©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao Exhibitions in 2026: art, haute couture and memory
In 2026, Calais is further establishing itself as a leading cultural destination on the Opal Coast. Blending artistic daring, musical talent, and a commitment to remembrance, a rich program invites visitors to experience wonder and reflect. Whether you're passionate about haute couture, a design enthusiast, a history buff, or a music lover, Calais's venues open their doors for unique, immersive experiences.
Haute couture, Design, Art: a unique double exhibition
At the City of Lace and Fashion
From June 13, 2026, la City of Lace and Fashion hosts the textile section of the double exhibition dedicated to the duo Maurizio Galante & Tal LancmanA couturier and member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture since the 1990s, Galante has transformed each garment into a hybrid object, blurring the lines between clothing, sculpture, and design. Since 2003, he has collaborated with Tal Lancman on a body of work where lace interacts with ceramics, metal, and glass, all treated with the same technical precision as haute couture embroidery.
The Cité presents the textile pieces featured in the exhibition: dresses, accessories, and creations where Calais lace is not simply a tribute to the region but a living material, integrated into a rigorous formal approach. Curated by Lydia Kamitsis, the exhibition explores the dialogue between garment-sculpture and design object, without hierarchy between disciplines. Until January 3, 2027.
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao 
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao 
Exhibition of National Interest
Proof of its excellence, this exhibition has been awarded the prestigious "Exhibition of National Interest" label by the Ministry of Culture. This is the third time the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode (City of Lace and Fashion) has received this distinction, following the exhibitions dedicated to Hubert de Givenchy (2017) and Cristóbal Balenciaga (2015).
At the Museum of Fine Arts
At the same time, Museum of Fine Arts The exhibition also showcases its own part: the artworks and design objects created by the duo since 2003. Furniture, photographs, ceramics, and three-dimensional pieces reveal the sculptural side of a practice that refuses to be confined to a single medium. Tal Lancman's subtle humor (he too will be named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2025) infuses forms that seem both familiar and slightly offbeat.
Visiting both museums on the same day allows you to grasp the coherence of a universe that only fully exists if you traverse it in its entirety.
All the information about the exhibition
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao 
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao Patricia Cunha
The city is getting colorful for the summer
Portuguese artist Patricia Cunha is returning to the streets of Calais for the summer of 2026! Internationally renowned for her suspended installations of colorful umbrellas (Umbrella Sky), this marks her fourth intervention in the city since her first visit, following three consecutive summers of participation. The 2026 route comprises five artworks spread throughout the city center. This 2026 edition draws inspiration from the region's seaside atmosphere, with creations built around balloons and buoys, extending the beach vibe into the heart of the city. Access to the five installations is free and open to all, without reservation.
Discover the facilities
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao 
©Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao Bowie Odyssey
A unique experience to be had at the Gambetta Forum from July 4th to August 16th, 2026
To mark the tenth anniversary of David Bowie's passing, the City of Calais is joining forces with Jean-Charles Gautier, one of the greatest French collectors based on the coast, to present the exhibition "Bowie Odyssey".
More than a thousand items are gathered there: rare objects, original documents, vinyl records, press kits, photographs and souvenirs trace the journey of one of the most creative figures in the history of pop-rock music.
Discover Bowie Odyssey
©Jean-Charles Gautier The Auguste Rodin Gallery
An exceptional repository in the heart of the Fine Arts
Inaugurated in May 2025, the Auguste Rodin gallery of Museum of Fine Arts It deserves special mention. It brings together 26 sculptures (21 of which are on exceptional loan from the Rodin Museum in Paris), constituting the largest repository of Rodin's works in France. Bronzes, trials and pieces from the permanent collection coexist in one of the brightest rooms of the museum.
The exhibition follows a chronological order organized into six thematic sections, enriched with sensory elements and dialogues with other late 19th-century sculptors such as Carrier-Belleuse and Dalou. The central theme remains the genesis of... Burghers of Calais How did Rodin construct this monumental group? What links did it have with the city? The Parisian depots allow us to answer these questions with rarely shown pieces, in a scenography that confronts the work with its historical context without isolating it in a setting.
Discover the Rodin Gallery
©Charles Delcourt Daily life under the Occupation
In the temporary hall of the 39-45 Memorial Museum
From April 6 to September 27, 2026, the Calais Memorial Museum (Musée Mémoire 1939-1945) presents "Daily Life Under the Occupation." The exhibition was created in collaboration with the association DKOR and BOMBING, known for its work on Christopher Nolan's films 'Dunkirk' and 'De Gaulle'. At the heart of the exhibition are civilian objects rescued from oblivion at the last minute.
A rare collection of vintage bicycles, carts, and strollers evokes the columns of families on the roads during the exodus of May 1940. These objects are not displayed as relics: they tell stories of actions, decisions made in a matter of hours, and lives reduced to what could be carried. The exhibition is complemented by prohibition posters and notices to the public from the museum's archives, documents that recreate the atmosphere of a city under control. For the inhabitants of Calais, it is also a way to reflect on the resilience of their own ancestors.
©Nohcab 
©Timothé Lovergne Calais Street-Art Festival 2026
Since 2019, Calais has been building itself an open-air museum, a project no one planned with free rein: façade after façade, edition after edition. This year, ten international artists, including L7Matrix, Vinie, Shozy, and Nuno Viegas, will take over new walls from July 13 to August 17, 2026.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to converse with the artists, or simply see their works come to life before your eyes!
Full program and intervention locations
Calais, an open-air gallery
Around a hundred street art works
The most extensive gallery in Calais is undoubtedly the one in the street! 95 works of street art They are listed to date in the area, from the port quays to the streets of Sangatte, Marck and Blériot-Plage. The history of street art began in 1975, when Ernest Pignon-Ernest pasted an image inspired by the Bourgeoisie in the streets of the town, and it has never really stopped since.
One of the most recent pieces, Samurai and Dragon by Flow (Florian De Elizondo), was voted the most beautiful mural in France in 2026. It is located on Rue de Valenciennes, over 12 meters high. A few streets away, other artists have taken over the facades with equally large-scale works and radically different styles. Every year, the Tourist Office teams monitor the works to be displayed as part of the Street Art festival held each summer.
Discover the complete route