The Board of Directors of “M28 – Terres de culture” met on Tuesday March 25 at the Théâtre La Scène en Grand Pic Saint-Loup in Saint-Gély-du-Fesc, at the invitation of Alain Barbe, President of the Communauté de communes du Grand Pic Saint-Loup.

Sophie Léron, President and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director of M28, presented the results of the year 2024, an essential year of transition and definition of our fields of action, as well as the construction and programming of Event 25 – Living trails, which will take place from 26 September to 5 October 2025.

The members of the association reaffirmed their commitment to working alongside artists and cultural players, and their desire to make M28 an area of hospitality. From the lands of Agde to the shores of Grau-du-Roi, from the karsts of the Cévennes to the districts of Montpellier, dozens of cultural teams and artists, as well as researchers, carers and tourism professionals, are imagining, designing and implementing our great collective project.

Throughout the spring, the creative residencies will unfold. Authors, visual artists, musicians, choreographers, video artists, architects and actors are all hard at work, and over the coming weeks they’ll be organising meetings and workshops to amplify the movement and broaden the audience.

Finally, Nicolas Jonquet, a Montpellier lawyer and founding member of the Association Mécènes du Sud Montpellier-Sète-Béziers, has been appointed Treasurer of the M28 – Terres de culture association, succeeding Max Ponseillé, whom we would like to thank warmly for his commitment to the association since its creation.

© Jean-Claude Alliès

On Monday 10 March, at the invitation of Anne Ferrer, Director General of the Montpellier University Hospital, the second quarterly working meeting was held at the University Hospital with the project sponsors of M28 – Terres de culture, in the presence of Sophie Léron, President of M28 and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director of M28.

It was an opportunity to share and structure the artistic programme of Event 25 – Living trails as part of the ongoing dynamic of co-construction and cooperation across the M28 territory.

In the form of participatory workshops, this working time provided an opportunity for collective discussion to encourage partnerships and cross-fertilisation around the various projects, particularly on the issues of public mobility, inclusion and the links between culture, health, education and research.

Credit : Alain Scherer

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.

On the path to sobriety #4

Monday 10 March 2025, at 6pm at the Hôtel d’Aurès in Montpellier, on the subject of “On the path to sobriety”, with Jean-Paul Deniaud and Virginie Guilminot.

Free admission, subject to availability

Jean-Paul Deniaud

A former editor-in-chief of Trax, Jean-Paul Deniaud co-founded and now runs Pioche!, an online media and newsletter dedicated to the ecological transition in culture and the cultural expressions of ecology (artworks, artists, events, etc.). In Montpellier, he co-founded and now presides the 2030 Festival, a cooperative, festive and committed event aiming to put culture at the service of ecology and commitment, through citizen eco-workshops and a week of collective celebration – from 1 to 7 December 2025 – throughout the city.

Virginie Guilminot

Virginie Guilminot, PhD in Image Arts and Technologies, Paris 8, has been working in the field of 3D animation for over 30 years. She defends ethical animated cinema by creating responsible eco-animations, from production to distribution, in line with the challenges of ecological transition. Assistant director on Kaena, Europe’s 1st 3D feature (1998-2003), she becomes production manager in 2004 on the Mac Guff studio’s 1st 3D feature, Azur & Asmar by Michel Ocelot. In 2013, Virginie organises the Blender Colo, to test the stability of this free software. In 2014, she is behind the creation of the SCOP Les Fées Spéciales, Un Pluriel bien singulier. More recently, she has been production manager on Julie Gavras’ animated series Cherchez la Femme ! for ARTE and “orchestra conductor” for Sacrebleu, of the 3D Blender animation of FLOW by Gints Zilbalodis – Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival, 4 Prizes at the Annecy Film Festival, Annie Awards, Golden Globes, César and Oscar.

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.

#Residency #Research #Creation

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

Winners of the call for applications

The artist selection panel for the SANA “Vivid Memories” research and creation residency, supported by M28 – Terres de culture and SPL Le Grau-du-Roi Development, met on 5 February 2025 to examine the applications received for this year’s event.

Of the 74 applications received, 3 artists were selected on the basis of the criteria set out in the call for applications.

After a rigorous selection process, the jury has chosen the three winning artists for the “Vivid Memories” research and creation residency at the SANA:

General conditions of the residency

Expected artistic disciplines

– writing, particularly poetry, literature, theatre, graphic novels and experimental writing,

– visual art, in particular painting, sculpture, graphic design, street art and art installations.

