Organised by Ateliers d’Art de France, every year, the International Heritage Fair gathers over 300 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors, general audience and professionals alike, for 4 days at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.
The fair brings together all the stakeholders of the sector, under a single banner, to recognise and promote fine crafts and the built environment, at local, departmental, regional, national and international level. A forum for debate, meetings and economic development, the fair helps us to build tomorrow’s heritage together, and every year delights a growing audience of enthusiasts and committed defenders of the sector.
Stéphane Galerneau,
President of the International Heritage Fair,
President of Ateliers d’Art de France
History of fair
The International Heritage Fair was founded in 1994 by Pierre Chevalier, President of Chevalier Conservation, a textile restoration company and President of the SEMA (Society for the Promotion of Art Trades) for 14 years. The fair developed under the leadership of Jean-Pierre Jouet, founder, with his company OIP of French cultural fairs such as the Biennale des Antiquaires, the FIAC, the Salon du Livre and the Salon Nautique.
The International Heritage Fair was taken over by Ateliers d’Art de France in 2009, upon the reunification of the Crafts trade, Creation and Heritage family, initiated by its president Serge Nicole. The purpose of Ateliers d’Art de France is to carry on the fair’s work, to help it grow and create new momentum.
Throughout the various themes covered each year, the International Heritage Fair became the main forum for reflexion in the heritage sector – its issues, its topicality, its challenges. This unique fair illustrates the strength of Crafts and Heritage Trades in France.
In 2019, the fair celebrated its 25th anniversary with a record of 380 exhibitors present.
A reference meeting point for heritage professionals and enthusiasts
As the major meeting place for heritage stakeholders, the International Heritage Fair gathers and federates all the main actors of the sector: restoration, conversation and promotion professionals for built and non-built, material or intangible heritage.
As a business meeting point for the sector, the fair is the occasion to develop contacts with business providing advisors: professionals from the sector and property owners, as well as connoisseurs and enthusiasts among visitors.
A rich program around heritage
The International Heritage Fair is also characterised by its exceptional program, reinvented every year and in direct contact with current affairs.
- Theme: each edition highlights a theme in direct relation with the heritage sector’s current affairs and which structures the program of the fair
- Conferences: as a forum for reflexions and debates, the International Heritage Fair hosts about 40 conferences and roundtables animated by subject matter experts every year.
- Award ceremonies: several prizes are awarded at the fair, a true showcase for the promotion of talents, projects and actions in favour of heritage conservation.
- Craftsmanship demonstrations: from gold sheet applying to stained glass mounting, gold thread embroidery and stone cutting, the International Heritage Fair is an opportunity for visitors to discovers unique craftsmanship.
The fair in figures
Here are the key figures of the 2023 edition
visitors
countries represented
French and international exhibitors
conférences
French regions represented
Over demonstrations
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The next edition
The next edition of the International Heritage fair will take place 2-5 November 2023 at the Carrousel du Louvre, in Paris. This 28th edition’s theme will be “Heritage—the Challenge of Transmission