Since the very beginning, Longchamp has maintained a vibrant relationship with the arts. From leather craftspeople to artists with whom the Maison has partnered for more than 75 years, creation has shaped both its history and world-view in equal measure. Today, this relationship lives on through a new cultural event: the Longchamp Art Festival. From 4 to 6 September 2026, the Galerie Joseph on rue Saint-Merri will host this edition, developed by Sophie Delafontaine, Artistic Director of Longchamp, in collaboration with Olivier Bassuet, Performing Arts Curator, Artistic Director and Producer. Conceived as a gift to the city, the festival invites each visitor to explore, free of charge, an array of visual, design, music, dance, performance and digital arts centred on a common theme: movement.
For Longchamp, movement transcends the idea of simply going from one place to another. It's the gesture that transforms a material, a perspective that evolves, the creative energy that brings a work to life. This concept has been central to the Maison's identity since 1948. It inspires the expert work of its craftspeople, enriches the collections designed by Sophie Delafontaine and supports the artistic dialogue that Longchamp has been engaged in since its founding.
At the Longchamp Art Festival, movement is a unifying language. Body, light, colour, material, sound and optical illusion: each artist offers their own unique take, inviting the visitor to discover contemporary creation through a new lens. This vision is consistent with the Maison's desire to make art accessible to all and to celebrate different mediums, practices and generations of artists.
For three days, the Longchamp Art Festival will transform Galerie Joseph on rue Saint-Merri into a vibrant space in which different disciplines come together. The event will bring together nearly thirty artists and international designers, with their work unfolding through a programme of exhibitions, performances, concerts, conversations and more.
Throughout the weekend, guided tours will allow attendees to explore the works and the curatorial approach adopted by Sophie Delafontaine and Olivier Bassuet in greater depth. Visitors can also stop for refreshments at the Longchamp Café, the ideal meeting spot. On Friday 4 September, Sophie Delafontaine will open a series of conversations with journalist Géraldine Sarratia, with further discussions with artists, designers and other figures from the cultural world taking place throughout the festival.
The programme will bring together a number of artists established as rising stars, each interpreting movement in their own way. Installations by Xavier Veilhan experiment with perception and balance, while Elias Crespin's kinetic sculptures see geometry set slowly in motion. In Fabienne Verdier's paintings, each brushstroke channels bodily energy, while Carlos Cruz-Diez's works use light and colour to explore how our eyes move.
The festival will also showcase a new generation of creators. The landscapes of Valentin Guillon, the sensitive compositions of Caroline Hélain—whose work also appears in the Winter 2026 collection—and even a participatory workshop devised by Damien Poulain reflect the desire to bring disciplines, generations and artistic practices together. The festival will also include dance, music and live painting performances, featuring artists such as Caroline Denervaud, Célia Kameni, Dorion, Koki Nakano, Marie-Agnès Gillot, Marion Barbeau and the We Are One Gospel collective, making it a dynamic, multifaceted experience.
Conceived as a creative haven at the heart of Paris, the Longchamp Art Festival celebrates the Maison's enduring inspirations: curiosity, dialogue and being open to others.
"Movement is everywhere. In hands that shape materials. In strokes that strive for the right shape. In creative impulse that transforms ideas into emotions. It's in eyes that meet, disciplines that come together and conversations that emerge."
— Olivier Bassuet, Festival Manifesto
From 4 to 6 September 2026, come explore the works, enjoy the performances and meet the artists at the heart of this celebration of contemporary creation.
