Brass notes echo through the cobblestone courtyard of the Comptoir des arts at the former consular hotel on Jules-Favre Street in Tours, France. The excitement of preparing for a musical evening reflects the bustling energy in the back building where an exhibition is being installed. Upstairs, association president Clément Mignet puts the finishing touches on last-minute preparations.
Since last year, the life of the former general director of SET (Société d'équipement de Touraine) has taken a dramatic new direction. He has created the association Les Courants d'Arts in Beaulieu-lès-Loches, established the real estate firm Osmose immobilier for businesses, and most recently became co-president of Valesens, an association dedicated to promoting regional development through design and sensory technologies. "I'm addicted to projects," he says with a smile.
Originally, Mignet was instinctively drawn to regional development. "It's satisfying to see buildings rise from the ground. You have the impression of influencing this world that escapes everyone else. You see the immediate impact of your work, which is rewarding," he explains. He quickly turned to urban planning, participating in the construction of 1,500 social housing units in Tours. After his time with Tours Habitat, he took over as director of SET.
"At the end of my social mandate, I had covered all the subjects dealt with in the public domain," Mignet reflects. The desire for something different and independence emerged. He wanted to partially step back to spend more time with his two young children. "I was looking for more simplicity in my life." Always attracted to the artistic world (originally literature and comics), he discovered arts and crafts, antiques, and art through his wife, antique dealer Violaine Berruer.
"All these professions have one thing in common: eighteen different trades are included in their activity, including that of sales. It's an enormous amount of time and energy for, ultimately, little money," Mignet observes. Together with Violaine and several artists from South Touraine - including antique dealer Philippe Damerval, sculptor Jérôme Garreau, engraver Aurore Livernet, and letter painter Clémentine Tazi - they envisioned a common permanent exhibition space to simplify life for antique dealers, artisans, and artists.
"We had been talking about it for a few years," recalls Jérôme Garreau, also known as Grom from "Grom and Fanfan," the two sculptors from Le Terrier (Loches) who created the Pegasus of the Loire banks. "We needed to find the right location, the right opportunity. We wanted an atypical place. Thanks to Clément's genuine patience and quiet strength, it's working very well."
The opening of Les Courants d'Arts was a success, with the mission to "reconnect with beauty and imagination." In parallel, they negotiated the installation of the association at the Tours consular hotel, in the former Chamber of Commerce premises. "What Clément has managed to do is really great," emphasizes his longtime friend Jérôme Garreau. "Thanks to his experience as former director of SET, he knows how to bridge politics and the artistic world. He's comfortable with these subjects." Garreau praises Mignet's calm and diplomacy, noting, "He does everything related to mediation wonderfully well and knows what he wants. He doesn't let himself be distracted and focuses on positive things. That's his great strength."
For Mignet, this new chapter continues his work in regional development. "We live in a world where we have lost the notion of aesthetics. In the past, architects worked with artisans and artists. Take the Town Hall - it's simple beyond words. It's a cube with balconies. Its richness comes from the statues and reliefs that adorn it." Bringing beauty back to the city, the association wants to change citizens' relationship with art. "Entering an art gallery can be difficult for some people. Here, we trap visitors through antiques and crafts."
Since their launch, Les Courants d'Arts has brought together 80 artists, antique dealers, and artisans. The sites in Beaulieu-lès-Loches and Tours continue to grow - since opening in April, the consular hotel now houses a bar and live arts programming. Special attention is also dedicated at each site to welcoming young audiences, with dedicated spaces featuring foosball tables, board games, coloring activities, and pinball machines. "The idea is that they can have fun, run, shout, play. Once they spend 30 minutes playing and get bored, they start looking around, see the artworks, and go explore the floors," Mignet explains.
Changing the perspective of both children and adults, these sites are transitional. "We are in the process of purchasing and renovating a factory that should open in 2026," Mignet reveals. This facility will house artist workshops, allowing visitors to watch sculptors and painters in the creative process. The association has achieved remarkable success without any public subsidies since its creation, though it expects to receive funding from the Centre Region in 2026. The Beaulieu-lès-Loches location alone attracts 15,000 visitors annually.
Born in Pithiviers in 1982, Mignet's journey from business law and development planning degrees to his current role as cultural facilitator demonstrates his ability to connect seemingly distinct domains. His insatiable appetite for projects, unwavering optimism, and talent for building bridges between different sectors continue to drive his mission of reconnecting communities with beauty and imagination through accessible art spaces.
