Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image

The Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image is a public cultural institution unique in Europe, dedicated to the preservation, study, creation, and promotion of comics and visual arts. Located in Angoulême, it is France’s leading cultural and research center dedicated to the ninth art.

History

The Cité’s origins date back to the rise of comics in Angoulême with the creation of the International Comics Festival in 1974. The growing importance of the heritage collections led to the creation, in 1984, of the Centre national de la bande dessinée et de l'image (CNBDI). The center opened its doors in 1990 in the former buildings of the Champigneulles brewery, which had been renovated by architect Roland Castro.

In 2007, the CNBDI merged with the Maison des auteurs to form the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image, operating as a public cultural cooperation institution (EPCC). This new institution brings together the missions of conservation, research, support for creative work, and cultural outreach.

The Cité’s Three Sites

The Cité is spread across three complementary architectural complexes, connected in particular by the Hugo Pratt pedestrian bridge:

• The Comics Museum, housed in renovated former wine cellars along the banks of the Charente River. It holds one of Europe’s largest collections of original artwork, comic books, posters, and archival materials.
• The Vaisseau Mœbius, a converted former brewery, which houses the specialized library, the documentation center, the arthouse cinema, the bookstore, and exhibition spaces.
• The Maison des auteurs, an international residency for authors, illustrators, animators, and visual artists who come to develop their projects in a professional environment.

Heritage Missions

The Cité carries out several missions of national interest:

• preserving the heritage of French and international comics;
• to expand its collections, which include tens of thousands of documents and original works;
• supporting contemporary creation through the Maison des auteurs;
• promoting scientific research through its documentation center;
• promoting the culture of the “ninth art” to the general public through exhibitions, conferences, publications, and educational initiatives.

A Major Cultural Institution

Each year, the Cité welcomes several hundred thousand visitors and offers a program featuring temporary exhibitions, film screenings, author talks, educational workshops, and scientific events. Its museum houses one of the largest comic book collections in Europe, comprising more than 25,000 original art pages and approximately 250,000 printed copies.

An International Reach

The Cité collaborates with numerous museums, libraries, universities, and cultural institutions around the world. It organizes traveling exhibitions, develops international partnerships, and hosts artists-in-residence from many countries each year. This global reach helps make Angoulême a world leader in the study and promotion of comics.