▁of ▁V au cl use , ▁which ▁include ▁a ▁research ▁centre ▁on ▁the ▁pap acy ▁of ▁Av ignon , ▁organ ised ▁joint ly ▁by ▁the ▁É cole ▁française ▁de ▁Rome ▁and ▁the ▁inst itut ▁de ▁recherche ▁et ▁d ' histoire ▁des ▁text es . ▁ ▁The ▁Pal ais ▁regularly ▁serves ▁as ▁an ▁exhibition ▁centre . ▁The ▁first ▁major ▁exhibition ▁was ▁initi ated ▁by ▁René ▁Char , ▁in ▁the ▁Grand ▁Chap el ▁between ▁ 2 7 ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Ent itled ▁" Ex position ▁de ▁peint ures ▁et ▁sculpt ures ▁contempor aines " ▁( Ex position ▁of ▁contemporary ▁pain ters ▁and ▁sculpt ors ), ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁starting ▁point ▁for ▁what ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁Festival ▁d ' Av ignon . ▁ ▁The ▁cour ty ard ▁of ▁the ▁Pal ais ▁des ▁Pap es ▁is ▁a ▁central ▁performance ▁location ▁during ▁the ▁Festival ▁d ' Av ignon , ▁which ▁is ▁held ▁every ▁year ▁in ▁July . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁many ▁cultural ▁and ▁economic ▁events ▁including ▁exhib itions , ▁shows , ▁and ▁convent ions . ▁ ▁The ▁Pal ais ▁is ▁also ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Congress ▁Centre , ▁which ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁today ▁hosts ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁events ▁ann ually . ▁These ▁include ▁con gress es , ▁parliament s , ▁sym pos ia , ▁reun ions ▁and ▁other ▁gather ings , ▁with ▁the ▁largest ▁room , ▁the ▁' G ran de ▁A udi ence ', ▁able ▁to ▁hold ▁up