What ART & EXCEPTION does

ART & EXCEPTION is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 2019 to promote contemporary African craft on the international stage. The organization operates three interconnected programs: a curated collection of numbered and unique art objects available for acquisition through its website, the 'Exceptions d'Afrique' traveling exhibition showcased at venues including Grand-Palais éphémère in Paris and Soshiro Gallery in London, and the RAADEC residency program launched in 2024 in Foumban, Cameroon, which trains artisans in cross-disciplinary skills. Underpinning these is a pan-African network of 24 vetted workshops spanning 15 countries that the organization identifies, promotes, and connects to international markets.

The business has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on a WordPress-based website, Stripe payment links for printed catalogues, and Instagram for visibility. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of numbered art pieces (prices undisclosed, quote-based via email), recurring membership dues, individual donations, foundation grants (notably Institut Français, Michel-Ange Foundation), and institutional public funding from French and Cameroonian governmental bodies. The six-person leadership team is led by President Franck Nana Demen and Director of Programs Nelly Wandji, supported by an Artistic Orientation Committee that includes Christophe Person (Artcurial) and UNESCO-affiliated advisors.

Go-to-market is event-driven: the organization builds awareness and demand through participation in Paris Design Week, London exhibitions, and the Lagos x Paris accelerator, then converts collectors and design professionals via direct website inquiries. Primary customer segments are collectors and design enthusiasts acquiring pieces, cultural institutions hosting exhibitions, design professionals sourcing for projects, and African artisan workshops seeking international market access. Distribution occurs through the direct website, gallery partnerships (notably 110 Galerie Véronique Rieffel in Paris), and international design fair participation.

Name

ART & EXCEPTION

Legal name

Art & Exception

Website

https://artexception.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ART & EXCEPTION is a French non-profit association founded in 2019 that curates and sells contemporary African craft objects, runs the Exceptions d'Afrique traveling exhibition, and operates the RAADEC artisan residency program through a pan-African network of 24 workshops across 15 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Curation & Cultural Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Art Dealers (45992), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), Art Dealers (459920), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

SIC

Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional & Indigenous Crafts Lessons (Heritage Skills, Folk Arts) (THAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD), General Arts & Crafts Supplies Retail (CRALACAA)

Keywords

• African art crafts
• Contemporary African design
• Artisan residency programs
• Craft exhibition curation
• Pan-African workshop network

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

Revenue model

1. Art Sales and Collection Acquisitions: The organization curates and sells numbered and unique art objects and furniture created by African artisan studios. Works are available for acquisition through the website. Revenue is generated from the sale of pieces to collectors and design enthusiasts.
2. Donations and Memberships: As a French law 1901 association (nonprofit), ART & EXCEPTION relies on membership dues, corporate patronage, foundation grants, institutional public funding, and individual donations to fund its operations and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ART & EXCEPTION curates, promotes, and sells numbered and unique African craft objects (furniture, jewelry, textiles, ceramics, decorative pieces) created by vetted artisan studios across Africa. Its core programs include the 'Exceptions d'Afrique' traveling exhibition showcasing African contemporary design internationally, the RAADEC residency and workshop program in Cameroon that trains artisans and co-creates new objects, and a pan-African network of 24 workshops across 15 countries serving as both supply pipeline and promotional platform.

Product overview

ART & EXCEPTION is an independent initiative promoting African crafts through a portfolio of interconnected programs and offerings. The core portfolio includes a collection of exceptional numbered/unique African artworks and furniture available for acquisition, the traveling 'Exceptions d'Afrique' exhibition platform, the RAADEC residency and workshop program for artisan skill transfer, and a Pan-African network connecting vetted workshops and artisans. Supporting these are the 'Maker's Stories' documentary series and published exhibition catalogs. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather acts as a curator, platform coordinator, and program manager for African craft promotion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAADEC: Résidences d'artisanat d'art du design et de la création (RAADEC) - A residency and workshop program to strengthen innovation, creation, and production capabilities in African art craft sectors.
• Exceptions d'Afrique

