Three hundred and fifty square meters of exhibition space yesterday, more than nine hundred today. The Frac Auvergne has moved into an 18th-century grain market and is opening its doors wide.

The building was constructed between 1762 and 1771 by François-Charles Dijon to sell grain. It later served as a primary school, an art school, and an architecture school. More than twenty million euros in renovations later, funded by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the French State, Europe, the metropolitan area, and the department, it now houses a regional contemporary art collection.

The renovation was designed by Marcillon Thuilier Architectes, in collaboration with ZArchitecture, and the design philosophy can be summed up in a few words: nothing more. The arcaded galleries remain legible, the vaults are still visible, the wood from the old roof trusses is reused for the flooring, a central courtyard brings light back to the heart of the building, and the Volvic stone forecourt connects the market hall to the city. It covers 1,850 square meters in total, with over 900 dedicated to exhibitions and 180 to visitor services.

The opening exhibition is called "Eternal Molts." Forty artists, sixty works, curated by Élise Girardot and Laure Forlay. Caroline Achaintre, Etel Adnan, Gerhard Richter, Luc Tuymans, and Aneta Kajzer are featured alongside thirty-five other artists.

A regional collection that triples its exhibition space—that doesn't happen every year. The opening weekend is open to all, and admission is free.

FRAC AUVERGNE, HALLE AUX BLÉS
Eternal Molts, from September 25, 2026 to February 7, 2027
11 rue Ballainvilliers, Clermont-Ferrand
Opening weekend: Friday, September 25, 4–8 p.m. - Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2–8 p.m.
Free admission