Fondation Pernod Ricard

What Fondation Pernod Ricard does

Fondation Pernod Ricard is a French corporate foundation (fondation d'entreprise) established in 1999 and wholly funded by Pernod Ricard, the global spirits group, as part of its cultural patronage activities. Operating from purpose-built facilities inside Pernod Ricard's headquarters at 1 cours Paul Ricard in Paris's Saint-Lazare district since 2020, the foundation supports French contemporary art through four major exhibitions per year in its main exhibition space, the Aperto Project Space residency program, weekly auditorium programming (Les Cycles), the TextWork bilingual editorial platform, and the Radio Aperto podcast launched in 2026. All programming is provided free of charge, reflecting a democratization mission targeting the general public, artists, curators, critics, and partner art institutions.

The foundation's products and services span physical and digital channels: a 112-seat auditorium, an independent bookshop operated in partnership with After 8 Books, the Café Mirette bistronomic restaurant operated by La Pantruchoise, and off-site 'Hors les murs' co-productions with international institutions including Chisenhale Gallery (London), Kunsthalle Friart (Switzerland), Halle am Berghain (Berlin), and Kunsthalle Lingen (Germany). The foundation's flagship artist support mechanism, Le Nouveau Programme, replaced the 25-year-old Prix in 2025, selecting three artists per edition for sustained financial aid, institutional partnerships via DCA, and acquisition-donation into Centre Pompidou's national collection.

The foundation does not generate commercial revenue; it operates entirely on corporate contributions from Pernod Ricard. Governance is anchored by President Alexandre Ricard (also CEO of Pernod Ricard) and Director Antonia Scintilla, supported by a small team of approximately 9-15 staff. Go-to-market is community-led, event-driven, and direct-to-public: free admission, free educational visits and family workshops, exhibition vernissages, and editorial content distribution via website, newsletter, and social media. Press relations are managed by Claudine Colin Communication. The foundation's mission focuses on removing barriers between contemporary art and the general public while providing durable institutional support to French contemporary artists beyond traditional competitive prize structures.

Name

Fondation Pernod Ricard

Legal name

Fondation d'entreprise Pernod Ricard

Website

https://fondation-pernod-ricard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fondation Pernod Ricard is a Paris-based corporate foundation, funded by Pernod Ricard since 1999, that supports French contemporary art through free exhibitions, artist residencies (Aperto, Nouveau Programme), bilingual editorial publishing (TextWork), and international co-productions across the UK, Germany, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Foundation

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Contemporary art foundation
• Art exhibitions programming
• Artist residency support
• Art publishing platform
• Cultural philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Foundation Operations (Charitable/Cultural Mission): Fondation Pernod Ricard is a corporate foundation (fondation d'entreprise) funded by Pernod Ricard. It does not generate commercial revenue. Its operations are entirely funded by its parent company, Pernod Ricard, as part of the group's cultural and societal commitment. The foundation's activities — exhibitions, residencies, publications, events — are provided free of charge to the public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fondation Pernod Ricard is a corporate foundation that supports the French contemporary art scene by operating a Paris exhibition space with four exhibitions per year, an Aperto project space for artist residencies, and the Nouveau Programme — a non-competitive artist support model offering financial aid and institutional partnerships to selected French artists. It also publishes monographic texts through its TextWork online editorial platform and Éditions program, hosts weekly public programming in its 112-seat auditorium, and runs an on-site independent bookshop and bistronomic café. All exhibitions, events, and educational visits are free and open to the public.

Product overview

The Fondation Pernod Ricard operates as a unified cultural institution offering multiple interconnected programs: four annual exhibitions in its main exhibition space, the Aperto project space for artist residencies, TextWork online publishing platform, Radio Aperto podcast, an auditorium for performances and discussions, Les Cycles weekly programming, a bookshop, and Café Mirette bistronomic restaurant. The Nouveau Programme replaced the Prix (1999-2024) to support French contemporary artists with exhibitions, financial aid, institutional partnerships with DCA and Centre Pompidou acquisitions, and publications. All services are free and open to the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aperto - Project Space: Autonomous dedicated space for artists, authors, curators, and publishers to develop projects
• TextWork
• Le Prix Fondation Pernod Ricard
• Le Nouveau Programme
• Art Wall
• Le Fronton
• Radio Aperto
• SOLO HOTEL

