18 h 00

“LET’S TALK ABOUT TOMORROW – Act, connect and celebrate with the living world“

This series of monthly meetings is part of Event 25 – Living trails. The aim of these meetings is to bring together professionals and members of the public involved in the M28 approach and to share ideas on M28 themes.

One Monday a month, two guest speakers – artists, researchers or project leaders – are invited to discuss thematic issues at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, the beating heart of M28.

Public space, a space of possibilities ? #3

Monday 10 February 2025, at 6pm at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, on the subject of Public space, a space of possibilities ? with Laurie Quersonnier and Damien Vieillevigne.

Free admission, subject to availability

Laurie Quersonnier

Laurie Quersonnier, who has a degree in cultural engineering, set up La Friche de Mimi in Montpellier’s Figuerolles district in 2006. In 2010, she joined the Domaine d’O, where she initiated an ambitious circus project including a winter season, a travelling festival and the creation of PEP’S, a circus arts incubator. Since 2013, she has been involved in a number of master’s courses in artistic creation. In 2020, she created the Créature.s Créatrice.s association, the bearer of Ciʁk’s Fabʁik project. In 2024, the association won the Temporary Artistic Zone, which will take place at La Mosson on 4 and 5 April.

Damien Vieillevigne

Damien Vieillevigne is an architect and landscape designer based in Montpellier. A graduate of ENSA Marseille with a specialisation in urban design, he also obtained a diploma in agronomy from Montpellier SUPAGRO. He works in 2 organisations, an architectural firm (LERN architectes) and a landscape design and development company (COMMUNS paysage et écologie). Committed to the dynamics of biodiversity in urban environments, he is currently working on a doctoral thesis in geography on the ecological potential of city entrances.

This Call for Applications is part of Event 25 – Living trails, led by M28 – Terres de culture.

Preamble

The Ronan Guillou Grant is launched as part of the CIVIS MARITIMUS programme
which proposes to explore the relationship between humans and the sea in order to shake up essential issues facing the ocean.

In 2025, with the support of the city of Sète and M28 – Terres de culture, this photographic creation grant is offered to professional European photographers and/or photographers from the southern shore of the Mediterranean.

From the same territory – the Occitanie region – CIVIS MARITIMUS invites for its third edition a photographer, to produce a photographic project committed to social, cultural, ecological and/or heritage issues connecting humans and the marine world.

General conditions of the residence

European photographers and photographers from the southern shores of the Mediterranean, you have a project associating humans and the marine world, apply for the 3rd edition of the Ronan Guillou Grant!

The photographer will benefit from an endowment of €4,000 and a residency in Sète for a period of two months from May 5 to July 5, 2025 to carry out his or her project, with a partial restitution in September 2025.

The third edition of the Ronan Guillou grant is supported by the city of Sète and M28 – Terres de culture.

Calendar

Call for applications: from 13 January to 16 March 2025
Jury: March 2025
Announcement of the winner: early May 2025 (he/she will be notified in advance)
Residency in Sète: May 5 to July 5, 2025
Partial restitution: September 2025

Application

Download the rules

Apply

More information

18 h 00

“LET’S TALK ABOUT TOMORROW – Act, connect and celebrate with the living world“

This series of monthly meetings is part of Event 25 – Living trails. The aim of these meetings is to bring together professionals and members of the public involved in the M28 approach and to share ideas on M28 themes.

One Monday a month, two guest speakers – artists, researchers or project leaders – are invited to discuss thematic issues at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, the beating heart of M28.

Memories of Water #2

Monday 13 January 2025 at 6pm at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier on the theme of ‘Memories of Water’ with Marie Lusson and Arnaud Vestier.

Marie Lusson

Marie Lusson is a film-maker and has a doctorate in the sociology of science. Her research focuses on river restoration projects as a field for experimenting with nature policies. More broadly, she is interested in the recompositions brought about by the cohabitation of humans, non-humans and non-living beings, particularly through film ethnography.

Arnaud Vestier

A hydrological engineer, Arnaud Vestier joined the Métropole de Montpellier in 2010 to lead the implementation of the drinking water supply master plan. Then, in 2014, he was appointed head of the Integrated Water Management department, responsible for studying and planning water policy, preserving water resources, coordinating water and agriculture/food policies and linking spatial planning and the water cycle. In 2023, he was seconded to the Régie des Eaux of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole as Director of Urban Planning, Forward Studies and the Environment, in charge of small and large-scale water cycle issues linked to urban planning, regional development and environmental problems.

#Résidence #Recherche #Création

Cet Appel à candidatures s’inscrit dans le cadre de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant, porté par M28 – Terres de culture.

Préambule

En lien avec leurs démarches respectives de développement et d’ancrage, et dans le cadre commun de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant, la SPL Le Grau du Roi Développement et l’association Montpellier 2028 – Terres de culture initient l’appel à résidence « Mémoires Vives ». Cet appel est porté par le pôle projets de la SPL, et en particulier par l’équipe projet du SANA.

La ville du Grau du Roi a impulsé un ambitieux projet de réhabilitation et de développement sur le site de l’ancien sanatorium au Grau du Roi, elle a confié à la SPL Le Grau du Roi Développement le pilotage et le portage du projet SANA. Ce site a la particularité d’être un lieu chargé d’histoires qui ont marqué plusieurs générations d’habitante.s. Il occupe une place centrale dans l’histoire locale pour ce qu’il a été : un lieu de soin, de développement économique et social, et pour ce qu’il ne cessera d’être : un lieu de rencontre et de dialogue. Aujourd’hui en chantier, le SANA sera demain un tiers-lieu qui accueillera des entreprises liées à l’économie bleue mais aussi des conférences, des artistes ainsi que les forces vives du territoire. Le SANA est pensé comme un lieu-passerelle où la culture et la science favorisent l’acculturation du grand public aux changements climatiques et accompagnent la nécessaire adaptation de nos pratiques.

L’Association Montpellier 2028 a été créée par Montpellier, Sète et nombre de collectivités à leurs côtés pour porter, ensemble, une candidature au titre de Capitale européenne de la culture, utilisant le levier de la culture au service d’une politique ambitieuse de transformation du territoire. Cette première phase a été moteur d’une stratégie de long terme qui a permis la co-construction d’un projet de territoire mobilisant de nombreux partenaires, acteurs économiques, éducatifs, sociaux.

Dans la continuité de la dynamique enclenchée, et face aux enjeux à venir, Montpellier 2028 a désormais vocation à capitaliser sur la dynamique mise en place lors de la candidature pour poursuivre les actions communes sur son territoire et :

• Animer un cadre commun dépassant les structures administratives existantes et visant à transformer, par la culture, le territoire défini dans la continuité de la candidature de Montpellier et ses partenaires pour devenir Capitale européenne de la culture,
• Faire exister un espace d’expérimentation de nouvelles formes artistiques et de collaboration autour des problématiques quotidiennes des habitantes et habitants et des grands enjeux qui traversent ce territoire,
• Porter une approche expérimentale et transsectorielle,
• Soutenir des projets communs, les documenter et leur donner une visibilité partagée.

