What exactly is the Nuit Blanche in Paris? This not-to-be-missed event returns to Paris this Saturday, June 7, 2025, with a host of artistic programs accessible free of charge for an entire night. But do you know what it stands for, and when and how this event dedicated to contemporary creation was born? Here’s the history and origins of the famous Nuit Blanche in Paris.
Every year, contemporary art in all its forms is celebrated in Paris during the traditional Nuit Blanche. This year, scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2025, this major event is an opportunity to enjoy free, all-night artistic events in the four corners of the capital, and even beyond. But do you know when Nuit Blanche was launched and why? Here’s a look at the history and origins of this event, which over the years has become a must for Parisians.
In 2002, when Bertrand Delanoë was Mayor of Paris, the very first Nuit Blanche was launched by the City of Paris. The aim of this popular and festive event? To offer the capital’s inhabitants the chance to admire and listen to contemporary creations for one night only. From sound and visual installations to performances, monumental sculptures and exhibitions,contemporary art in all its forms is showcased in heritage, cultural and unusual venues, as well as in squares, bridges and gardens across Paris.
In 2002, artistic director Jean Blaise was entrusted with the artistic direction of the very first Nuit Blanche. His vision was of a major nocturnal celebration of art, free and open to all, with a collective itinerary and a spiritual dimension. The event proved to be a great success, with 500,000 curious visitors on the night of October 5, 2002, discovering the installations created for the occasion.
Since then, the Nuit Blanche has evolved considerably, even extending to the Greater Paris region. Since its launch in 2002, no fewer than 4,000 French and international artists, both established and emerging, have been eager to unveil their work to the general public.
And the success of the Nuit Blanche now extends far beyond France’s borders, with some 30 cities having adopted the idea, including Bilbao, Seville, Venice, Rome, Vilnius, Bratislava and Leeds, as well as Montreal, Toronto and Miami.
For 20 years, Nuit Blanche has been held in autumn. However, to take advantage of better weather conditions, Nuit Blanche was brought forward to spring, following a vote organized by Anne Hidalgo. Parisians ” overwhelmingly expressed their wish for Nuit Blanche to be held in June in future “, the City of Paris had announced in February 2022. The 2022 edition was therefore the last autumnal edition of this not-to-be-missed cultural event. Since 2023, Nuit Blanche has been held in June, after Nuit des Musées and before the Fête de la musique.
Discover the program of Nuit Blanche 2025 in Paris and Île-de-France :
Nuit Blanche 2025: date and programme of the artistic nocturne in Paris and the Île-de-France region
Nuit Blanche 2025 in and around Paris takes place on Saturday, June 7, 2025. With a multitude of free events spread over different routes, this new edition has some great surprises in store for us. Find out all about the program for this exceptional free nocturne in and around Paris. [Read more]
Nuit Blanche 2025: discover the complete program of the evening in Paris by arrondissement
For Nuit Blanche 2025, Paris invites a host of artists and collectives to take over the streets of the capital on June 7, 2025. It’s the perfect time to discover Paris from a whole new angle, through dozens of free events in every arrondissement of the capital. Discover the best of the program by arrondissement. [Read more]
