French art schools face territorial and reform challenges
The Bologna Process and regional governance are driving significant changes in French art schools. Since the 1980s, the emphasis on 'territory' has transitioned from studio environments to public venues, highlighted by projects such as Antre-Peaux (1992) and the Post-Off collective. While France boasts 59 art schools—the highest number in Europe—only 11 fall under the Ministry of Culture's oversight. The reform places 48 territorial institutions in competition with European benchmarks and local governance. Budget inequalities are rising, with some institutions, like Rueil-Malmaison, shutting down in June 2011, while others receive additional funding. Research networks are investigating the relationship between territory and art, and Annecy's school is revamping its 'Design & Space' program.
Key facts
- France has 59 art schools, more than any other European country.
- Only 11 schools are directly administered by the Ministry of Culture.
- The Bologna Process has driven structural reform of French art schools.
- Rueil-Malmaison's art school closed in June 2011 due to budget constraints.
- Issy-les-Moulineaux is studying the creation of a new art school with the Ministry of Culture.
- The EPCC status aims to give schools legal, financial, and scientific autonomy.
- A research network on 'art, city, territory' involves schools in Dijon, Saint-Étienne, Strasbourg, Tours-Angers-Le Mans, and Tourcoing-Dunkerque.
- Annecy's art school is refounding its 'Design & Space' option.
- Jean-François Chevrier teaches a seminar 'Des territoires' at Ensba Paris.
- The concept of 'consistency' from Deleuze and Guattari's 'Mille Plateaux' is used to theorize territory.
Entities
Artists
- François Deck
- Gilles Deleuze
- Félix Guattari
- Fernand Deligny
- Jean-François Chevrier
- Jack Lang
- Philippe Douste-Blazy
- Jacques Rigaud
- Catherine Morin-Desailly
- Jean Nouvel
Institutions
- art press
- Ministère de la Culture
- Antre-Peaux
- Post-Off
- École d'art de Grenoble
- École d'art de Bourges
- École d'art de Rueil-Malmaison
- École d'art d'Issy-les-Moulineaux
- Les Arcades
- Communauté d'agglomération Grand Paris Seine Ouest (Gpso)
- Manufacture de Sèvres
- Île Seguin
- Ensa Dijon
- Esad Saint-Étienne
- Esad Strasbourg
- Esba Tours-Angers-Le Mans
- Esa Tourcoing-Dunkerque
- École d'art d'Annecy
- Institut d'études politiques de Grenoble
- Institut des hautes études en arts plastiques
- Ensba (Paris)
- Centre Pompidou
- Unesco
- Sénat
- Agence Jean Nouvel
- Le Monde
- Certu
- Veduta-Biennale de Lyon
Locations
- France
- Bourges
- Grenoble
- Cergy
- Nice
- Bayonne
- Clermont-Ferrand
- Caen
- Nantes
- Lyon
- Saint-Étienne
- Rueil-Malmaison
- Issy-les-Moulineaux
- Hauts-de-Seine
- Paris
- Île Seguin
- Sèvres
- Dijon
- Strasbourg
- Tours
- Angers
- Le Mans
- Tourcoing
- Dunkerque
- Annecy
- Perpignan
- Cambrai
- Valenciennes
- Marseille
- Avignon
- Nîmes
- Montpellier
- Mexico
Sources
- artpress —