
Founded in 2014, the Thalie Foundation is a philanthropic initiative established by Nathalie Guiot, a former publisher, art collector, exhibition curator, and philanthropist. Through an art collection, an art centre in Brussels (2016–2024) encompassing a public exhibition programme, artist residencies, and patronage in the fields of visual arts and ecological thought, the foundation dedicated a decade to supporting contemporary creation.
In 2021, it opened its doors in Arles. As part of the Villa Swagatam residency programme, led by the Institut français in India, the Thalie Foundation hosts an artist for a research and production residency. This programme, designed to foster cultural exchange between France and South Asia, is open to artists whose practice engages in dialogue with local craftsmanship, traditional know-how, and the history of collecting.
The exhibition space and the collection are housed in an 18th-century mansion at the foot of the Arènes. The house was fully renovated with the involvement of local craftspeople. The first two floors are dedicated to exhibitions, while the resident will stay in a separate private house only a five-minute walk away, offering an intimate and inspiring living and working environment in the heart of a city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.