Hélia Paukner appointed director of Biennale de Lyon and macLYON

Hélia Paukner has been named the new artistic director of the Biennale de Lyon and director of the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon (macLYON), effective February 1, 2027. She succeeds Isabelle Bertolotti, who has held both positions since 2018/2019.

Paukner joins from Marseille’s Mucem, where she has served as curator and head of contemporary art since 2019. Her previous work includes organizing a major French retrospective for Ghada Amer and curating exhibitions for artists such as Laure Prouvost and Clément Cogitore.

In her new dual role, Paukner will be responsible for selecting curators for the Biennale and will also oversee the Lyon Dance Biennale. The appointment was led by the City of Lyon in association with the Ministry of Culture, the Metropolis, and the Lyon Biennale, with a focus on developing international cooperation and strengthening the link between the two institutions.