Products and services

• Collection d'objets d'exception A curated collection of numbered and unique African art objects including furniture, jewelry, textiles, ceramics, and decorative pieces available for acquisition. The collection showcases singular craftsmanship from vetted African workshops, with pricing provided on request via email.
• Exceptions d'Afrique A traveling exhibition showcasing contemporary African creation and emerging talents, presenting functional objects and furniture across international venues including Grand-Palais éphémère in Paris and Soshiro Gallery in London.
• RAADEC (Résidences d'artisanat d'art du design et de la création) Residency and workshop program designed to strengthen innovation, creation, and production capabilities in African craft sectors by fostering encounters between artisans, designers, and students. The first edition trained 35 artisans across 5 nationalities and produced 21 co-created objects.
• Réseau d'ateliers (Pan-African workshop network) A pan-African network that identifies, selects, promotes, and connects 24 workshops and singular talents focused on developing local skills, preserving heritage, and serving as the supply pipeline for the organization's curated collection.
• Exceptions d'Afrique Catalogue Published printed catalogues documenting the Exceptions d'Afrique exhibition collections, with editions from 2021 and 2022 available for purchase through the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,140 visitors attended RAADEC restitution events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 110 Galerie Véronique RieffelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024110 Galerie Véronique Rieffel in Paris partnered with ART & EXCEPTION to host the 'REMIX, Archaeology of Craft' exhibition during Paris Design Week 2024, featuring Cheick Diallo, Jean-Servais Somian, Meyer von Wielligh, and emerging designers.
• Lagos x Paris – Accélérateur Mode & DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint initiative by the French Embassy in Nigeria, Institut Français Nigeria, and Création Africa to support and train 10 Nigerian entrepreneurs in fashion and design industries, and promote Nigerian creativity internationally.
• Institut FrançaiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the RAADEC residency program. The Institut Français supports the program's cultural mission and access to French-African networks.
• Michel-Ange FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in the RAADEC residency program, contributing to the support and development of African craft artisans.
• Bandjoun StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBandjoun Station, founded by artist Barthélémy Toguo, hosts the second edition of the RAADEC residency program in Cameroon. It serves as a creative hub for artisans, designers, and students.
• Commune de FoumbancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality of Foumban, Cameroon, is a key partner for the RAADEC program, providing local support and hosting the first RAADEC edition in 2024.
• Ministère des Arts et de la Culture (Cameroon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cameroonian Ministry of Arts and Culture supports the RAADEC program, including the planned restitution exhibition at the National Museum of Cameroon.
• Musée National du CamerouncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Museum of Cameroon is slated to host the restitution exhibition for RAADEC's third edition (2026) and serves as a key institutional partner.
• Ateliers d'Art de FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting the exhibition program, bringing French craft expertise and visibility to the platform.
• MoonlookminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting the exhibition program.
• ArtcurialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArtcurial, a French auction house, is listed as a partner supporting the exhibition program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Maison & Objet: World-leading Paris-based trade fair for home, design, and lifestyle that includes significant African artisan and craft content. Comparable as a major European distribution channel for high-end decorative art and craft, including African design offerings.
• Artsy: Global online art marketplace aggregating galleries, auctions, and fairs - including substantial African contemporary art inventory. Comparable as a competing distribution/collector-discovery layer for African craft and design that operates at vastly greater scale and lower friction.
• Artcurial: Major French auction house with a dedicated Contemporary African Art department headed by a member of ART & EXCEPTION's Artistic Committee. Comparable as a higher-end French art marketplace/distribution channel that competes for collector attention on African contemporary work.
• Ateliers d'Art de France: French national trade body representing craft ateliers, organizer of the Biennale Révélations craft fair, and a listed partner of ART & EXCEPTION. Comparable as a broader French craft-ecosystem incumbent with overlapping cultural-policy and exhibition mandates.
• Sotheby's (African Contemporary Art department): Global auction house with an active contemporary African art sales category and major brand-led exhibitions of African design. Comparable as a global incumbent collector-channel whose African programming could absorb the higher-end of ART & EXCEPTION's collector base.

Direct peers

• Design Indaba: Pan-African design platform that curates and promotes contemporary African design and craft internationally via festivals, content, and awards. Directly comparable to ART & EXCEPTION as a curated pan-African design-discovery platform with education, culture, and commercial programming pillars.
• Novica: Global online marketplace that curates and sells handcrafted artisan products from developing countries, with significant African artisan supply. Directly comparable as a curated commerce platform for global artisan craft, albeit at lower price points and broader geography.
• Galerie Cécile Fakhoury: Leading gallery specializing in contemporary African art with spaces in Abidjan, Dakar, and Paris. Directly comparable as a curated gallery/exhibition platform connecting African artists to the global art market via Paris and Africa-based exhibitions.
• 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair: Leading international art fair dedicated exclusively to contemporary African art, with editions in Paris, London, New York, and Marrakech. Directly comparable as a curated platform connecting African makers/designers to global collectors and institutions.
• AKAA - Also Known As Africa: Paris-based art and design fair focused on contemporary African creation, showcasing African makers, designers, and galleries. Directly comparable as an event-driven Paris-anchored platform for African craft and design with a similar collector/professional audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/artexception
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art-exception

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 ART & EXCEPTION