AWARE joins the Centre Pompidou

Press release

After more than ten years of commitment to the visibility of women and non-binary artists, AWARE : Archives of Women Artists, Research & Exhibitions, heretofore a private non-profit, will join the Centre Pompidou as of January 2026. It will be integrated as a program within the Musée national d’art moderne and will pursue and expand its essential research and advocacy missions, thus reinforcing the Museum’s actions regarding women creators represented in the collection or within the history of modern and contemporary art.

This strengthening partnership follows a constructive dialogue between the Centre Pompidou and AWARE, the latter having been created following the remarkable work carried out by Camille Morineau, curator of elles@centrepompidou, a thematic display of the museum’s collections shown from May 2009 to February 2011.

This integration will enable AWARE to pursue its research and the dissemination of its activities, supported for many years by the Ministry of Culture and tirelessly developed thanks to numerous and loyal sponsors.

The arrival of AWARE celebrates both a shared history and a shared commitment between the non-profit and the Museum. Whilst the Centre Pompidou has strengthened its support for women artists since elles@centrepompidou, namely through new flagship projects (such as Elles font l’abstraction in 2021) as well as through acquisitions and exhibitions, AWARE’s journey has in parallel been shaped by academic exchanges with many members of the Museum’s curatorial team. The Centre Pompidou will provide a lasting framework in which AWARE can continue its work, respecting its mission and collaborative and non-hierarchical working methods. Supported by the exceptional multidisciplinary collections of the Musée National d’Art Moderne and the expertise of its teams, AWARE is preparing to open a new chapter in its history.

Co-founded in 2014 by Camille Morineau, heritage curator and art historian, AWARE works to increase the visibility of women and non‑binary artists from the 17th to the 21st century in art history and thought. To this end, it produces and disseminates resources through a free, bilingual (French/English), and one-of-a-kind website that is visited by more than 100,000 unique monthly users. This website includes more than 1,400 biographical entries and nearly 250 research articles, thanks to international community of over 500 contributors. Since 2024, some content has also been available in Japanese, and in late 2025, the platform expanded to include the fields of design and architecture.

Since the establishment of its headquarters at the Villa Vassilieff in Paris in 2021, AWARE has also brought together a community of artists and experts around a program of events, youth workshops, and a documentation center renovated by designer matali crasset. From this site, AWARE has developed several international programs and strong networks: AMIS (museum partner network), TEAM (academic network), and NEST (alliance of non-profits).

The AWARE Prizes have also become internationally renowned for their promotion and recognition of the work of women and non‑binary artists. The 10th edition, presented for the first time by the Centre Pompidou in March 2026, will be an opportunity to celebrate the work accomplished.

“With its digital focus, AWARE has become a unique resource. Free, trilingual, internationally ambitious, and above all accessible to everyone, the non-profit has contributed to integrating gender studies into museum programs in France and abroad. I am delighted that it can now shine within such a prestigious institution. It is a consecration and, I am sure, a new beginning.”

— Camille Morineau, founder of AWARE

“The integration of AWARE into the Centre Pompidou will, I hope, anchor the work carried out for more than 10 years by Camille Morineau and her team within an institutional framework. The ‘de-invisibilization’ of women artists is essential to addressing current societal issues and has been part of the Centre Pompidou’s initiatives for several years.”

— Laurent Le Bon, President of the Centre Pompidou

AWARE thanks all the sponsors who have supported its development: CHANEL, founding and historical patron of the association; Sygna Partners, AWARE's legal supporter since its beginnings; as well as Engie and the Engie Foundation, the Elysées Monceau Endowment Fund, Maison Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Neuflize OBC, the Niki Charitable Art Foundation, the Ny Carlsbergfondet, and the Terra Foundation for American Art, faithful supporters of its actions and publications for many years. The association also expresses its gratitude to AWARE-USA, whose support for AWARE’s activities in the United States has enabled further backing from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Schneps Media, and Treadwell. AWARE JAPAN was created thanks to the support of the Per Ardua ad Astra Endowment Fund, which led to support from the Marukawa Collection. Finally, AWARE extends its thanks to Cartier, Frederick Mulder Ltd, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Antoine de Galbert Foundation, the Meyer Louis-Dreyfuss Fund, the Gandur Foundation for Art, the Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation, Outset Partners, the Tavolozza Foundation, as well as all individual donors for their support of research