Subsection 1: Contracts below the European thresholds

A contract for the decoration of public buildings is awarded under the conditions set out in this paragraph when the following two conditions are met:1° It involves the commissioning of one or more artistic works to be created;2° Its value is less than the European thresholds mentioned in a notice annexed to this code.

The purchaser shall set up an artistic committee under the conditions set out in sub-section 3, as soon as the preliminary outline project defined in article R. 2431-10 has been approved.

The artistic committee draws up the programme for the artistic commission, specifying in particular the nature and location of the work envisaged, and then submits it to the purchaser for approval.

When the commission can only be awarded to a specific service provider in accordance with the provisions of article R. 2122-3, the purchaser may negotiate the contract for the decoration of public buildings without prior advertising or competitive tendering. In all other cases, the purchaser must advertise the programme of the artistic commission in such a way as to ensure that artists are adequately informed of the nature and value…

The artistic committee invites the selected artists to submit their projects. It may interview them. It proposes one or more of the projects to the buyer.

The purchaser makes his choice, after consulting the artistic committee, in a reasoned decision and informs all the candidates.

Artists who have submitted an unsuccessful project to the Artistic Committee will receive compensation.Total compensation may not exceed 20% of the amount defined in article 2 of decree no. 2002-677 of 29 April 2002 relating to the obligation to decorate public buildings and specifying the conditions for the award of contracts intended to meet this obligation.The purchaser may decide, on the proposal of the Artistic Committee, to cancel or reduce…