Ainsi, un événement culturel d’envergure, « Les chemins du vivant » sera proposé du 26 septembre au 5 octobre 2025, à l’issue d’une année de résidences et d’expérimentations.

La résidence « Mémoires vives » proposée par l’équipe projet du SANA au Grau du Roi permet à une.e artiste de déployer un projet de territoire au cœur d’un espace naturel situé en front de mer, dans le cadre de la reconversion en tiers-lieu d’un lieu emblématique du littoral méditerranéen. L’ancien sanatorium, inauguré en 1933, est largement démoli en 2016 à l’exception d’un seul bâtiment qui devient le SANA.

Cette résidence est envisagée comme un levier puissant pour favoriser la circulation et la rencontre des artistes avec les habitant.es. L’artiste est invité à produire une œuvre en regard avec le site emblématique du SANA, à la fois patrimoine social, affectif et économique. L’artiste mettra en valeur ce carrefour historique, identitaire et naturel qui a forgé la communauté de vie de ce lieu.

Entre étangs et mer, la Sana s’organise sur deux espaces : une partie bâtie (ancien bâtiment administratif du sanatorium) et un espace naturel, vaste terrain d’herbe et de sable, arboré et latéralement bordé d’un chemin piétonnier menant directement à la plage.

L’artiste sera accompagné par l’équipe projet du lieu (le responsable, son assistant et la responsable RSE) et une personne référente de Montpellier 2028 – Terres de culture.

Conditions générales de la résidence

Les disciplines attendues

– l’écriture, et en particulier la poésie, la littérature, le théâtre, le roman graphique et l’écriture expérimentale,

– l’art visuel et en particulier la peinture, la sculpture, le graphisme, le street art et les installations artistiques.

Le volet recherche de la résidence comprendra des temps de pratiques artistiques amateures avec des rendez-vous intermédiaires. Le volet création de la résidence implique nécessairement une restitution pendant L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant.

Durée et conditions d’accueil
Huit semaines d’expérimentation et de création où l’artiste bénéficie d’un accès au site, et d’un accompagnement par l’équipe projet du SANA. Le logement – quand celui-ci est nécessaire – est pris en charge par la SPL le Grau du Roi Développement selon les modalités suivantes : mobilhome au camping de l’Espiguette, au Grau du Roi. Par ailleurs l’équipe projet du SANA facilitera les trajets sur place, notamment entre le site du SANA et le lieu d’hébergement. Une salle de travail sera mise à disposition de l’artiste selon un calendrier défini par lui.elle et soumis à réservation (espace atelier du phare de l’Espiguette, salles de réunion du camping et de l’office du tourisme).

Bourse
La résidence est dotée d’une bourse de 7000 euros par artiste. Elle comprend la rémunération de l’artiste, les per diems et les transports.
Une convention sera rédigée entre l’association Montpellier 2028 et l’artiste.

Période
Dans le cadre de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant, l’équipe du SANA propose l’accueil en résidence de un.e, deux ou trois artistes pendant huit semaines de mars à octobre 2025, à l’exception de la période allant du 15 juin au 15 septembre.

Modalités 
L’appel à candidature est ouvert aux artistes sans limite d’âge et sans condition géographique. L’artiste est invité.e à expérimenter, créer, en résonance avec le contexte du lieu de résidence et dans le cadre de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant.

L’artiste peut répondre à cette candidature soit individuellement (un artiste) soit de manière groupée (deux ou trois artistes). Les artistes retenu.es, qu’ils.elles aient candidaté ensemble ou séparément, devront, le cas échéant, articuler leurs propositions en vue d’une présentation commune de leurs restitutions à l’occasion de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant.

L’artiste sélectionné.e s’engage à être présent sur place huit semaines durant la période énoncée ci-avant. La résidence sera ponctuée de temps de mise en commun avec les autres artistes, eux-mêmes sélectionnés dans le cadre de cet appel. L’artiste prévoit dans sa proposition, des rendez-vous intermédiaires avec le public avec un volet de pratiques artistiques amateures et un temps de restitution majeure lors de L’événement 25 qui se déroulera du 26 septembre au 5 octobre 2025.

Les résident.es du camping de l’Espiguette (600 résidents à l’année) pourraient constituer, aux côtés des habitant.es du Grau du Roi, un vivier pour le volet de pratiques amateures. L’équipe projet de la SPL facilitera, le cas échéant, le lien entre l’artiste et les résident.es.

Restitution 
Le SANA organisera, avec le soutien de l’association Montpellier 2028 – Terres de Culture, les temps de restitution à savoir les rendez-vous intermédiaires et la présentation lors de L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant.

Candidature

Les dossiers de candidature comprendront :

• un portfolio et une biographie à jour ;
• une note d’intention présentant les motivations de l’artiste pour cette résidence, avec un soin particulier apporté aux spécificités énoncées dans le présent appel.
  
• Dossier et note d’intention, n’excédant pas 20Mo, sont à téléverser au format PDF intitulés comme suit : « NOM_E25_SANA_PORTFOLIO » et « NOM_E25_SANA_NOTE », aux deux adresses suivantes : lesana@letsgrau.com et contact@montpellier2028.eu
  
• Date limite de dépôt des candidatures : 20 janvier 2025 inclus

Télécharger l’Appel à candidatures

Le jury délibérera le mercredi 05 février 2025.

18 h 00

“LET’S TALK ABOUT TOMORROW – Act, connect and celebrate with the living world“

This series of monthly meetings is part of Event 25 – Living trails. The aim of these meetings is to bring together professionals and members of the public involved in the M28 approach and to share ideas on M28 themes.

One Monday a month, two guest speakers – artists, researchers or project leaders – are invited to discuss thematic issues at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, the beating heart of M28.

Fiction at the service of the public #1

The launch will take place on Monday 2 December 2024 at 6pm at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier on the theme of ‘Fiction at the service of the public’ with Pascal Ferren, Philosopher and Urban Planner, nominated for the Prix COAL 2024, and Marie Boissard, Designer with the Sismo agency.

Pascal Ferren

Pascal Ferren is a philosopher, urban planner and author of eco-fictional devices. Co-founder of the Camille Alfada agency (a consultancy specialising in consultation and maitrise d’usage) and of Lichen (a laboratory strudying inter-dependencies between humans and non-humans), he designs and organises surveys of users in order to plan action strategies, planning schemes, urban development schemes, public facilities, etc. As deputy director of the POLAU-arts and urban planning centre until 2019, he has worked on cultural approaches integrated into urban design. For nearly fifteen years, his career has been marked by a number of experiments in design-fiction and foresight around inter-species governance and a sensitive relationship with ecosystems. Since 2023, he has been developing La Mission Relations, a fictional work that imagines a public service for relations with living environments. Pascal Ferren is a writer associated with Agence Bipolar.

