The unmissable autumn event for all players in the creative industries is fast approaching: We Are French Touch will be held on Wednesday, November 26th at the Palais Brongniart and will bring together talents, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs passionate about culture, art, and innovation. Solenne Blanc, Managing Director of Beaux Arts & Cie and ambassador of the French Touch, will discuss the year's highlights and the importance of this event for the sector.

The French Touch: What were the highlights for Beaux Arts & Cie in 2025? And what are the group's next major milestones?

Solenne Blanc: The year 2025 was marked by several highlights: the first edition of the International Museum Week around SITEM last March, with the hosting of foreign delegations in partnership with the French Touch; the launch of the Odyssées, our inspirational program that connects businesses with the cultural and creative sector; and the opening on November 19 of The Art Business Conference Hong Kong, which, after Paris, New York, London, Maastricht and Dubai, completes our network of professional meetings in the art market.

The FT: What is your assessment of the first edition of the Odyssées which took place this summer? Why is it essential to bring together decision-makers in culture and the arts?

SB: The launch of the Odysseys with the event on July 16th at Hangar Y was a resounding success, with 200 participants from a wide range of companies and professions, whose feedback on the richness and relevance of the program was unanimously enthusiastic. This (re)connection to the world of creation and thought is essential to nurture current and future leaders and enlighten them in understanding an increasingly complex and polarized world. To quote one of the participants: This program offers privileged access to stimulating cultural content, designed to sharpen curiosity, encourage open-mindedness, and provide a unique perspective on our world. It also serves as a space for reflection where culture and thought become drivers of collective transformation, directly linked to our role as business leaders and our responsibility to rethink the models of tomorrow. »

The FT: How would you define the business model of Beaux Arts & Cie today?

SB: It is a sustainable and balanced model, built on complementary areas of activity, all rooted in the interpretation, transmission, and promotion of arts and culture. The business model rests on several pillars: print and online media (Beaux Arts Magazine and its digital ecosystem, Le Quotidien de l'Art, and the quarterly Geste/s dedicated to craftsmanship), professional networking events (SITEM, MUSEVA, The Art Business Conference), cultural engineering (Beaux Arts Consulting), and mediation (Point Parole, Beaux Arts Institute, Artips). These activities are strengthened by robust teams with complementary skills.

The FT: With your investment fund ArtNova, what investment trends are you observing in the cultural and creative industries?

SB: The cultural and creative industries are a sector that drives innovation and influence. Their economic model is atypical because it often relies on prototypes, which hinders scaling up; this is why traditional investment funds are less present in this sector. The involvement of sector-specific funds like ArtNova or Bpifrance's French Touch fund is key to supporting these players in their growth and internationalization phase.

The FT: What new players or economic models do you see emerging in the culture and art market?

SB: New technologies like blockchain and AI are driving the development of new players to provide solutions for traceability, security, creation, and distribution of works. Forms of augmented mediation and immersive experiences are multiplying. But innovation isn't limited to technology, which is why, alongside digital solutions, we are continuing to invest in print media and event formats.

The FT: Audiences, formats, experiences: how do you think cultural institutions need to rethink their model to remain relevant?

SB: Institutions must constantly rethink their relationship with the public and the formats of their content and outreach (before, during, and after visits) to attract the widest possible audience. This requires continuous experimentation and attentive listening to audiences. They must also rethink their relationship with businesses, which should not be limited to traditional sponsorship.

The FT: What advice would you give to an entrepreneur who wants to get into the cultural and creative industries today?

SB: To have a strong conviction around a creative and unique idea and to think about the economic model upstream, guaranteeing the sustainability of the project.

The FT: We Are French Touch is one of the flagship events of the French Touch, what have you put in place to guarantee the success of this new edition?

SB: The event prioritizes a variety of formats: keynotes, roundtables, experiments, artistic experiences, creator masterclasses… and opportunities for discussion, to be both a source of inspiration and of meetings between actors in the cultural and creative industries.

The FT: How does this event respond to the major changes in the cultural market?

SB: Bringing all the cultural and creative industries together in a single event reflects the increasingly important (and desirable) cross-sector collaboration between the various creative industries. It also highlights the challenge for stakeholders in this sector to unite in order to drive ambitious developments on an international scale. We Are French Touch This is an opportunity to bring together entrepreneurs from different cultural and creative industries to imagine joint projects.

Get your badge for We Are French Touch on Wednesday, November 26th at the Palais Brongniart