The CRP/ Centre régional de la photographie based in Douchy-les-Mines develops art centre missions in the field of photography and contemporary images.

Founded in 1982, the CRP/ grew out of a collective of photographers who came from the photo club of the Usinor Denain Work Council. As a mobile association at the time, the CRP spent four years developing exhibitions and organising photography competitions. In 1983, in connection with its photographic commissions and its production of works, the Ministry of Culture recognized the CRP/’s art library, which became the first of its kind in France in the field of photography. In 1986, the CRP/ moved in to a former post office made available by
the town of Douchy-les-Mines, and in 1991 the Ministry of Culture recognised it as a national art centre.

As a centre that supports creativity, at the outset it developed a project to commission works linked with its territory: the Mission Photographique Transmanche (1988 to 2006), which lay the foundations of its collection. This has since been supplemented through the art centre’s programme and productions. The CRP/ is one of the few art centres endowed with a collection directly linked to its own production activity. The CRP/ collection currently contains almost 15,000 works, with an art library offering the public over 500 works that may be borrowed. Linked to its significant publication activity, it also has a document collection of over 9000 books.

The CRP/’s activities include creative support, research, production, distribution and mediation, all of which is developed in a region that is marked by its industrial past, an area that showed a very early commitment to culture. Today the CRP/ is a place of experience transmission, awareness- raising, mediation and training in the field of images, with a transregional and national reputation.

The CRP/’s artistic and cultural vision, endeavours to be forward- looking, encouraging young artists through its research and support mission, keeping in mind the regional history of images to which its collection testifies. It is regionally rooted while also giving attention to other art scenes abroad, through invitations to artists who come and shift or renew visitors’ perceptions of their history and region, and provide access to other cultural and societal issues in the world.

Director: Audrey Hoareau