Marie Boissard

Marie Boissard is a designer with the Sismo agency, an interdisciplinary collective committed to the ethics of care. Initially trained in the humanities and social sciences, she spent 4 years working alongside public and private players in the story of their transformation. In 2021, she decided to take a greater interest in design and the way in which this creative design method, based on the study of uses, can change our relationship with our environments. Since then, she has been co-creating and experimenting with the public with the aim of inventing new emancipating objects, spaces and services that reveal our individual and collective capacity to act.

The Board of Directors of ‘M28 – Terres de culture’ met today in Sète, at the invitation of François Commeinhes, Mayor of Sète and President of Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée. A new phase of experimentation is beginning throughout the M28 territory with the construction of Event 25 – Living trails and the organisation of public meetings that will punctuate the programming throughout the year, before sharing a week of celebrations in Autumn 25.

M28 – Terres de culture : A cooperation in several acts

All the partner communities were represented. Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, Sète Agglopôle, the Occitanie Region, the DRAC Occitanie, Agglo Hérault Méditerranée, the Vallée de l’Hérault and Grand-Pic-Saint-Loup Communities of Communes, Lunel Agglo and the Ville of Grau-du-roi came together to finalise the programme for Event 2025 – Living trails.

Sophie Léron, President of M28 and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director of M28, presented a progress report on the construction of Event 2025 – Living trails. Since June 2024, the M28 association has brought together many of the territory’s cultural players to draw up the Living trails programme, starting out from seven key sites in the region, stretching from the Mosson in Montpellier to the Chais in Sète, from Aniane Abbey to Château Laurens, via the Sana in Grau du Roi, the Source du Lez and the Canal de Lunel.

Starting in the coming weeks, artists will be welcomed in residencies at a number of venues, and will engage in artistic approaches that encourage encounters and participation by local residents, research and co-writing with scientists or players from non-cultural sectors, and cross-fertilisation of approaches between heritage, live performance and all the CCIs, in conjunction with specialists in inclusion, social issues, health and education. The approach involves the CCI, the universities, the Rectorat and the CHU of Montpellier.

Event 25 – Living trails

Drawing on the strategy deployed by M28 Terres de culture, which sees culture as a powerful force for transforming the territory, project promoters commit to a cultural project in and with the territory’s key venues, involving cultural, artistic and scientific partners who share this proximity and relationship with the region, and linking artistic disciplines with a wide range of cultural practices (cooking, sports, social activities, etc.).

Event 25 is an unprecedented experiment bringing together players from the cultural sector and other sectors on a vast scale, with more than 65 artists, researchers and scientists involved. Over the course of a year, using a map with seven cardinal points located in each of the partner territories, artists in residency will carry out artistic investigations, going out to meet local people and, more broadly, the living world, to produce artistic events. The public will be invited to link these cardinal points by making various stops along the way.

Seven major dates, punctuated by dozens of cross-disciplinary events, from 26 September to 5 October 2025:

• 7 territories
• 7 key locations
• 7 major events
• Dozens of related one-off events
• Associated artistic or research residencies
• Residents in action
• Partners throughout all the “M28 – Terres de culture” territory
• Artistic events at stations across the area in partnership with SNCF Gares et connexions
• A handover with the Euro-Africa biennial on the weekend of 4 and 5 October

Rendez-vous M28 at the Hôtel d’Aurès

The launch of the Rendez-vous M28 “LET’S TALK ABOUT TOMORROW – Act, connect and celebrate with the living world” has been confirmed. The cycle of monthly meetings is part of Event 25 – Living trails. The aim of these meetings is to bring together professionals and members of the public involved in the M28 approach and to share ideas on M28 themes. One Monday a month, two guest speakers – artists, researchers or project leaders – are invited to discuss thematic issues at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, the beating heart of M28.

The launch will take place on Monday 2 December 2024 at 6pm at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier on the theme of ‘Fiction at the service of the public’ with Pascal Ferren, Philosopher and Urban Planner, nominated for the Prix COAL 2024, and Marie Boissard, Designer with the Sismo agency.

Finally, Christian Assaf, Regional Councillor for the Occitanie Region, has been appointed Vice-President of the M28 – Terres de culture association following the election of Claire Fita as a Member of the European Parliament. Claire Fita, who has held the post of Vice-President of M28 since its creation, has renewed her support and commitment to the continuation of the M28 dynamic and cooperation between territories in favour of culture.

© Ville de Sète

Votez et soutenez M28 – Terres de culture pour le Prix européen 2024 Art Explora !

L’événement 25 – Les chemins du vivant a été présélectionné pour le Prix européen 2024 Art Explora – Académie des beaux-arts.

Ouvert à toutes organisations culturelles européennes, de tous secteurs artistiques, le prix européen soutient les pratiques innovantes en matière d’accès, de participation et d’engagement des publics qui peuvent être partagées partout en Europe.

Le projet de M28 – Terres de culture vise à transformer le territoire grâce à des projets artistiques et culturels liés au vivant, avec la participation active des habitants.

En tant qu’organisation présélectionnée, le projet est également éligible au Prix du public.

Votez pour M28 – Terres de culture jusqu’au 11 novembre ! via la plateforme dédiée sur le site Art Explora.

On Friday 11 October, M28 – Terres de culture brought together project leaders for a collective work session at the Espace Castel in Lunel. This was an opportunity to establish a framework for the development of Event 25 – Living trails. Sophie Léron, President of M28, and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director, presented a progress report and the prospects for a cross-disciplinary and regional composition.

To illustrate the M28 approach, examples of located projects were shared by local cultural players. For example, Elise Armentier, co-director of the Bouillon Cube association, spoke about the ‘Way of water’ project in the Grand Pic Saint-Loup area. Loïc Gourié, director of culture for the town of Lunel, spoke about initiatives in Lunel Agglo, notably on the banks of the Canal, followed by Adrien Cordier, artistic director of Unaenime Collective with ‘In the Food for Love’ in Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée.

It was an opportunity to exchange ideas collectively in order to cross-fertilise approaches and forge links, thus continuing the dynamic of co-construction on the M28 Territory in preparation for Event 25 – Living trails.

Credit : Alain Scherer

Exhibition from October 5 to November 16 at Château Laurens in Agde

For the second edition of the Ronan Guillou Scholarships, initiated by Eyes Wide Open, a restitution exhibition is presented at Château Laurens (Domaine de Belle Isle Avenue Raymond Pitet, 34300 Agde) from October 5 to November 16, 2024.

The Ronan Guillou Scholarships are launched in 2023 as part of the CIVIS MARITIMUS program which aims to explore the relationship of humans to the sea and more broadly to their environment. Stimulate citizenship of the sea and shake up essential issues facing our spaces of coexistence. Each scholarship photographer benefits from a grant of €4,000 and accommodation at Villa Salis in Sète from May to July to carry out a photographic project committed to social, cultural, ecological and heritage issues linking humans and the marine world.

