Céline Kopp will take the helm of the MAMAC in Nice in January 2026, while her tenure at the Magasin in Grenoble was marked by internal tensions and social alerts. Employees in Grenoble reported deteriorating working conditions, disciplinary procedures, and an unstable climate.
The MAMAC in Nice will have a new leadership starting January 1, 2026. The city announced at the end of September the appointment of Céline Kopp as head of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. She will succeed Hélène Guenin, who led the institution for nine years. Johanne Lindskog has been serving as interim director since February 2025 to maintain the museum’s operations. This transition occurs in a calm context in Nice. It also takes place at a time when Céline Kopp’s past experience in Grenoble raises questions. Her tenure at the Magasin – National Center for Contemporary Art, was marked by episodes of internal tension. These issues have resurfaced in the public debate today.
Céline Kopp has been leading the Magasin in Grenoble since 2022. She joined the institution after ten years at the helm of a contemporary art center in Marseille. Her arrival in Grenoble was heralded as a turning point. The Magasin was emerging from a one-year closure. The new leadership aimed to foster a “phase of tranquility centered on trust.” However, the situation did not evolve as expected. Employees reported growing discontent over the recent years.
A recognized career, but a contested context in Grenoble
In recent weeks, about a dozen Magasin employees gathered at the building’s reception area to discuss their situation with local and national media. They described a sense of discontent, lack of structure, and successive sick leaves. On Wednesday, November 19, a strike was observed. This was the first action aimed at highlighting the deteriorating working conditions. According to the employees, the institution has been weakened by a wave of departures, dismissals, disciplinary procedures, and labor court disputes.
“ Employees were pitted against each other. Then their work becomes precarious, the person is devalued until they find themselves at psychosocial risk, explained employees. The occupational health service subsequently puts the person on leave. What we observe is that shortly after returning from leave, there is a dismissal either for serious misconduct or for unfitness. They find legal means for things that are not. We are on our sixth labor court case in a few years. They also lamented the almost immediate use of legal levers,” rather than engaging in dialogue. The internal atmosphere continued to grow tense.
Other employees claimed to “suffer immensely. We realized that ‘there is no management, no work structure, everything is in limbo, which puts us in difficulty in our work and projects. The management does not take responsibility for its actions.”
The criticisms were not limited to workload stress. Employees also pointed to vacant positions, out-of-scope tasks, a lack of recognition, and enduring instability. Three years after Céline Kopp took office, the climate remained tense. The announcement of her departure to Nice reignited these issues.
Issues before Céline Kopp’s arrival
In a recent statement, the unions declared: “In this already fragile context, several employees have recently been subject to heavy disciplinary procedures, sometimes initiated upon return from a work stoppage. The almost immediate use of legal avenues and the refusal to open sincere mediation have heightened the general concern. They demanded a true space for independent and transparent mediation and also requested the withdrawal of the dismissal procedure against their colleague and their reinstatement, the urgent opening of structured dialogue, the establishment of neutral and independent mediation, recognition of internal warnings, an organizational audit, and real measures to permanently improve working conditions.”
A strike took place on November 19, 2025. Eight of the eleven employees stopped working between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Trade unions relayed accusations of harassment, workplace violence, and ongoing failings in the prevention of psychosocial risks. Employees condemned an institution that failed to protect its teams. They pointed to an accumulation of procedures, resignations, sick leaves, and dismissals.
These criticisms echoed earlier warnings. They described an institution in trouble, despite the efforts announced upon the arrival of Céline Kopp’s management in 2022. They were compounded by a case involving a staff representative who exercised her right to report alleged aggression and sexual harassment. The labor inspectorate refused the requested dismissal. The management maintained legal actions. The case strengthened union mobilization.
Therefore, the appointment of Céline Kopp in Nice occurs on delicate territory. Her role at the MAMAC will create expectations regarding internal management. The Nice teams will closely observe this transition. The museum is entering a new phase. The questions raised by the Grenoble experience will remain present as this new chapter begins.