The research part of the residency will include periods of amateur artistic practice with intermediate meetings. The creative part of the residency will necessarily involve a performance during Event 25 – Living trails.

Duration and hosting conditions
Eight weeks of experimentation and creation, with access to the site and support from the SANA project team. Accommodation – when necessary – is provided by SPL le Grau du Roi Développement as follows: mobile home at the Espiguette campsite in Le Grau du Roi. In addition, the SANA project team will facilitate travel on site, particularly between the SANA site and the accommodation. A working room will be made available to the artist according to a schedule defined by them and subject to booking (workshop space at the Espiguette lighthouse, meeting rooms at the campsite and the tourist office).

Grant
The residency is endowed with a grant of 7,000 euros per artist. This includes the artist’s remuneration, per diems and transport.
An agreement will be drawn up between the Montpellier 2028 association and the artist.

Duration
As part of Event 25 – Living trails, the SANA team is offering a residency to one, two or three artists for eight weeks from March to October 2025, with the exception of the period from 15 June to 15 September.

Terms and conditions
The call for applications is open to artists of any age and any location. The artist is invited to experiment and create, in keeping with the context of the place of residency and within the framework of Event 25 – Living trails.

Artists may apply either individually (one artist) or as a group (two or three artists). The artists selected, whether they have applied together or separately, must combine their proposals for a joint presentation of their work at Event 25 – Living trails.

The selected artist commits to being on site for eight weeks during the period set out above. The residency will be punctuated by time spent working together with the other artists, themselves selected as part of this call for applications. The artist’s application will include intermediary meetings with the public, with a section on amateur artistic practices, and a major performance during Event 25, which will take place from 26 September to 5 October 2025.

Alongside the residents of Grau du Roi, the residents of the Espiguette campsite (600 year-round residents) could provide a breeding ground for amateur practices. If necessary, the SPL project team will facilitate the link between the artist and the residents.

Rendition
The SANA, with the support of the Montpellier 2028 – Terres de Culture association, will organise the rendition sessions, meaning the intermediate meetings and the presentation during Event 25 – Living trails.

Application

Applications must include:

• an up-to-date portfolio and biography;
• a statement of intent setting out the artist’s motivations for this residency, with particular attention paid to the specifics set out in this call for applications.
  
• Dossier and note of intent, not exceeding 20Mb, must be uploaded in PDF format with the following headings: ‘NOM_E25_SANA_PORTFOLIO’ and ‘NOM_E25_SANA_NOTE’, to the following two addresses: lesana@letsgrau.com and contact@montpellier2028.eu

Deadline for applications: 20 January 2025 included

Download the Call for applications

The jury will deliberate on Wednesday 05 February 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

Vote and support M28 – Terres de culture for the 2024 European Art Explora Prize!

The Event 25 – Living trails has been shortlisted for the 2024 European Art Explora Prize – Academy of Fine Arts.

Open to all European cultural organisations, from all artistic sectors, the European prize supports innovative practices in audience access, participation and engagement that can be shared across Europe.

The M28 – Terres de culture project aims to transform the territory through artistic and cultural projects linked to the living arts, with the active participation of local residents.

As a shortlisted organisation, the project is also eligible for the People’s Choice Award.

Vote for M28 – Terres de culture until 11 November! via the dedicated platform on the Art Explora website.

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.

Come and meet us on Tuesday September 17 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Paul Valéry University Campus, Route de Mende, Montpellier, as part of Don’t Panic! On the program: entertainment, food-trucks, radio set, games, selfie booths!

An opportunity for students to win an Interrail Pass offered by Montpellier 2028! An Interrail Pass is an opportunity to travel by train in 33 European countries, for 7 days during a 1-month period.

How do I enter the prize draw?

1. Follow us on instagram @montpellier2028 and @vie_de_campus_paul_va

2. Comment on the dedicated post by answering the following questions and tagging your friends: Which European countries would you like to visit? Who would you like to go with?

Open until 11:59pm on September 17, 2024

A draw will be held to determine the winner.

Find the contest rules here.

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M28 – Terres de culture, of which Paul Valéry University is an associate member, is working to co-construct a cultural project for the Montpellier-Sète catchment area that will unite residents around major social, environmental and heritage challenges. M28 is keen to mobilize and involve students in its approach, particularly on the question of our relationship with the living world and to imagine solutions for living in tomorrow’s world.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.