Initiated with the support of M28 – Terres de culture, the CIVIS MARITIMUS program and the Ronan Guillou Scholarships are part of this dynamic of cultural creations and initiatives on the scale of the Montpellier-Sète living area, which brings together residents and residents around major social, environmental and heritage challenges. Eyes Wide Open is keen, alongside M28 – Terres de culture, to raise awareness among as many people in the region as possible about the issues of our relationship with the Living, whether observing it from the sea or on foot. earth.

Meet at the opening of the exhibition “Civis Maritimus, 2^nd wave” on Saturday October 5 from 7:00 p.m., in the presence of photographers Chiara Indelicato and Cécile Smetana, winners of the Ronan Guillou 2024 Scholarships.

On the program: Guided tour of the exhibitions, musical interlude by Olly Jenkins and conversation with the photographers over a drink.

La seconde édition des Bourses Ronan Guillou est soutenue par M28 – Terres de culture, Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, l’Agglomération Hérault Méditerranée et Château Laurens. Les Bourses Ronan Guillou ont été créées en hommage au photographe français Ronan Guillou, disparu en 2022.

Ronan Guillou Scholarship Winners 2024

Chiara Indelicato

Chiara Indelicato, born in 1987 in Italy, is an independent artist sharing her time between Italy and France. After a first career in fashion and branding, she chose to devote herself entirely to photography in 2019. Her current work mainly focuses on experimenting with alternative film photography processes in harmony with her practice and her research on documentation. of isolated territories.

“THE ARCHIPELAGO”

Occitanie, land of poetry and legends around its Thau pond, inspires an artistic exploration of links with the sea, highlighting current ecological issues. Through this artistic residency, the artist aspires to tell a story, both visual and textual, where the poetry of the imagination meets important themes such as ecology and the future threatened by rising waters around the territories of Sète, the Étang de Thau and the Lion Golf.

Venez nous rencontrer mardi 17 septembre de 11h00 à 16h00 au campus universitaire Paul Valéry, Route de Mende à Montpellier dans le cadre de Don’t Panic ! Au programme : animations, food-trucks, plateau radio, jeux, bornes à selfies !

Une occasion pour les étudiantes et étudiants de remporter un Pass Interrail offert par Montpellier 2028 ! Un Pass Interrail, c’est une opportunité de voyager en train dans 33 pays européens, pendant 7 jours durant une période de 1 mois.

Comment participer au tirage au sort ?

1. Nous suivre sur instagram @montpellier2028 et @vie_de_campus_paul_va

2. Commenter le post dédié en répondant aux questions suivantes et en tagguant vos amis : Quels pays d’Europe aimeriez-vous visiter ? Avec qui ?

Ouvert jusqu’à 23h59 le 17 septembre 2024

Un tirage au sort aura lieu pour désigner le ou la gagnante.

Retrouvez le règlement du concours ici.

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M28 – Terres de culture dont l’Université Paul Valéry est membre associé travaille à la co-construction d’un projet culturel à l’échelle du bassin de vie Montpellier-Sète qui fédère les habitantes et habitants autour des grands défis sociaux, environnementaux et patrimoniaux. M28 a à cœur de mobiliser et d’associer les étudiantes et étudiants dans sa démarche, notamment sur la question de notre rapport au vivant et pour imaginer les solutions pour vivre dans le monde de demain.

To mark the opening of Panorama, which makes the Corum roof the most open and unexpected rooftop in the region, M28 -Terres de culture presents a selection of images taken in 2022 and 2023 by photographers from the Tendance Floue collective in residence in the Montpellier-Sète catchment area.

Exhibition from July 12, Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 1am
Location: Panorama – toit du Corum, Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, des Arts et de la Culture (Montpellier)

Tendance Floue on M28 territory

Six photographers from the Tendance Floue collective – Denis Bourges, Gilles Coulon, Yohanne Lamoulère, Flore-Aël Surun, Patrick Tourneboeuf and Alain Willaume – turned their singular gaze on the M28 territory. From Montpellier’s first tramway line to the Pic-Saint Loup, on the water, on the roads or along the byways, these artists have showcased the diversity and richness of the region.

Find out more about the artists and the residency podcast here.

Tendance Floue is a group of French photographers who have won international awards for their work at the crossroads of the social, the cultural, the documentary and the artistic. Exploring the world against the tide of a globalized image, peering into the shadows of exhibited subjects, capturing moments apart: Tendance Floue is a unique laboratory. Over the past thirty years, an indefinable alchemy of ideas and energies has created a singular photographic language, and renewed the terrain of narrative.
Over and above their individual approaches, the photographers embark on photographic adventures of a different kind, with a performance feel. Confronting images, assembling them, combining them: new material emerges from the shared work. Press, publishing, exhibitions, screenings, communications: the collective explores every medium of contemporary photography, with no holds barred. Nearly thirty years after it was founded, Tendance Floue is now recognized as a major player in French photography, and leading institutions call on its collective creativity.

Panorama

From July 12, 2024, the roof of the Corum in Montpellier will be transformed into a place of life, conviviality and attractiveness as part of the 6th “Permis d’Imaginer”, a transitional urban planning project driven by Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. With the help of Altemed and the Halle Tropisme team, winners of the call for expressions of interest launched at the beginning of May, this new space, open to all, is part of the strategy to transform the city center, following on from the embellishment of Place de la Comédie and Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle.

Panorama – Un été sur le toit du Corum: a cultural, gastronomic and recreational program is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, 6 pm to 1 am, from July 12 to October 12, 2024.

Find out more here.

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On the occasion of Panorama – Un été sur le toit du Corum, in Montpellier from July 12 to October 12, M28 – Terres de culture is offering you the chance to win an Interrail pass.

Try your luck at exploring Europe by train – 7 days of travel in 33 European countries!

How to enter?

1. Rendez-vous à Panorama sur le toit du Corum – Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, des Arts et de la Culture
2. Publiez en story votre plus belle photo du toit ou depuis le toit du Corum (une jolie vue sur le territoire M28 vous attend) du 12 juillet à 18h jusqu’au 17 juillet 2024 à 1h
3. Utiliser les hashtags #M28Terresdeculture #panorama
4. Taguer @montpellier2028

A draw will determine the winner.

Find the contest rules here.

Please note that for your entry to be taken into account, your account must be public for the duration of the game.

Good luck to you all!

Find out more about the Panorama program here.

The tribute season dedicated to Jean Hugo on Territoire M28, the fruit of a unique cooperation – between the Musée Fabre in Montpellier, the Musée Paul Valéry in Sète and the Musée Médard in Lunel – is open all summer and into autumn.

As part of its 2023 call for projects, M28 also supported the “Chemin Jean Hugo, sur les pas du peintre poète” initiative led by the Association des Amis de Jean Hugo. An itinerary that links the sites painted by Jean Hugo and shares his works with as many people as possible.

The exhibitions “Jean Hugo, le regard magique” at the Fabre Museum in Montpellier, “Jean Hugo, entre ciel et terre” at the Musée Paul Valéry in Sète, and ‘Jean Hugo, le regard magique, sa vie à Lunel de 1920 à 1984’ at the Musée Médard in Lunel, are an exceptional opportunity to discover or rediscover this artist and his home region, to which he was so attached and whose landscapes inspired him so much.

