifically designed to showcase works of art and present them to the public. The art gallery selects the artists it wishes to exhibit and provides them not only with a space but also with special support to make their work known.
Like art galleries, the Lille art fair is also a privileged place for the works of contemporary artists. The artwork exhibited is various : paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations, videos… Contemporary art is represented in all forms and styles.
To discover all the artists and their artwork presented during the fair, you can browse our pages dedicated to the galleries and artists and enjoy the experience of visiting an online art gallery. Lille Art Up! is also an epicenter of the art market in the region. Thus, collectors benefit from a privileged moment during the opening of the fair to discover contemporary artists and their work.
As a true cultural event, the fair also welcomes partners such as museums in Lille and its area, art schools, art centers and other cultural structures, thus creating a real dynamic between the various players from the art world.
In parallel with the art galleries, Lille Art Up! also hosts contemporary art exhibitions around a different theme each year. Some of these exhibitions are presented by museums or cultural structures, others highlight new artists. The contemporary art fair of Lille is also revealing talents by hosting each year the Revelation by Lille Art Up! event which presents the works of young student artists from the Euroregion.
The artistic committee
The artistic committee of Lille Art Up! studies each gallery's application on the basis of an iconographic file presenting the selection of works that the gallery owner wishes to exhibit during the fair.
Anne-Cécile
HERVÉ
Director of Lille Art Up! President of the committee
Marie-Françoise
BOUTTEMY
Lille Art Up! artistic director
Alexis
KOUZMINE-KARAVAÏEFF
Co-founder and director of Artemisia
Annuschka
LEUNG
Off Course Brussels co-director
Eddy
NEBEL
Art collector
Maxime
DUFOUR
Photographer
Emmanuel
PROVOST
Art collector