Products and services

• Main Exhibition Space (Espace d'exposition principal) Purpose-designed main exhibition space in the foundation's Paris venue, hosting four personal or collective exhibitions per year. Designed by NeM / Niney et Marca architectes. Free admission to the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 major exhibitions per year in the main exhibition space
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• Centre Pompidou / Musée national d'art modernecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership: for each artist selected in the Nouveau Programme, the foundation acquires one artwork and donates it to the Centre Pompidou, enabling works to enter national collections through an acquisition-donation mechanism. This has been in place for more than 25 years.
• DCA (Association française de développement des centres d'art contemporain)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the financial support of Nouveau Programme artists' projects. DCA (French Association for the Development of Contemporary Art Centers) collaborates with the foundation on the institutional partnership component, helping artists develop projects in partnership with French or international institutions.
• Ministère de la Culture (Ministry of Culture)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe TextWork editorial project is conceived with the support of the French Ministry of Culture. This partnership enables the international distribution of monographic texts on French artists.
• After 8 Books (Independent Bookshop)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter 8 Books is the foundation's partner for its bookshop, curating and managing the selection of publications. The partnership ensures the bookshop reflects the richness of contemporary text-based creation and the artists supported by the foundation. The foundation and After 8 Books also co-edit publications.
• NeM / Niney et Marca ArchitectessupportingTechnology or IntegrationArchitectural firm that designed the foundation's main exhibition space at Pernod Ricard's Paris headquarters. The exhibition space was purpose-designed for the foundation's programming needs.
• La Pantruchoise (Café Mirette Operator)supportingOthersThe Café Mirette is operated by La Pantruchoise, a bistronomic restaurant brand. This is an on-site commercial partnership that provides café and restaurant services within the foundation's premises.
• Lomi (Coffee Roaster)supportingOthersCafé Mirette serves coffee from Lomi, a specialty coffee roaster. This is a supply/partnership relationship for the café service.
• ENSAPC (Paris Cergy National Graduate School of Art)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Spirale, a micro-festival of publishing practices hosted at the foundation. The second edition took place on June 13, 2026. Students present and sell self-published works, with a parallel program of readings, performances, screenings, and workshops.
• Claudine Colin Communication (Press Relations)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPress agency managing the foundation's press relations and media outreach. Contact: Simon Poulain ([email protected], 01 42 72 60 01).
• Chisenhale Gallery (London, UK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership. The exhibition of Arash Nassiri was co-produced with Chisenhale Gallery, London, and presented there from January to March 2025, before coming to the Fondation Pernod Ricard (May–July 2026).
• Kunsthalle Friart (Fribourg, Switzerland)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the solo exhibition of Mira M. Yang. The exhibition is presented in two chapters: first at Kunsthalle Friart (September 12 – November 15, 2026), then at the Fondation Pernod Ricard (November 24, 2026 – February 6, 2027).
• Halle am Berghain (Berlin, Germany)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supported the exhibition 'Gravity Ease Contract' curated by David Douard at Halle am Berghain, Berlin (May 1–24, 2026), featuring artists Julia Scher, Richard Hawkins, Akeem Smith, Rochelle Goldberg, and Susan Philipsz.
• Kunsthalle Lingen (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolo exhibition of Wilfrid Almendra, 'Where the Sun Pauses', presented at Kunsthalle Lingen (June 7 – August 17, 2025).
• Art-o-Rama (Marseille Art Fair)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supported a projection and discussion with artist Pauline Ghersi at Art-o-Rama (August 29, 2025), in connection with support the artist received from Mécènes du Sud.
• Bétonsalon (Centre d'art et de recherche, Paris)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBétonsalon inaugurated the Aperto project space with the exhibition 'Earth Ears: Listen to the Earth with Pauline Oliveros' (November 22, 2023 – February 17, 2024), conceived in echo and extension of Bétonsalon's own exhibition on the composer.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fondation Louis Vuitton: Frank Gehry-designed corporate foundation in Paris supporting contemporary art with major exhibitions, the LVMH-backed model, and free public access. Comparator on scale, ambition, and corporate-sponsorship model.
• Bétonsalon: Paris-based contemporary art center that inaugurated the Aperto project space. Comparable in scale, residency/exhibition programming, and French contemporary art focus.
• Fondation d'entreprise Hermès: French corporate foundation supporting contemporary creation across photography, design, and craft, with exhibition programs and artist support. Directly comparable in sponsor structure (luxury/F&B corporate) and France-based operations.
• Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain: Paris-based corporate foundation dedicated to contemporary art, with a Jean Nouvel-designed exhibition space, artist residencies, and free public access. Most direct peer — same model, similar mission, same geographic base.
• Lafayette Anticipations: Paris-based contemporary art foundation funded by the Galeries Lafayette group, exhibiting emerging artists and producing residencies and commissions. Directly comparable corporate-foundation model and curatorial focus.
• Palais de Tokyo: Paris-based center for contemporary creation with major exhibition spaces, residencies, and free public programming. Comparable mission and visitor model, with overlapping artist community.

Regional players

• Chisenhale Gallery: London-based contemporary art gallery with co-production partnership (Arash Nassiri exhibition). Comparable residency and emerging-artist mission, but UK-based.
• Kunsthalle Friart: Contemporary art center in Fribourg, Switzerland, with co-production partnership for the Mira M. Yang exhibition. Comparable institutional model and contemporary art focus, but operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris: Paris municipal museum of modern and contemporary art with free exhibitions and a permanent collection. Overlapping audience and French contemporary art focus, but a larger, publicly funded institution.
• Centre Pompidou: France's national museum of modern and contemporary art, a long-standing institutional partner of the foundation via the artwork donation mechanism. Larger in scale and reach, but overlapping curatorial community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL_Btkne8oAguZC80HpPf-Oh83Tq7SqoOx
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondationpernodricard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-pernod-ricard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fondation Pernod Ricard