The exhibitions were accompanied by three vernissages on three different dates (June 19 at the Musée Médard, June 27 at the Musée Fabre and June 28 at the Musée Paul Valéry), marking the launch of the cross-programming in which M28 – Terres de culture played a key role, in the presence of Michaël Delafosse, François Commeinhes and Pierre Soujol and members of the association’s Board of Directors.

Find out more about each exhibition below:

• Musée Médard, Lunel : June 19 to January 4, 2025
  → find out more

• Musée Fabre, Montpellier: June 28 to October 13, 2024
  → find out more

• Musée Paul Valéry, Sète : June 29 to November 3, 2024
  → find out more

On Thursday June 27, “M28 – Terres de culture” brought together cultural players and project leaders for a workshop at the Maison des Relations Internationales Nelson Mandela (Montpellier). Sophie Léron, President of M28, and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director, presented the association’s new roadmap and the co-construction process for Event 25 entitled “Living trails”, which will take place from September 26 to October 5, 2025.

Mathieu Argaud, Director of Bipolar, illustrated the dynamic underway with an example of a project linked to the territory : “Atlas sensible fêtes de la Mosson”.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for useful and fruitful exchanges between the various players, based on M28’s values: a cooperative, inclusive, cross-sectoral approach open to the world. This meeting marks the launch of a new chapter for the association, and the beginning of the construction of Event 25 – Living trails.

This was followed by a convivial reception in the presence of Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, accompanied by Sophie Léron and Nicolas Dubourg, Board members Jeanne Corporon, André Deljarry, Martine Durand Rambier, Anne Ferrer, Clare Hart, and the association’s partners and sponsors, in the gardens of the Maison des Relations Internationales.

Credit : Alain Scherer

On the occasion of the forum Entreprendre dans la Culture en Occitanie, organised by Context’Art in partnership with the Université Paul Valéry, the BPI and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, on 26 and 27 June, M28 – Terres de culture is offering you the chance to win an Interrail pass.

If you’re attending the forum, try your luck at exploring Europe by train – 7 days of travel in 33 European countries!

How to enter?

1. Meet us at the Entreprendre dans la culture en Occitanie forum
2. Post your best photos of the forum on Instagram in story or publication on Wednesday June 26 and Thursday June 27 before 11:59 p.m.
3. Use hashtags#M28Terresdeculture #EntreprendredanslacultureOccitanie
4. Tag @montpellier2028

A draw will determine the winner.

Find the contest rules here.

Please note that for your entry to be taken into account, your account must be public for the duration of the game.

Good luck to you all!

Find out more about the program for the Forum Entreprendre dans la culture en Occitanie here.

The Board of Directors of “M28 – Terres de culture” met on Wednesday May 29 in Saint-Jean-Fos (Hérault Valley). It was an opportunity to propose a new governance, develop new missions and announce an event in the autumn of 2025. Responding to the invitation of Jean-François SOTO, Mayor of Gignac and President of the Hérault Valley community of communes, and in the presence of Pascal DELIEUZE, Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Fos, all the members of the CA were able to visit the Argileum of Saint-Jean-de-Fos and the Abbey of Aniane on this occasion.

A governance adapted to new challenges

The M28 Board of Directors made it possible to initiate a new stage for the dynamics of the territory in favor of culture with the installation of governance adapted to the challenges to come, with the election of Sophie LERON to the position of President of the M28 association and the welcoming of new members:

• the Occitanie Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs, represented by Michel ROUSSEL its director. The presence of the State was unanimously welcomed. The entry of the Ministry of Culture through the DRAC Occitanie is fundamental and highly symbolic.
• the Montpellier University Hospital, represented by Anne FERRER, its director, who will provide valuable support in linking culture, health and inclusion.
• Charlotte GIRERD, Director of Transition, CSR and Innovation of SNCF Immobilier and Alexandre LABASSE, General Director of the Parisian Urban Planning Workshop, as qualified personalities who will be able to support the association in the development of emerging urban themes and transformation projects innovative.
• Adèle CHARVET remains one of the faces of M28 by continuing her commitment to the association as a qualified personality.

“Culture is a transformative power for the territory, an instrument serving its resilience and reinvention. Culture is what makes the territory a living organism.”

Sophie Léron, President of M28

A dynamic which demonstrates the vitality of the M28 approach in the territory.

For two years, the Montpellier 2028 – European Capital of Culture association did more than work for Montpellier’s candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture: the approach made it possible to give substance to the notion of territory. A living area, a continuum of experiences and a community of destinies facing contemporary climatic, social and economic challenges.

“M28 – Terres de culture” is conceived today as a supplement of soul, in the etymological sense of the term – that which animates, that which gives breath – an approach which is not content to interweave administrative cogs, but builds an organic link between local stakeholders. By decompartmentalizing culture to make it an instrument of resilience.

The Board of Directors unanimously voted for the co-constructed roadmap which presents the actions to be implemented in the coming months, with all the partners and echoing the feedback from the winning project leaders in the Calls for projects 2022 and 2023.

To continue to fertilize the soil of our imaginations, to transform the territory through culture and build a common future through dialogue and the hybridization of forms, materials and disciplines, “M28 – Terres de culture” is adopting new missions. :

• Animate a common framework going beyond existing administrative structures and aiming to transform, through culture, the territory defined in the continuity of the candidacy of Montpellier and its partners to become European Capital of Culture,
• To create a space for experimentation with new artistic forms and collaboration around the daily problems of the inhabitants and the major issues that cross this territory,
• Take an experimental and cross-sectoral approach,
• Support joint projects, document them and give them shared visibility.

A major event in 2025

Finally, the members of the board of directors of “M28 – Terres de culture” approved the holding of a major cultural event, under the artistic direction of Nicolas Dubourg. Divided into 7 major meetings and punctuated by dozens of transdisciplinary events, with the participation of residents, it will extend over the entire territory, from Château Laurens to Agde to Sana to Grau du Roi, including The source of the Lez or the Lunel Canal. At the end of a year of residencies and experiments, this “Living trails” event will run for a week from September 26 to October 5, 2025, followed by a handover to the Euro-Africa Biennial on the weekend of October 5 and 6, 2025.

Credit: Vincent Bartoli

On Europe Day, M28 celebrates its commitment to the European Union and the values that underpin it: the Rule of Law, Democracy, Equality, Human Rights, Freedom and Human Dignity.

The M28 territory is firmly in line with the European Union’s objectives for tackling the major challenges of our time, such as climate change and democracy. M28 also strongly defends the principle of a Europe united in its diversity. Art and culture are powerful vectors for preserving these ties.

—-
This Thursday, May 9, M28 and Eyes Wide Open (2023 winner of M28) are uniting to offer you an Interrail pass and a photo book, as part of the “Civis Maritimus, 1ère vague” exhibition in Sète.

How to enter the photo competition?

