The first edition of FIAC was held in 1974 as the Salon International d’Art Contemporain (the International Contemporary Art Show) at the old Bastille railway station in Paris. It was then renamed the Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain (International Contemporary Art Fair) and held at the Grand Palais before moving (due to building work) to the Parc des Expositions in Porte de Versailles for many years.
In 2006, FIAC returned to the heart of Paris to the prestigious setting of the Grand Palais and the Cour Carrée of the Louvre.
Held in prestigious addresses in the centre of Paris, FIAC and its Hors les Murs (Outside the Walls) programme truly reflect the City of Light, its lifestyle and its dynamic arts scene.
For 4 days, this artistic and commercial event becomes an international meeting place for gallery owners, collectors, curators, museum directors and figures from the world of international contemporary art.
10 years after returning to the Grand Palais, where the Salon Officiel and the Salon des Refusés were once held, FIAC continues to make the most of Paris’ atmosphere. For its 43rd edition, it brought together 183 of the most prestigious galleries in the world from 26 countries along with more than 1,300 artists, including 55 French, 34 American, 26 German, 14 English and 14 Italian galleries. Since 2001, the prestigious Marcel Duchamp prize ceremony has also been held at FIAC, awarded by the ADIAF (Association pour la Diffusion Internationale de l’Art Français - Association for the International Distribution of French Art) - an award which has been given to many artists who have gone on to become famous.