Isabelle Reiher, director of the Centre de création contemporaine Olivier-Debré (CCCOD) in Tours, has been appointed to lead the Institut d'art contemporain in Villeurbanne. The Franco-Canadian arts administrator will take over the prestigious contemporary art institution following a unanimous jury recommendation in October 2025, officially confirmed by France's Ministry of Culture on Monday, November 24.
Reiher is scheduled to begin her new role on February 2, 2025, at the Institut d'art contemporain – Fonds régional d'art contemporain Rhône-Alpes (IAC/Frac Rhône-Alpes) in Villeurbanne. Her appointment marks a significant career advancement for the experienced arts professional who has been leading the CCCOD since 2019.
The Franco-Canadian director brings extensive experience in contemporary art administration to her new position. After earning a master's degree in contemporary art from the University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne and a diploma in heritage administration and conservation from the National Heritage Institute, Reiher began her career in 2002 as head of contemporary art at the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. She subsequently served as deputy director of the Saint-Léger Art Center in Pougues-les-Eaux in the Nièvre region starting in 2005, before becoming director of the International Center for Research on Glass and Plastic Arts (Cirva) in Marseille in 2010, a renowned research and production facility.
When Reiher arrived at the CCCOD in Tours in 2019, she expressed her commitment to "renewing her perspective" and "putting herself in danger" professionally. Her tenure at the contemporary art center, which opened in 2017 on the upper section of Rue Nationale, has been marked by innovative programming and increased collaboration with other cultural institutions.
Christophe Dupin, deputy mayor for culture in Tours, praised Reiher's contributions during her leadership. "She developed many collaborations with the Museum of Fine Arts and the Résonances hub. This year's monumental tapestry exhibition was a great success. Attendance is rising again, but there's still room for improvement," Dupin acknowledged. The city official expressed hope that Reiher's successor would continue the initiatives she launched during her tenure.
The search for Reiher's replacement is expected to attract significant interest from arts professionals. "The position will be posted in the coming days," Dupin announced. "There will certainly be many candidates." The CCCOD leadership transition comes at a time when the center has been experiencing renewed momentum in visitor numbers and cultural programming, building on the foundation Reiher established during her six-year tenure.