1. Visit the “Civis Maritimus, 1ère vague” exhibition 
2. Post a story on Instagram of your exhibition favorite before 11:59pm on May 9, 2024
3. Use one of the hashtags of your choice : #EuropeUnie, #EuropeVivante, #EuropeenPaix
4. Tag @_theeyeswideopen and @montpellier2028

A draw will be held to select the winner.
Find the contest rules here.

Please note that for your entry to count, your account must be public for the duration of the game!

Good luck to you all!

—-

Organized by Eyes Wide Open, as part of the Itinérances Foto tour, the exhibition invites us to take a step back from our conventional perception of the marine environment, with four young artists: Aliki Christoforou, Charles Thiefaine, Alice Pallot and Manon Lanjouère.

The exhibition runs from May 1 to 20, Wednesday to Sunday, 2:30 to 7:00 pm, at the Théâtre de la Mer in Sète.

Programme Thursday May 9 from 6.00 pm
at Théâtre de la Mer in Sète (Salle Tarbouriech)

• Vernissage in the presence of the artists
  
• Visit of the exhibition followed by an Apéro and DJ set with Filosofia 
  
• Announcement and presentation of the two 2024 Ronan Guillou Fellowship winners (European photographers), in residence in Sète in May and June to carry out their projects associating the human and marine worlds.
  
• First Agora Civis Maritimus with Alice Pallot and Manon Lanjouère to share their marine-related projects

Working meeting with representatives of local authorities and the association’s partners, in the premises of the community of communes of Grand Pic Saint-Loup.

For this new phase of transformation, M28 is continuing its collective commitment, in the continuity of the dynamic initiated. A sequence of work rich in the contributions of each and everyone, on the occasion of which the first responses to the questionnaires sent to our project leaders were presented.

Discussions to also share the first avenues of reflection on the continuation of M28, with the aim of defining our common ambition and the action plans to be deployed in the M28 territory.

Thank you to Alain Barbe, President and Martine Durand-Rambier Vice-President, in charge of Culture and Heritage and to the teams of the community of communes of Grand Pic Saint-Loup for their welcome.

Friday, March 1, a working meeting was held with the cultural departments of the local authorities members of the Montpellier 2028 Association at the Hôtel d’Aurès, the beating heart of M28.

Faced with the common challenges of the territory and in the continuity of the dynamic initiated, the teams were involved in this new phase of transformation and in the development of the association’s roadmap which will be presented to the Board of Directors before the summer.

The association will maintain an experimental and cross-sectoral approach, being a space for experimentation with new artistic forms and collaboration around the major issues that cross the territory of M28. Convinced that artistic creation can contribute to forging new imaginations capable of shaping a desirable future, M28 will be keen to continue its approach in favor of the hospitality of artists and the diversity of audiences.

The Calls for Projects system: a powerful lever for a long-term approach

One of the strengths of our candidacy is to have been able to show the face
of the year of the title from its pre-selection phase. Thanks to a shared budget
and in a unique approach between all partner communities,
the Montpellier 2028 – European Capital of Culture Association brought
two Calls for Projects in 2022 and 2023.

Open to all artistic, cultural, educational, social and
heritage, their objectives have evolved according to the progress of the candidacy. The
two programs for 2022 and 2023 were intended to enrich the cultural offering
throughout the M28 territory with an eclectic program (shows,
hikes, creative workshops, competitions, readings, etc.).

Intended for all its inhabitants, the majority of
events are free and general public, but also geared towards
specific audiences (young people, seniors, people in migration situations,
people with disabilities, etc.).

The key numbers of the Calls for Projects
85 winning projects
More than 200 events
50 host communities for programming events
⅓ of projects with a European and/or international dimension in 2023

download the 2022 program
download the 2023 program

The communities and all the partners of the Montpellier 2028 association met on Tuesday January 9 at the Corum in Montpellier for a Board of Directors and a General Assembly.

In recent months, Montpellier 2028 has carried out with strength and commitment a project that has created something in common. This board of directors was an opportunity to present the collective assessment of the actions carried out in this application phase and to look back on all the progress made during this great adventure which has given rise to so many new initiatives which will remain as so many acquired.

During the Board of Directors, it was unanimously noted by the members of the association the desire to continue the collective path with common actions in the territory of M28 around, for example, themes which remain essential such as the transition ecological, Europe and inclusion; specific programs in 2024, particularly around youth and cross-sectorality. These actions may take different forms: calls for projects, financing of engineering in targeted locations, financing of themed collective actions, residency grants. An appointment is made for a board meeting before the summer setting the major objectives of the association, a timetable for achievement and the related means.

At the end, everyone was invited to a friendly moment at the Brasserie du Corum, in the presence of all the association’s partners (patrons and project leaders). Founding members, associate members, invited members and partners collectively displayed their enthusiasm for building the future together.

“The M28 adventure continues and is committed to a common transformative ambition in the face of the major challenges of the territory for today and the years to come. » Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

download the M28 application report

© Alain Scherer

The European jury for the selection of the winning city for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2028 made its decision this evening, and we would like to congratulate the city of Bourges on its designation. This choice confirms a development project for a medium-sized city through culture.

Along with Sète, the Occitanie region, the Hérault department, the communities of communes of Pays de Lunel, Grand Pic Saint-Loup, Vallée de l’Hérault, Terre de Camargue, the Hérault Méditerranée and Pays de l’Or agglomerations, Montpellier has embarked on an unprecedented adventure: applying for the title of European Capital of Culture.

For two years, with heart, enthusiasm and conviction, we worked together to make a real case for culture. We have brought together numerous partners, economic, educational and social players, all of whom we would like to thank warmly today. From the initial nine cities involved in the process, we have now reached the final alongside three (Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen) who, like us, have made a firm choice in favor of culture.

As the French Minister of Culture pointed out during her visit, we were, in a way, already the European Capital of Culture.

We’re keeping in mind that this bid has brought us a great deal. Since 2022, 85 cultural projects have been designated as Montpellier 2028 winners, representing over 200 events, most of them free of charge, organized throughout the region for all its residents. It has also been a formidable project gas pedal, with our involvement in numerous European networks and the emergence of cooperative ventures with many European cities. But also in our way of building cultural policies, more inclusive, more participative with citizens.

What’s more, the collective governance to which we are committed is undeniably an asset. This dynamic must and will continue. We are going to pursue it in the spirit of cooperation that was born on a regional scale via the association that brings us together. We are more united than ever for culture.

See you in the weeks to come as we continue to share our imaginations.

“In any case, this candidacy is a victory for a more peaceful region and for an asserted cultural ambition for today and the years to come. The promise of new projects for the future. Michaël DELAFOSSE, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

“Culture Summit” by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)

A day filled with exchanges on the theme of cooperation among Capitals of Culture.

The cities of Timisoara and Elefsina, European Capitals of Culture 2023, as well as San José in Costa Rica, shared their initial experiences. A source of inspiration for all, especially for the Deputy Mayor of Brazzaville, Clesh Atipo Ngapi, whose city will be the next African Capital of Culture alongside Kinshasa. The Brazzaville-Kinshasa duo will succeed Rabat and aims, through this nomination, to contribute to the structuring, empowerment, and networking of creative and cultural actors on the African continent.

