Martin Bethenod, new Director of the Cnap

Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, has appointed Mr Martin Bethenod as Director of the Centre national des arts plastiques (Cnap). He will take up his position on 6 January 2026.

A well-known and highly regarded figure in the visual arts sector, his professional career has been marked by the diversity of roles he has held, notably as Director of Publications at the Centre Pompidou, as Delegate for Visual Arts at the Ministry of Culture, within the Reed Group as General Commissioner of FIAC, and alongside François Pinault as Managing Director of Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana and head of the Bourse de Commerce project.

Since 2021, he has been working as an independent consultant in cultural engineering and continues to pursue projects in exhibition curating, writing, and teaching.

Alongside these activities, he is also involved on a voluntary basis with cultural associations and organisations such as Crédac, the contemporary art centre in Ivry-sur-Seine; the Archives de la critique d’art in Rennes; the Société des Nouveaux commanditaires; and the Ballet national de Marseille.

The breadth of his experience has enabled him to develop both a strategic and operational understanding of the realities and challenges of the contemporary art world.

In March 2025, Minister of Culture Rachida Dati entrusted him with a mission on the international visibility of the French art scene. His recommendations contributed to the development of a plan to strengthen the French contemporary art scene, unveiled by the Minister of Culture last October.

As Director of the Cnap, Martin Bethenod will be responsible for supporting the evolution of the institution’s programmes and the development of its missions, as well as overseeing the upcoming relocation of the Cnap to Pantin in late 2026–early 2027, which will help give the institution renewed momentum.

Martin Bethenod will carry out his work with a constant commitment to engaging Cnap teams and strengthening ties with all professional stakeholders in the visual arts sector, including artists, galleries, professional organisations, and partner networks.