Collection

Contemporary art museums collect works created by living artists. Consequently, they are largely focused on current artistic practices, but without ignoring historic trends that have led to those of today. When the museum was established in 1984, it set itself the objective of completing the contemporary art collection that the Musée des Beaux Arts lacked. To achieve this, it developed a politic of production of works of art in parallel with an exhibition programme of current trends and practices.

In this way, the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon is unique in its maintenance of the relationship between collection and exhibition. This relationship has been strengthened thanks to productions, acquisitions, donations and deposits of art works. Between 1984 and 1992, the collection benefitted from financing from the city of Lyon as well as from the French Government. Since 1996, it has been funded by the city of Lyon and the Fonds Régional d’Acquisition pour les Musées, which brings together the state and the Rhone-Alpes region. Today, the collection boasts 900 works of art and has an exhibiting potential of 35,000 m2.