ON/ART
Creation of a cross-border community for digital media
Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains and Designregio Kortrijk are joining forces to create new opportunities for new media artists, digital creators and cultural organisations on both sides of the border between northern France and Flanders.
Cooperation between Northern France and Flanders represents a strategic opportunity to capitalise on the artistic and technological resources present in the region. Together, these territories can increase their attractiveness and assert their position as an innovative hub in the field of digital arts.
This project is based on the alliance of two key players:
- Le Fresnoy –Studio national des arts contemporains, with its recognised expertise in media arts and its roots in contemporary technologies.
- Designregio Kortrijk, specialising in networking and the creation of dynamic creative communities.
By combining their skills, these two partners are paving the way for a fruitful exchange of knowledge, creating new opportunities for new media artists, digital creators and cultural structures on both sides of the border.
Project objectives
This project aims to reduce the current fragmentation in the cross-border area by promoting the emergence of a shared, stimulating and interconnected artistic community. Artists, digital creators and partner organisations will benefit from:
- Shared resources: access to studios, workshops, digital tools and creative spaces spread across both territories.
- Inspiring encounters: a joint programme of conferences, visits, exhibitions and workshops, facilitating networking and the exchange of ideas.
- Collaborative projects: concrete cross-border initiatives supervised by experts, enabling the co-creation of innovative digital works.
- Enhanced visibility: joint achievements will be promoted through exhibitions organised in Northern France and Flanders, aimed at the general public.
An ambitious positioning for the region
By stimulating collaboration and the circulation of talent, this project aims to position the region as a leading European creative centre for digital arts in the long term. It aims to attract international artists, innovative organisations and curious visitors, while strengthening the local cultural identity.
Le Fresnoy – Studio national is :
- a school attracting students from all over the world
- an establishment open to all (exhibitions, cinema, events)
- an institution dedicated to creation and innovation
- a place for exchanges with major regional, national and international institutions.
Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains is an institution for training, production and distribution in the audiovisual and digital arts. Its aim is to enable young artists from all over the world to create works using professional technical resources in a decompartmentalised environment open to all forms of expression. Its field of work, both theoretical and practical, covers all audiovisual languages, from traditional (photography, film and video) to digital creation.
Opened in October 1997, it is housed on the site of a former popular entertainment complex which was in operation from 1905 to 1977. Around this the Franco-Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi designed an entirely new building, preserving the spaces of the old one within. The result has been widely acclaimed in France and internationally as one of the most original works of contemporary architecture of its time.
Website Le Fresnoy – Studio national
Website Interreg France – Wallonie – Vlaanderen