This dialogue among European, African, and Ibero-American cities, facilitated by networks such as UCLG, is essential for developing decentralized cooperation and placing culture at the heart of our development strategies for sustainable, peaceful, and more inclusive cities.

Montpellier 2028 fully embraces this dynamic of cooperation and is already standing alongside all Capitals of Culture.

—

Montpellier 2028 had the honor of participating in the roundtable “Culture & Health,” moderated by Lars Ebert, Secretary-General of Culture Action Europe.

The scientific studies presented by Niels Fietje from the World Health Organization are eloquent and reinforce culture and health practitioners to work together to advance innovative approaches to mental health and well-being.

Éric Penso, Vice President of the Montpellier Metropolis, presented the actions taken in Montpellier in this direction, notably through the the Bulle Bleue projects, which act on a daily basis to promote access to training and employment for artists with disabilities, or the links we are developing with Oulu in Finland and their Smart Hospital project.

On the occasion of the Cities and Regions Forum for International Partnerships, a delegation from Montpellier 2028 went to Brussels to discuss international relations through the prism of culture and youth with the European network.

Clare Hart, Vice-President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole spoke during the opening session of the Forum on the role of local authorities in the context of international partnerships and the localization of the SDGs/Global Gateway.

Then, Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of the City of Montpellier, President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole chaired a workshop on the role of culture in the construction of a sustainable and inclusive city model, particularly for young people. The opportunity to share with other mayors and representatives of intermediary cities our project and vision of a sustainable, inclusive and exemplary territory as an accelerator of territorial cooperation and cohesion.

Driven by the conviction that culture is a lever for development and can help us invent new stories in the face of major contemporary issues, Montpellier 2028 continues its commitment to the European network and the African continent with the ambition to invent together new forms of cooperation and deploying imaginaries of transition.

—-

Montpellier 2028, alongside the African Capital of Culture 2024!

The Cities and Regions for International Partnerships Forum was also an opportunity to strengthen our collaboration with the cities of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, which have just been jointly designated as the African Capitals of Culture for 2024.

These rich exchanges, particularly with Yvette Tabu Inangoy, Commissioner General in charge of culture for the province of Kinshasa, and Emma Clesh Atipo Ngapy, Deputy Mayor of Brazzaville, align with our commitment to dialogue and cooperation with the African continent.

Also an opportunity for Michaël Delafosse to meet again with Achille Mbembe, bearer of a strong message for local democracies.

After a first Biennale that took place in October 2023, strengthened by the ties formed in 2021 during the organization of the New Africa-France Summit, exploring new areas of partnerships, especially between artists and scientists, Montpellier asserts itself more than ever as a crossroads of ideas and aims to transform perspectives on the reality of African cultures.

Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of the City of Montpellier, President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, and the Montpellier 2028 team welcomed the members of the European jury delegation to Montpellier on Monday, December 4th, alongside representatives from local authorities and partners committed to our candidacy.

On the agenda: a tour of the cities of Montpellier and Sète with times for meetings and discussions on the major challenges of Montpellier 2028. With one objective: to provide an authentic and representative overview of our candidacy in all its richness and diversity.

The opportunity to discover the development project of the ZAC Boffil, future Fabrique M28, and to focus on our program, especially around Cultural and Creative Industries, citizen participation through the awareness-raising of future ambassadors of Water4future Hackatons among schoolchildren, high school students, and university students, Culture at the children’s level with the Fabre Museum and its innovative awareness devices for young and very young audiences, but also projects combining health and culture led by the University Hospital Center of Montpellier (CHU) with on-the-ground initiatives and inspiring creative activities to improve mental health. Presentation also of the future cultural dimension of the Chais Dubonnet in Sète, the relocation project of the MIAM International Museum of Modest Arts that is part of it, and the creation of spaces for sharing and conviviality, especially around gastronomy, but also participatory projects in social care institutions supported by Mécènes du sud.

Also an opportunity to reaffirm that the candidacy of Montpellier 2028 aims to transform the territory through the prism of culture by becoming a place of experimentation and invention at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, particularly in the face of contemporary challenges as illustrated by the Euro-Africa Biennial.

Furthermore, the strategy and evaluation methods of the title and its impact on the territory in the short and medium term were presented by the Center for Political and Social Studies (CEPEL), which will be in charge of its coordination.

This day concluded at the Théâtre de la Mer in Sète in the presence of François Commeinhes, Mayor of Sète and President of Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, to the rhythm of the official anthem of Montpellier 2028 with the Association Les Loustics du Pic and to the sound of the guitars of Kema & Nelson Baliardo.

—-

The visit reflected the Montpellier 2028 candidacy: with a “low carbon” and responsible approach.

The members of the European jury delegation discovered the cities of Montpellier and Sète by train, electric vehicles, velotaxis, and boat!

Thinking about new mobilities on the M28 scale is at the heart of the challenges of the Montpellier 2028 candidacy.

Adapting mobilities to new uses to address the ecological and social transition challenges we want for our territory begins with incentive measures, such as Montpellier’s free transportation policy or the renewed commitment of the Occitanie Region to offer TER tickets for €1 for all the highlights of our program; the reciprocal adaptation of M28 programming schedules and transport services.

This will also involve experimenting with river shuttles, promoting the use of bicycles and electric bicycles through artistic and cultural routes and projects by promoting intermodality (notably train+bicycle).

10 h 00

On Saturday December 2 from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 16:00 to 20:00, the city of Montpellier is organizing an event entitled “Cap sur la culture”.

This initiative aims to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and in particular diversity and inclusion in the arts and culture sector.

The Salle des Rencontres at Montpellier City Hall will be the venue for this celebration, with a rich program ranging from poetry to live shows, round tables and musical performances.

See the full program here.

—

Montpellier 2028 is giving away an Interrail pass for the occasion! Enter our “Europe by train” photo competition and try your luck!

How to enter?

1. Go to the “Cap sur la culture” event.

2. Take a photo of yourself with one of our photo frames in support of the Montpellier 2028 bid.

3. Post your best photos on your Instagram account, tagging @montpellier2028, with the hashtags #montpellier2028 #JIPSH2023
before 11:59pm on December 02, 2023

A draw will be held to select the winner.

Find the contest rules here.

Please note that for your entry to count, your account must be public for the duration of the game!

For the disabled, assistance can be requested on board by the pass holder, and their carer can obtain a free Interrail pass.

Good luck to you all!

The major challenges at stake in Montpellier’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2028 were unveiled at the Maison des Relations Internationales Nelson Mandela in Montpellier. Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, François Commeinhes, Mayor of Sète and President of Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, Claire Fita, Vice-President of Montpellier 2028 and Vice-President of the Conseil Régional d’Occitanie, and Zita Chelvi-Sandin, Conseiller départementale de l’Hérault, addressed key European issues, as well as territorial cooperation and mobility.

