Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, President and Sandra Terdjman, Vice-President of the Board of Directors

‘‘In the times we are living through, the role of culture and artistic hospitality is fundamental to developing cultural influence and fostering dialogue between societies. The Cité internationale des arts has a key ambition: the long-term hosting of artists of all origins, ages and disciplines. I am honoured to continue this work alongside the teams and long-standing partners of the Cité.’’ Maurice Gourdault-Montagne

‘‘Having marked its 60th anniversary, the Cité internationale des arts embodies its founding purpose more than ever as a place for dialogue and creation, a place where artists of all backgrounds and origins can give form to the possibility of a shared world. It is a unique organisation for contemporary creation, both nationally and internationally.

Alongside Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, President of the Cité, I am delighted to take part in the institutional project that has been so thoughtfully developed by our General Director Bénédicte Alliot and the whole team.’‘
Sandra Terdjman

The Cité internationale des arts, a foundation recognised as being of public interest, is pleased to announce that Maurice Gourdault-Montagne was appointed President of its Board of Directors in June 2025 and that Sandra Terdjman has been appointed Vice-President this year. This new governance marks an important milestone in the history of the Cité internationale des arts, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025. It affirms the institution’s commitment to furthering its international influence, as well as its ongoing support for artists and contemporary creation.

A French Ambassador and former Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne succeeds Henri Loyrette, President and Director of the Louvre from 2001 to 2013, who held the presidency of the Cité internationale des arts for ten years, contributing actively to transforming the institution.

Sandra Terdjman succeeds Marie-Laure Bernadac, General Heritage Curator. An exhibition curator, editor and researcher and the co-founder and Vice-President of KADIST, her appointment affirms the Cité internationale des arts’ commitment to contemporary artistic practices, transdisciplinary formats and the links between creation and research.

‘‘We commend the work carried out by Henri Loyrette and Marie-Laure Bernadac and we thank them warmly for their commitment to the Cité internationale des arts. Their support has been instrumental in the institution’s transformation. We are delighted to welcome this new governance, whose paths and commitments open a new chapter in the development of the Cité’s artistic and cultural project.‘‘ Bénédicte Alliot, General Director since 2016.

A distinguished diplomat, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne has held postings notably in India and Germany as embassy secretary and adviser and subsequently as French Ambassador to Japan (1998–02), the United Kingdom (2007–11), Germany (2011–14) and China (2014–17).

Alternating between postings in Paris and abroad, he has served notably as spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay (1991–93), Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Alain Juppé (1995–97) and Diplomatic Adviser and G7/G8 Sherpa to President of the Republic Jacques Chirac (2002–07).

His exceptional career reflects extensive experience in international relations, cultural dialogue and contemporary geopolitical affairs.

An exhibition curator, editor and researcher trained in art history at the Sorbonne, in exhibition curating at Goldsmiths College (London) and subsequently at Sciences Po Paris’s SPEAP programme, Sandra Terdjman is the founder of transdisciplinary and transcontinental initiatives including KADIST, a contemporary art collection and platform and AFIELD, a community bringing together more than 80 artistic initiatives.

She has worked alongside numerous artists and developed several curatorial and discursive projects, notably a reflection on the Anthropocene presented at COP21 at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, as well as the touring exhibition Infinite Ear, developed in collaboration with deaf and hard-of-hearing artists and communities across Europe and Russia.

More recently, Sandra Terdjman has been developing formats for public dialogue and collective research, notably through the AFIELD Forum, a series of international gatherings devoted to systemic transformation, social issues and questions of transitional justice.