Le Portique art centre in Le Havre to relocate, rename, and become municipal

Le Portique contemporary art centre in Le Havre is undergoing a major transformation. Founded in 2007 as an association, it will move in September 2026 from its current rent-free former school in the Danton district to the Graillot space on the port quays, a few hundred metres from the MuMa. The new venue, a former maritime terminal rehabilitated with €5.8 million from the city, will be renamed Centre d'exposition Antoine-Rufenacht after the former mayor (1995–2010). The architectural project by Heleen Hart of Hart Berteloot spans four bays around a central axis, featuring three exhibition spaces: a 90 m² room for small formats on the ground floor, a 300 m² modular space on the upper level, and a 200 m² room leading to an outdoor terrace. The centre will become a municipal régie, but its four current employees will join the new team, with two moving from part-time to full-time, supplemented by about ten reception and mediation staff. Director Patrick Lebret, who proposed the relocation in 2019 under the 'Réinventer Le Havre' call for projects, insists the artistic line will remain unchanged, with three annual exhibitions, mostly monographic, and an increased budget. The inaugural exhibition in mid-December will feature sculptor Jean-Marie Appriou.