It was also an opportunity to discuss Montpellier 2028’s artistic program, based around its 3 artistic axes: Les Chemins du vivant, La Fabrique des futurs, Trans! with a focus on the role of culture as an essential factor in connection and inclusion, and as a lever for transformation, in the presence of Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director of the bid, Sophie Léron, General Manager of the bid, Delphine Maurel, Director of ESAT artistique la Bulle Bleue, and Thierry Verdier, Director of ENSAM (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Montpellier).

Next, Mathieu Argaud, co-director of the Bipolar agency, and Mélina Chosson presented the “Rassemblez-Lez” project, which, as part of Montpellier 2028, is proposing a laboratory for experimentation around the question of environmental issues, and which has launched a major negotiation between the Lez river and its inhabitants.

Finally, there was a visit to the “Boson Man, particule élémentaire” exhibition by Franco-Ivorian artist Ernest Dükü at the Espace Bagouet, inaugurated as part of the Montpellier Euro-Africa Biennial.

© Alain Scherer

18 h 30

3 DAYS OF SOUND & LIGHT SHOWS IN THE HEART OF MONTPELLIER
(free admission)

November 16 to 18, 2023 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Montpellier and all its partner communities are finalists to become European Capital of Culture in 2028.

This year, Cœur de Ville en Lumières takes us to the heart of Europe, to discover three European Capitals of Culture in 2023: Eleusis (Greece), Timisoara (Romania) and Veszprem (Hungary).
Punctuated by stopovers on the African continent, the program links and celebrates the cultural wonders of our two continents.
Water, which links the various territories of the Montpellier 2028 bid, occupies a central place in this 8th edition, which aims to deploy our sensibilities and imaginations towards a desirable future.

download the full program

—

FOCUS – M28

Europe
“Europe en cœur, shine in Europe” at the Opéra Comédie
This show plunges us into a unique adventure that links Romanian and French culture. A visual, sound and immersive universe that bridges the gap between two cultures: Timisoara has been a cultural avant-garde since 1884!

“Veszprem” at Eglise Saint-Roch
This show offers a dreamlike, cultural incursion into the spirit of Hungary and the city of Veszprem, European Capital of Culture 2023. Elements of Veszprem’s tangible and intangible heritage invite themselves onto the neo-Gothic facade of the Church of St. Roch, ready to destructure and generate spectacular architectural effects.

“Eleusis” at Poste Rondelet
Discover the Greek world, Eleusis, European Capital of Culture 2023, and its great ancient mysteries. ELEUSIS, a very large-format show, on the imposing Poste Rondelet, at the sources of Western civilization.

“Asteri, Csillag and Stéa” at the Cour de l’Agora
Spotlight on culture! Embark on a colorful, immersive journey to the heart of the three new European Capitals of Culture 2023: Eleusis, Timisoara and Veszprem. Follow the stars…

Africa
“Rêves d’Afrique” at Hôtel Saint-Côme
In this journey to Africa, light will wrap the Hôtel Saint-Côme in boubous, motifs and colors. A haute couture tribute to African cultures and 18th-century architecture.

“Afro’rythmes” at the Hôtel d’Aurès
African music takes center stage. Drawing inspiration from its rhythms and instruments, its colors and energies, we offer you a sensory and intoxicating journey, inviting you to dance and travel.

“Africa in lights” at Saint-Pierre Cathedral
e-artsup Montpellier’s motion design and 2D/3D animation students pay tribute to contemporary African artists through a graphic, musical and animated journey.

Water
“Aquatic Legends” at the Prefecture
Water, the cornerstone of our civilizations, has always deeply nourished our imaginations. This show pays tribute to the legends and stories that have shaped our collective identity since the dawn of time.

“Méditerranéa” at Aqueduc des Arceaux
A plunge into the aquatic world. A deep dive into the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, to discover its immensity, beauty and hidden treasures.

“Plongée dans l’audacieux” at the Arc de Triomphe
Water, an indispensable element, brings the various paintings to life.

Light sculpture at Notre-Dame des Tables
Light sculpture on the theme of water with eight art prep students and nine graphic design students in their 2nd year at Studio M.

This visit follows Senator Hussein Bourgi’s invitation to the young musicians of the Loustics du Pic brass band to come to the Senate.

An opportunity for 24 young people from the region to discover the Palais du Luxembourg and perform there.

The following day, Montpellier 2028 joined the towns of Sète and Agde at the Fête des Vendanges in Montmartre for a festive and convivial event.

In the heart of the Arènes de Montmartre, the issues at stake in Montpellier’s 2028 bid were presented, and the Loustics du Pic delighted the large audience who turned out to hear them play on the heights of the capital, before giving way to the tunes of Brassens and Manitas de Plata.

With the participation of :

– Sophie Léron, General Manager of Montpellier 2028

– Eric Penso, Vice-president of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole in charge of Culture and Historical Heritage

– Christophe Durand, Vice-Chairman of Sète Agglopôle, responsible for cultural outreach and the development of artistic education in community facilities, public reading and live performance.

– Joliette Coste, Deputy Manager of the Attractive City of Sète, responsible for Tourism and the Cruise Club

The trip was made possible thanks to the support of Lidl France.

Montpellier 2028 has teamed up with SNCF Gares & Connexions to showcase a selection of projects by local artists and cultural players. A number of artistic projects emblematic of the bid will be showcased in 5 stations across the region, through customized scenographies designed by SNCF Gares & Connexions teams.

Visit Montpellier, Sète, Lunel, Frontignan and Vic-Mireval stations to discover these unique installations.

This partnership between Montpellier 2028 and SNCF Gares & Connexions is intended to be a long-term one, extending beyond the region to the national and European level if Montpellier is chosen to become European Capital of Culture in 2028, alongside Budweis (Czech Republic) and Skopje (Macedonia).

OCTOBER 15 TO DECEMBER 31, 2023

Sète station, Aliki Christoforou “Perspectives submergées”; Charles Thiefaine “Z”, as part of the CIVIS MARITIMUS program: “Tous citoyens des mers” (“All citizens of the seas”) supported by Eyes Wide Open.
Lunel station, Ador & Mara “Navache!”, Elisa Capdevila and Zoer, restitution of two frescoes created around the theme of water, as part of the “Contre Courant – Art & Exploration Urbaine” program supported by LineUP, the city and the Lunel region.
Frontignan and Vic-Mireval railway stations, “Inside Out” created by photographer JR, a series of portraits of committed local citizens, as part of the “Transborder” program supported by AFIVAM.

FROM NOVEMBER 02 TO DECEMBER 15, 2023

Gare de Montpellier Saint-Roch, Barthélémy Toguo, series of etchings entitled “Wouri, Donga, Sanaga…”, named after the rivers of Cameroon; GraphiMs, a festival organized by La Fenêtre and the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole media library network. A series exploring the relationship between transport and graphic design.

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SNCF Gares & Connexions specializes in stations, from design to operation and marketing. Born of the conviction that stations are living places in their own right, it enriches these “urban villages” to help spread culture to all publics. Every year, nearly 300 exhibitions, interventions and artistic events are custom-designed for stations throughout France, in partnership with leading institutions.