It all started in one, in 2021 – Saint-Dizier (Haute-Marne)! There are now 32! Thirty-two municipalities to display large format art on advertising billboards between November 16 and December 8*. The name of the operation? Beauty will save the world. As of October 20, Ouest-France explained and announced the development at the national level of this initially local initiative, spotted and then duplicated by the French Federation of Things That Work.
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The objective “Beautify and humanize” public spaces and display works on giant advertising panels, on those of the municipality or even on bus shelters. “In the center but also in the commercial areas and city entrances that some call ugly France”, said Quentin Brière, mayor of Saint-Dizier and defender of the development of medium-sized towns.
More than 1,000 works will be displayed throughout France. “Public space is the last place that those who no longer have anything in common have in common,” completes the mayor. “ We have this role of passer. What we learn is much richer than the basic cost,” explains Nicolas Leudière, the mayor of Sablé-sur-Sarthe and member of the Board of Directors of Ville de France.
Eleven regions concerned
This Tuesday, November 19, during a press conference at the Salon des Mayors, the list of participating cities was given (see on the map and at the end of the article**). They are spread across eleven regions. Most will use advertising panels (public or private) installed in the municipality (large posters, bus shelters, building facades, store fronts, garden gates, etc.).
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Others are involved via Bouygues Bâtiment France projects. With the agreement of the town halls, works will be deployed on the construction site tarpaulins.
The smallest village: Neuvy-sur-Barangeon (1,200 inhabitants in Cher). The largest city: Aix-en-Provence (150,000 inhabitants in Bouches-du-Rhône). Bourges, which will be European Capital of Culture in 2028, is also hosting the operation, which will also be integrated into the system in four years. “The role is to bring culture to all territories. It’s time for cities on a human scale,” indicates Yann Galut, the mayor of Bourges.
Each municipality will exhibit several dozen paintings out of the hundred proposed on the theme chosen this year: light in art. “Light is confidence, justifies the mayor of Saint-Dizier, who believes in pacification through culture. In this period of uncertainty, we want to send a positive message. »
“We have diverted what is ugly, from advertising, to expose what is beautiful, from art, said Quentin Brière during the press conference. We want to create gaps of light in people’s lives, so that people have no choice but to take a positive slap in the face with beauty in their eyes. »
Favorite work: Starry Night, the Vincent Van Gogh.
The most popular work? Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh. In Naveil (Indre-et-Loire), the works were chosen by schoolchildren. Because communities take advantage of this to get citizens to contribute and talk about art. In the interest of sustainable development, communities are invited to keep these reproductions for later use in schools, businesses and public services.
The display of works, at the technical costs (printing, rental of spaces) of the communities, is made possible by the Grand Palais-Réunion des musées nationaux, which transfers the copyright at a reduced rate: €56 per painting used. “I even hope that we can do even less to amplify the movement, because it is important and striking to be surrounded by art in public space,” indicates Didier Fusillier, the president of the institution. 1.5 million images are available in the RMN collection.
And in 2025, the system wants to develop further with the multiplication of partners. Beauty will save the world will thus become an association. Cities of France and the Ministry of Culture will support the operation.
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Bouygues Bâtiment France, which is getting involved this year, will be joined by SNCF Gares et Connexions, which will offer spaces in the stations. “Beauty will save the world”: this phrase from the 19th century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky will resonate more and more… in France.
* Except Talmont-Saint-Hilaire which will do so in March 2025 due to the Vendée Globe. Cities can also move the participation period by a few days.
** Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis); Avrillé (Maine-et-Loire); Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône); Bagneux (Hauts-de-Seine, via Bouygues Bâtiment France site); Barentin (Seine-Maritime), Baulon (Ille-et-Vilaine); Béthune (Pas-de-Calais, + Bouygues Bâtiment France construction sites); Bois-Guillaume (Seine-Maritime, via Bouygues Bâtiment France site); Bondues (North); Bourges (Cher); Châteauroux (Indre); Château-Thierry (Aisne); Graulhet (Tarn); Dunkirk (North); Laval (Mayenne, + Bouygues Bâtiment France site); Libourne (Gironde); Longwy (Meurthe-et-Moselle, via Bouygues Bâtiment France site); L’Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne); Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine); Naveil (Loir-et-Cher); Neuvy-sur-Barangeon (Cher); Orry-la-Ville (Oise); Plouzané (Finistère, via Bouygues Bâtiment France site); Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine, via Bouygues Bâtiment France site); Quessoy (Côtes-d’Armor); Roanne (Loire); Sablé-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe); Saint-André-lez-Lille (North); Saint-Dizier (Haute-Marne); Saint-Raphaël (Var); Salbris (Loir-et-Cher); Talmont-Saint-Hilaire (Vendée)
