Isabelle Chardonnier appointed head of cultural democratization at French Culture Ministry
Effective June 22, 2026, Isabelle Chardonnier, 54, will take on the role of Director General of Cultural Democracy, Education and Research (DGDCER) at the French Ministry of Culture, succeeding Naomi Peres, 42, who departed after a brief seven-month tenure. A graduate of Sciences Po Lyon, Chardonnier has experience in local government and has been with the ministry since 2016. Peres, who graduated from Polytechnique and HEC, focused on culture, digital technology, and public investment, leading the DGDCER's administrative overhaul since its establishment in September 2025. The DGDCER oversees program 361, which has a budget of €723 million for 2026, designated for higher education (€327 million), artistic education (€274 million), French and regional languages (€4.2 million), and cultural research (€122 million).
Key facts
- Isabelle Chardonnier appointed head of DGDCER on June 22, 2026
- She succeeds Naomi Peres, who left after seven months
- Chardonnier is a graduate of Sciences Po Lyon
- She previously served as DRAC director in Brittany (2020) and Grand Est (2025)
- Naomi Peres is a graduate of Polytechnique and HEC
- Peres had driven the administrative transformation of DGDCER since its creation in September 2025
- DGDCER manages program 361 with a 2026 budget of €723 million
- €327 million allocated to higher education and professional training
Entities
Institutions
- Direction générale de la démocratie culturelle, des enseignements et de la recherche (DGDCER)
- Ministère de la Culture
- Institut d’études politiques de Lyon
- Conseil régional Rhône-Alpes
- DRAC Bretagne
- DRAC Grand Est
- Polytechnique
- HEC
- Cité des sciences et de l'industrie
- Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche
- Universcience
- Le Journal des Arts
Locations
- France
- Le Puy-en-Velay
- Rhône-Alpes
- Brittany
- Grand Est