Since 1992, DCA is a national network that unites 49 contemporary art centres throughout France. Located in urban, suburban, and rural areas, DCA’s member art centres operate in 12 of the 13 metropolitan regions. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, DCA is a leading network, one of the driving forces in French cultural policies, ensuring a nationwide network of art centres to facilitate access to culture and creation.

The mission of the DCA association is to bring together French contemporary art centres with the aim of:

• Promoting access to contemporary creation and fostering the influence of the French artistic scene, aimed at all audiences, in France and abroad;
• Increasing the national and international visibility of the specific activities of the contemporary art centres through events in France and abroad;
• Facilitating the mobility of artists and contemporary art professionals through the development of artistic and cultural cooperation on an international scale with other current art networks and organisations;
• Upholding and promoting its members’ interests;
• Strengthening the development of contemporary art centres by promoting the exchange of information and experience between network members, and the implementation of collaborative projects;
• Contributing to the awareness, professionalization and structuring of the visual arts sector, in collaboration with the other professional organisations within the field;
• Responding to requests for expertise and advice.

DCA is supported in all its activities by the Direction Générale de la Création Artistique - ministère de la Culture.

For its projects, DCA receives or has received support from l’Institut français, from l’ADAGP, and from the Fondation des Artistes.

DCA is a member of the Conseil National des Professions des Arts Visuels.

DCA is a member of the CIPAC — Fédération des professionnels de l’art contemporain.

DCA is partner of the Documents d’artistes network and a member of the committee ElaineAlain.